Which exercises work which shoulder muscles best?
Different Shoulder Exercises Affect the Activation of Deltoid Portions in Resistance-Trained Individuals
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Lateral raise activates the posterior deltoid more than any other exercise tested—even more than the shoulder press.
Most lifters assume rear delts need special exercises like reverse flys or rows, but a basic lateral raise lit them up the most.
Practical Takeaways
Add lateral raises to your routine if you want fuller, rounder shoulders—especially for the back and sides.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Lateral raise activates the posterior deltoid more than any other exercise tested—even more than the shoulder press.
Most lifters assume rear delts need special exercises like reverse flys or rows, but a basic lateral raise lit them up the most.
Practical Takeaways
Add lateral raises to your routine if you want fuller, rounder shoulders—especially for the back and sides.
Publication
Journal
Journal of Human Kinetics
Year
2020
Authors
Y. Campos, J. Vianna, M. Guimarães, J. Oliveira, C. Hernández-Mosqueira, S. D. da Silva, P. H. Marchetti
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Claims (6)
If you're a guy who lifts weights, doing lateral raises or shoulder presses works your middle shoulder muscle way better than bench presses or dumbbell flies — and both moves are about equally good for it.
If you're a guy who lifts weights, doing bench presses or dumbbell flys probably won't do much to work your side and back shoulder muscles — they barely turn on during these moves, even though lots of people do them for upper body strength.
If you're a guy who lifts weights, the shoulder press works your front shoulder muscle more than bench presses, flys, or lateral raises when doing a typical workout.
If you're a guy who lifts weights, doing lateral raises gives your rear shoulder muscle the biggest workout compared to shoulder presses, bench presses, or dumbbell flies when using the same level of effort.
If you're a guy who lifts weights, doing shoulder presses wakes up your rear shoulder muscles way more than bench presses or flys—even though shoulder presses aren't meant just for that area.