Middle Deltoid Exercises

Twisting Dumbbell Presses

Exercise Advice: Sit on a bench or chair with your back upright and straight. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand and hold them in near the front of you shoulders, palms facing in toward your shoulders. Next, simultaneously lift or ‘press’ the dumbbells up over your head. While you are pressing the dumbbells, twist your wrists toward one another on the way up. Return to the start position and repeat.

Machine Deltoid Military Presses

Exercise Advice: Position yourself on a Military Press Machine with your back set firmly against the pad. Grasp the handles with each hand and press the weight up over your head. Return to the start position and repeat.

Incline One Arm Deltoid Lateral Raises

Exercise Advice: Lie on your right side on an incline bench with your right hand resting on your head. Grasp a dumbbell with your left hand, palm down, letting it hang down across your body. Next, Lift the dumbbell by raising it to the ceiling, keeping your arm as straight as possible throughout the movement. When raising the weight, visualize that you are starting a lawnmower by pulling its recoil cord.

Seated Barbell Deltoid Military Presses

Exercise Advice: Position yourself on a free weight Military Press Machine with your back set firmly against the pad. Grasp the barbell with your hands just beyond shoulder width apart. Press the barbell up over your head and return to the start position allowing the barbell to come down in front of you just below your chin. Repeat this movement for the desired amount of repetitions.

Seated Dumbbell Deltoid Presses

Exercise Advice: Position yourself on a bench or chair with your back upright and straight. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand and hold them just outside of each shoulder with your thumbs pointing in toward each other. Simply press the dumbbells up over your head and return to the start position just outside your shoulders. Repeat this movement for the desired amount of repetitions.

Seated Side Lateral Deltoid Raises

Exercise Advice: Straddle a flat bench and grasp a dumbbell in each hand allowing the dumbbells to hang down at your sides with your palm facing in toward your body. Next, simultaneously raise the dumbbells by bringing the backs of your hands to the ceiling, keeping your arms as straight as possible throughout the movement. Bring your arms to a point that is parallel to the floor, hold for a one-count and return to the start position and repeat for the desired repetitions.

Alternating Dumbbell Deltoid Presses

Exercise Advice: You can do this exercise standing or positioned on a bench with your back upright and straight. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand and hold them just outside of each shoulder with your thumbs pointing in toward each other. Simply press one dumbbell up over your head and return to the start position just outside your shoulder. Repeat this movement with the opposite arm and continue alternating for the desired amount of repetitions.

Dumbbell Deltoid Lateral Raises

Exercise Advice: Stand with your feet approximately shoulder width apart and grasp a dumbbell in each hand allowing the dumbbells to hang down at your sides with your palm facing in toward your body. Next, simultaneously raise the dumbbells by bringing the backs of your hands to the ceiling, keeping your arms as straight as possible throughout the movement. Bring your arms to a point that is parallel to the floor, hold for a one-count and return to the start position and repeat for the desired repetitions.

Two Arm Dumbbell Deltoid Upright Rows

Exercise Advice: Stand with your feet approximately shoulder width apart and grasp a dumbbell in each hand allowing the dumbbells to hang down in front of your thighs with your palm facing in toward your body. Simultaneously raise the dumbbells up to just under your chin. You will do this by flaring your elbows up and out. Hold for a one-count at the top if the movement and then return to the start position and repeat.

Standing Low Cable Deltoid Raises

Exercise Advice: Stand next to a cable pulley machine and reach across your body to grab the handle of a low pulley cable attachment. Slowly raise the pulley by bringing the weight up and across your body as though you are trying to touch the ceiling with the back of you hand. Bring the weight to a point to where your arm becomes parallel to the floor and hold for a one-count. Return to the start position and repeat for the desired amount of repetitions. Once finished with that set, repeat on the opposite arm.

Standing Deltoid Military Presses

Exercise Advice: Stand within a squat rack area and grab a barbell with both hands and rest it on your upper chest across your collar bone. Your feet will be split, with one leg underneath you and the other dropped back behind you slightly for added support. Simply press the barbell up over your head for the desired amount of repetitions and then return to the start position and repeat.

Standing One Arm Dumbbell Presses

Exercise Advice: Stand with your feet approximately shoulder width apart. Grasp a dumbbell in one hand and hold it just outside of the same side shoulder with your thumb pointing in toward your head. Simply press the dumbbell up over your head and return to the start position just outside your shoulder. Continue this for the desired amount of repetitions and repeat with the opposite arm.

Standing Two Arm Dumbbell Presses

Exercise Advice: Stand with your feet approximately shoulder width apart. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand and hold them just outside of each shoulder with your thumbs pointing in toward each other. Simply press the dumbbells up over your head and return to the start position just outside your shoulders. Repeat this movement for the desired amount of repetitions.

Upright Barbell Deltoid Rows

Exercise Advice: Stand with your feet approximately shoulder width apart. Using a narrow overhand grip, grasp an EZ Curl Bar with both hands and let the bar and your arms hang down in front of your body, fully extended. Next, raise the EZ Curl Bar up to just under your chin. You will do this by flaring your elbows up and out. Hold for a one-count at the top if the movement and then return to the start position and repeat.

FreeMotion Overhead Cable Presses

Exercise Advice: Using the FreeMotion machine, grasp the handles and place your hands in a "military press" position with your arms in a 90 degree angle. Slowly raises the cables and press up while keeping the tension on your deltoid muscles. Keep a slight bend in your elbows at the top and lower the weight back down to the starting position.