7 Forgotten Old-School Exercises for Building Massive, Strong Shoulders

I’ve been a personal trainer for over 30 years, and, during that time, I’ve written hundreds if not thousands of workouts. In fact, I’d say that writing training routines is one of my favorite parts of the job. I get a great deal of satisfaction from creating unique, challenging, effective programs for my army of clients.

However, there is a downside to writing lots of workouts – it’s very easy to start repeating yourself, creating routines that are too similar to those I’ve produced before.

Lack of training variety can hurt your motivation and your gains (1). After all, doing the same workout over and over can soon become boring, and being bored is the perfect excuse for skipping workouts.

Consequently, I’m always searching for new exercises and training methods to give to my clients. In my experience, one of the best places to find new exercises is the past.

Old-school bodybuilders used numerous unique movements to sculpt their incredible physiques. In many cases, these exercises were as functional as they were effective for building muscle. That’s why old-school bodybuilders were so strong.

So, if you are bored of conventional overhead presses and lateral raises, this article is for you! I reveal some of my favorite forgotten exercises for building massive, strong shoulders.

Shoulder Anatomy Basics

While you don’t need a degree in anatomy to build wide, sculpted shoulders, a little anatomical knowledge will help you choose the best exercises for your needs and goals. That said, feel free to skip this section and jump straight to the exercises if you prefer.

The main shoulder muscles are the deltoids, known as the delts for short. The deltoids comprise three heads – anterior, medial, and posterior. All three deltoid heads work together but, by performing specific movements, it’s possible to emphasize each one in turn.

Anterior Deltoid – located on the front of your shoulder, the anterior deltoid is responsible for moving your arm forward into flexion and medial (inward) rotation. The anterior deltoid is involved in all chest exercises as well as most shoulder exercises.

Medial Deltoid – found on the side of your shoulder, the medial or middle deltoid gives your shoulders their width. The primary job of the medial deltoids is abduction or lifting your arm out and away from your side, e.g., lateral raises.

Posterior Deltoid – opposing the anterior deltoid, the posterior head of the deltoid is located on the back of your shoulder. It’s responsible for moving your arm into extension and external rotation. Of the three heads, the rear delt is the one most likely to be underdeveloped.

Rotator Cuff – comprising four small muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis) the rotator cuff controls and stabilizes the shoulder joint. Unless you are a surgeon, you’ll probably never see these muscles, but they’re involved in every upper body exercise you perform.

Related: A Head-by-Head Guide to Deltoid Training

7 Forgotten Exercises for Massive, Strong Shoulders

Bust out of your current shoulder training rut with these lesser-known, all-but-forgotten old-school deltoid exercises!

1. Shoulder-to-Shoulder or Surfboard Press

Why is the shoulder-to-shoulder press also known as the surfboard press? Good question!

Imagine you are carrying a surfboard on your shoulder but you’re starting to get tired. What do you do? Press the board up and over your head and rest it on the opposite shoulder, of course. Whether you are a surfer or a gym rat, this is an excellent shoulder builder.

Steps:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and core braced.
2. Hold a single dumbbell or kettlebell in one hand at shoulder height. Place your opposite hand on the top of the weight so your forearm is in front of your face.
3. Press the weight up and over your head and then lower it to your other shoulder.
4. Next, press the weight back up and return to the starting position.
5. That’s one rep – keep going!

Tips:

• Make sure the weight follows an arc.
• Do not lock your elbows out at the top of the movement, as doing so provides your muscles with a brief rest, making the exercise a little less effective.
• You can also do this exercise seated.

2. Javelin Press

The javelin press is more than just a shoulder exercise; it’ll also strengthen your core and forearms and teach you how to stabilize awkward loads. As such, this is a very functional exercise and one that’s bound to turn a few heads when you do it at the gym. Be warned, though, this is a challenging exercise that requires good balance and coordination.

Steps:

1. Place a barbell at shoulder height in a squat rack.
2. Stand sideways onto the bar and grip the middle with your nearside hand, palm facing toward you.
3. Brace your core, unrack the bar, and take one step away from the rack.
4. Press the bar up and overhead to arm’s length.
5. Lower it back to your shoulder and repeat.
6. Rerack the bar, turn around, and repeat on the opposite side.

Tips:

• Start with an empty 20kg/45-pound bar so you can get used to controlling the long length.
• Do the same number of reps with both arms.
• Make sure you keep your hips and shoulders level – no leaning to the side or twisting.

3. Bradford Press

The Bradford press is named after American Olympic weightlifter Jim Bradford (November 1, 1928 – September 13, 2013) who originally used it as an assistance exercise for the clean and press. This exercise keeps your muscles under constant tension, making it an awesome muscle builder. It’s also good for improving shoulder and thoracic spine mobility.

Steps:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and core braced.
2. Hold a barbell in front of your neck with an overhand, shoulder-width grip.
3. Press the bar up until it’s just above head height.
4. Move the bar backward and lower it behind your neck.
5. Press the weight back up and over your head, returning to the starting position.
6. That’s one Bradford press – keep going!

Tips:

• Keep the bar close to your head – do NOT lock your elbows as doing so takes tension off the deltoids.
• Pull the bar back behind your neck rather than push your head forward.
• You can also do this exercise seated.

4. Neider Press

The Neider press is named after Olympic shot-putter Bill Neider (August 10, 1933 – October 7, 2022) who used it to build upper-body pushing power along with cannon-ball delts. Unlike most conventional shoulder exercises, the Neider press is performed explosively, which is sure to raise a few eyebrows when you do this exercise at your local gym.

Steps:

1. Hold a barbell at shoulder height with an overhand, slightly wider than shoulder-width grip. Brace your core.
2. Explosively extend your arms and push the bar out and away so the weight ends up at just above head height.
3. Quickly pull the bar back in and repeat.

Tips:

• Go light – this exercise is meant to be performed fast. If you cannot achieve maximum bar speed, the weight is too heavy.
• Do this exercise in a split stance if you need a more stable base.
• You can also perform Neider presses with dumbbells:

5. Side-Lying Lateral Raise

This exercise was popularized by legendary bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger, but he probably didn’t invent it. It was also a favorite of another old-school bodybuilding star – Serge Nubret.

While it may look like a lazy way to do lateral raises, it actually places your deltoids in a very stretched position, which studies suggest can help enhance hypertrophy or muscle growth (2). It also hits your delts from a unique angle.

Steps:

1. Lie on your side on a flat or slightly inclined exercise bench.
2. Hold a dumbbell in your uppermost hand.
3. Lower the weight down in front of your body to get a good stretch in your shoulder.
4. Raise your arm up until it’s vertical.
5. Return to the starting position and repeat.
6. Rest, roll over, and do the same number of reps on the opposite side.

Tips:

• Use a light weight and avoid using momentum to lift your dumbbell.
• Experiment with the angle of your bench to determine what works best for you.
• You can also do this exercise while lying on the floor:

6. Barbell Overhead Carry

The barbell overhead carry is a challenging exercise that targets your deltoids, triceps, and core. Walking with a weight held aloft means you’ll need to use all these muscles to support and stabilize the load. However, because it’s an isometric exercise, you should be able to handle impressively heavy weights.

Steps:

1. Using a shoulder-width, overhand grip, clean and press a barbell overhead.
2. Stand with your feet together, arms straight, and core braced. Engage your upper back and traps to stabilize your shoulders.
3. Go for a walk around your training area, continuing until you are unable to keep your arms raised.
4. Lower the bar to the floor, rest, and repeat.

Tips:

• Make this exercise even more demanding by walking sideways, following a zigzag path, or carefully stepping over low obstacles.
• Take care not to overextend your lower back, which is a common technique fault during this exercise.
• You can also do this exercise with one or a pair of dumbbells/kettlebells:

7. Barbell Z Press

The barbell Z press is named after celebrated strongman Žydrūnas Savickas, better known as Big Z. Done seated on the floor, this lesser-known exercise eliminates your legs from the movement, so it’s all about your deltoids, triceps, and core strength. Big Z was one of the best overhead pressers in history, and this exercise was his secret weapon!

Steps:

1. Sit on the floor with your legs extended and feet apart. Sit up tall on the boney part of your butt – the ischia. Brace your core.
2. Hold a barbell in front of your shoulders using an overhand, shoulder-width grip.
3. Press the weight up and overhead to arm’s length.
4. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Tips:

• Do this exercise in a power rack for safety if lifting heavy loads.
• Sit with your feet together if your flexibility permits.
• You can also do the Z press with dumbbells:

Closing Thoughts

Are you tired of doing the same old deltoid workout? Then revitalize your training with these forgotten old-school exercises for massive, strong shoulders. Using the training methods of past lifters, you can break free from boredom and challenge your muscles in new ways, sculpting the shoulders of your dreams.

As Winston Churchill once said, “The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” And while many modern-day trainers may have forgotten these exercises, they still hold the power to enhance your future shoulder workouts.

Next: From Sandow to Classic: The Historic Eras of Bodybuilding

References:

1. Lakicevic N, Gentile A, Mehrabi S, Cassar S, Parker K, Roklicer R, Bianco A, Drid P. Make Fitness Fun: Could Novelty Be the Key Determinant for Physical Activity Adherence? Front Psychol. 2020 Oct 15;11:577522. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.577522. PMID: 33178079; PMCID: PMC7593334.
2. Warneke K, Lohmann LH, Lima CD, Hollander K, Konrad A, Zech A, Nakamura M, Wirth K, Keiner M, Behm DG. Physiology of Stretch-Mediated Hypertrophy and Strength Increases: A Narrative Review. Sports Med. 2023 Nov;53(11):2055-2075. doi: 10.1007/s40279-023-01898-x. Epub 2023 Aug 9. PMID: 37556026; PMCID: PMC10587333.

---