15 Best Shoulder Isolation Exercises For Bigger and Peeled Deltoids

Ask a rookie lifter or a gym bro about the best shoulder exercises, and they’ll probably point you toward compound exercises like military and Arnold presses. However, the benefits of shoulder isolation exercises are often underplayed and underappreciated. 

Isolation exercises can help target a specific muscle group, making them invaluable for identifying and ironing out strength and muscle imbalances. They are also great for people with mobility issues or injuries, as they involve controlled movement.

As a personal trainer with over seven years of experience, I’ve helped numerous lifters transform their physique with isolation exercises. 

In this article, I share the 15 most effective shoulder exercises to transform the anterior, medial, and posterior deltoid heads. I’ll also give you an isolation exercise-only workout routine to integrate these exercises into your training regimen. 

15 Best Shoulder Isolation Exercises

Add the following lifts to your exercise arsenal:

1. Barbell Front Raise
2. Standing Alternating Dumbbell Front Raise 
3. One-Arm Cable Front Raise
4. Weight Plate Front Raise
5. Incline Dumbbell Front Raise
6. Dumbbell Lateral Raise
7. Leaning Lateral Raise
8. Landmine Lateral Raise
9. Cable Lateral Raise
10. Machine Lateral Raise
11. Bent-Over Dumbbell Reverse Fly
12. Standing Cable Reverse Fly
13. Pec Deck Reverse Fly
14. Dumbbell Reverse Fly On Incline Bench
15. Bent-Over Rear Delt Fly (Head On Bench)

Check out the pro tips in each exercise to help you get the best bang for your buck. I’ve also linked them to their dedicated guides for in-depth analysis. Feel free to check them out.  

5 Best Anterior Delt Shoulder Isolation Exercises 

The anterior (front) delt is located in the front of your shoulder joint and connected to the clavicle. It helps move your arm forward and is used to reach for an object in front of you.

Here are the best anterior shoulder isolation exercises:

1. Barbell Front Raise

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 8-12 (Hypertrophy)	Barbell	Anterior Deltoids

Coach Tips:

• Stand upright throughout the exercise. Restart the set using a lighter weight if you find yourself leaning back or forward. 
• Pause and contract your shoulders at the top of every shoulder raise exercise. 
• Return to the starting position with a slow and controlled motion, and do not bounce the bar of your thighs. 

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Intermediate	Slower tempo	Use dumbbells

Check out the complete barbell front raise guide here!

2. Standing Alternating Dumbbell Front Raise 

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 10-15 (Hypertrophy)	Dumbbells	Anterior Deltoids

Coach Tips:

• Your shoulders should be aligned throughout the motion. Do not use momentum by pushing your shoulder forward to lift the dumbbell. 
• At the top of the motion, turn your pinkies towards the ceiling for optimal anterior delt stimulation. 
• You could also perform this exercise simultaneously with both arms. 

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Beginner	Bilateral front raise	Banded front raise

Check out the complete dumbbell front raise guide here!

3. One-Arm Cable Front Raise

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 12-15 (Hypertrophy) / 3 x 8-10 (Strength)	Cable Machine	Anterior Deltoids

Coach Tips:

• Unilateral cable front raise is an incredibly effective exercise to isolate your front delts. Keep the reps slow and controlled to make the most of this exercise. 
• You could switch your wrist position from pronated (facing down) to neutral (facing your body) to target your delts from a different angle. 

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Beginner	Incline cable front raise	Dumbbell variation

Check out the complete one-arm cable front raise guide here!

4. Weight Plate Front Raise

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 10-12 (Hypertrophy)	Weight Plate	Anterior Deltoids

Coach Tips:

• Weight plate front raise is one of the exercises that look easy but will leave you sore and exhausted. 
• Keep your elbows slightly bent throughout the exercise. 
• Make sure you don’t bang the weight plate into your legs at the bottom. 

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Beginner	Heavier plate, slower tempo	Dumbbell front raise

Check out the complete weight plate front raise guide here!

5. Incline Dumbbell Front Raise

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 12-15 (Hypertrophy)	Dumbbells, Incline Bench	Anterior Deltoids

Coach Tips:

• Set the incline bench at a 45-degree angle for optimal front deltoid stimulation. 
• Make the lift harder by keeping your head on the bench throughout the exercise. 
• You could also perform this exercise using a barbell. 

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Beginner	Increase incline	Standing front raise

Check out the complete incline dumbbell front raise guide here!

5 Best Medial Delt Shoulder Isolation Exercises

As the name suggests, the medial (intermediate, lateral, outer, side, or middle) delt is surrounded by the anterior and posterior deltoids. It is the biggest shoulder muscle and gives it a round appearance. The side delts help move your arm out to the side and up and down. 

The most effective side delt isolation movements include:

1. Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 10-15 (Hypertrophy)	Dumbbells	Lateral Deltoids

Coach Tips:

• At the bottom, the dumbbells should be resting against your thighs. Bringing the dumbbells together in front of your quads can result in a trapezius engagement. 
• Keep your elbows slightly bent throughout the exercise. 
• Make sure the dumbbell is in line with your forearm. Do not bend your wrists while performing the exercise. 

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Beginner	Cable lateral raise	Unilateral raise

Check out the complete dumbbell lateral raise guide here!

2. Leaning Lateral Raise

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 12-15 (Hypertrophy)	Dumbbells	Lateral Deltoids

Coach Tips:

• The leaning variation of the dumbbell lateral raise better isolates your lateral deltoids, ensuring you do not use momentum while performing the lift. 
• Twist your pinky towards the ceiling for better delt engagement. 
• Slow the eccentric part of the motion for a nastier middle delt pump. 

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Intermediate	Cable variation	Standing lateral raise

3. Landmine Lateral Raise

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 10-12 (Hypertrophy)	Landmine Attachment	Lateral Deltoids

Coach Tips:

• Grabbing the bar at its collar might cause it to bump into your thighs with every rep. Hold it at its end for a better range of motion. 
• Ask a spotter to hold the other end of the bar in place to ensure it doesn’t move during the set.  

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Beginner	Cable variation	Dumbbell lateral raise

4. Cable Lateral Raise

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 12-15 (Hypertrophy)	Cable Machine	Lateral Deltoids

Coach Tips:

• Perform this exercise on a functional trainer instead of a standard cable pulley machine. 
• Using wrist cuff cable attachment will help you better target the delts by removing your grip strength from the equation. 
• Keep your torso as steady as possible throughout the exercise. 

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Beginner	Increase weight	Dumbbell or band lateral raise

5. Machine Lateral Raise

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 10-15 (Hypertrophy)	Lateral Raise Machine	Lateral Deltoids

Coach Tips:

• A lateral raise machine minimizes the use of momentum. 
• Letting the weight stack at the bottom can alleviate the tension from your delts, so make sure you don’t come all the way down. 

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Beginner	Increase weight	Dumbbell variation

5 Best Posterior Delt Shoulder Isolation Exercises

Posterior (rear) delts are located at the back of your shoulders and are usually the most stubborn of the three siblings. They help move your arm backward. 

Take your rear delt gains to the next level with these exercises:

1. Bent-Over Dumbbell Reverse Fly

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 12-15 (Hypertrophy)	Dumbbells	Posterior Deltoids

Coach Tips:

• Using more weight than you can handle on this exercise forces your rhomboids and traps to take over. Use weights that would allow you to perform 10-15 reps (optimal for achieving hypertrophy) while maintaining a mind-muscle connection. 
• Maintain a slight bend in your knees and an arch in your back throughout the exercise. 

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Beginner	Slower negatives	Lighter dumbbells

Check out the complete dumbbell reverse fly guide here!

2. Standing Cable Reverse Fly

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 12-15 (Hypertrophy)	Cable Machine	Posterior Deltoids

Coach Tips:

• To perform this exercise, set the cable pulley machine at shoulder height, hold the cable directly without any attachments or use a d-handle or cuff attachment for optimal rear delt activation. 
• Extend your arms as far behind your torso as possible. Pause and squeeze your posterior delts at the contraction point.
• You could also perform the supine cable reverse fly for better rear delt isolation. 

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Beginner	Pec deck reverse fly	Bent-over dumbbell reverse fly

3. Pec Deck Reverse Fly

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 8-12 (Hypertrophy)	Pec Deck Machine	Posterior Deltoids

Coach Tips:

• This is arguably one of the most popular rear delt exercises. 
• Make sure you don’t round your shoulders while performing this lift. 
• Keep your torso upright and feet flat on the floor. 
• Alternate between pronated and neutral grips to add variety to your workout. 

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Beginner	Increase weight	Standing cable reverse fly

4. Dumbbell Reverse Fly on Incline Bench

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 12-15 (Hypertrophy)	Dumbbells, Incline Bench	Posterior Deltoids

Coach Tips:

• The dumbbell incline bench reverse fly limits the use of momentum and helps you zero in on the back of your shoulders. 
• Like the pec deck reverse fly, switch between the pronated and neutral grips to train your rear delts from different angles.
• Ensure the incline bench is at a 45-degree angle with the floor or lower to target the rear delts optimally. 

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Beginner	Heavier dumbbells	Bent-over variation

Check out the complete dumbbell reverse incline bench fly guide here!

5. Bent-Over Rear Delt Fly (Head on Bench)

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 12-15 (Hypertrophy)	Dumbbells, Bench	Posterior Deltoids

Coach Tips:

• If you’re in the habit of using momentum and always find a way to cheat no matter how strict the setup, this variation of the bent-over rear delt fly will make you think twice about biting off more than you can chew. 
• Using heavier weights than you can handle and swinging your torso back and front will make you bang your head into the incline bench. 
• In this exercise, you should focus on squeezing your rear delts with every rep.

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Advanced	Pec deck fly	Incline bench variation

Best Shoulder Isolation Workout

Perform this isolation exercise-only shoulder workout once a week to overcome lagging deltoids:

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Barbell Front Raise	3-4	6-8 (strength) or 8-12 (hypertrophy)	60-90 sec
Dumbbell Lateral Raise	3	10-15 (hypertrophy) or 6-8 (strength)	60-90 sec
Leaning Lateral Raise	3	12-15 (hypertrophy) or 8-10 (strength)	60-90 sec
Bent-Over Dumbbell Reverse Fly	3	12-15 (hypertrophy) or 8-10 (strength)	60-90 sec
Dumbbell Reverse Fly on Incline Bench	3	12-15 (hypertrophy) or 8-10 (strength)	60-90 sec

Benefits of Shoulder Isolation Exercises

Here are reasons why single-joint exercises deserve to be in your training regimen:

1. Improves Muscle Definition & Build Muscle Mass

Shoulder isolation exercises can improve muscle definition by focusing on one muscle at a time. However, you must also focus on your diet to shed excess fat to reveal crisp conditioning. 

Like compound lifts, staying in the eight to 12 rep range for isolation movements will maximize muscle tissue growth. (1)

2. Better Mind-Muscle Connection 

Since you’re targetting one muscle at a time, it is easier to develop a mind-muscle connection during an isolation exercise than in compound lifts where the multi-muscle stimulation can be overwhelming. 

3. Shortens the Workouts

Compound movements can be more taxing on your body than isolation exercises. In lifts like the barbell overhead presses, you are training multiple muscle groups, which require longer to recover between sets. On the other hand, since you’re only using one muscle in an isolation exercise, the downtime between exercises is significantly reduced. 

If you’re short on time and want to get through a workout without compromising on the number of exercises and intensity, your best bet would be to stick to isolation exercises. Furthermore, isolation workouts reduce downtime between workouts as you recover faster.

4. Adds To Your Physique’s Aesthetics 

This is more of a generic benefit to shoulder training. Powerbodybuilder Mike O’Hearn revealed that Arnold Schwarzenegger once told him shoulders are the first thing judges notice when a bodybuilder walks out on stage. Broad shoulders accentuate your V-taper and give the illusion of a smaller waste. 

Shoulder isolation exercises help improve your shoulder definition. Plus, they are incredibly effective in achieving a muscle pump, which can be a godsend when you’re backstage pumping up and preparing to take the stage. 

5. Reduces the Chances of Injury

Unlike compound exercises, there aren’t several moving parts in isolation exercises, meaning the chances of injury are significantly reduced as you do not have to lift as heavy as you would in multi-joint lifts. 

Wrapping Up

These 15 exercises conclude our exhaustive and the most in-depth shoulder isolation exercises guide you’ll find on the internet. Shoulder isolation exercises (and isolation exercises in general) reduce your chances of injury, help achieve better mind-muscle connection, improve muscle definition, boosts muscle growth, and add to your aesthetics. In short, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be doing shoulder isolation exercises. 

Mix and match these exercises in your next shoulder workout to get the best pump of your life. Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram @fitnessvoltnetwork to let us know how it went!

References

1. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Van Every DW, Plotkin DL. Loading Recommendations for Muscle Strength, Hypertrophy, and Local Endurance: A Re-Examination of the Repetition Continuum. Sports (Basel). 2021 Feb 22;9(2):32. doi: 10.3390/sports9020032. PMID: 33671664; PMCID: PMC7927075.

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