The 5 Best Dumbbell Only Shoulder Workouts
Build cannonball deltoids with the right dumbbell shoulder exercises.
Growing your shoulders comes less from the amount of weight you lift and more from how you lift the weight.
With the right exercises, done the right way, and with the right form, you can finally start building bigger shoulders and dumbbells are the perfect tool for activating those deltoid muscles.
These are the 10 best dumbbell shoulder exercises:
Side Lateral Raises
Front Raises
Overhead Presses
Arnold Presses
Reverse Arnold Presses
Front Raise Rotations aka “Around-the-Worlds”
Rear Delt Flyes
Rear Delt Rotations
Dumbbell Bus Drivers
Single-Arm Overhead Presses
Building shoulder mass requires an understanding of basic shoulder muscle anatomy. There are three deltoids, or heads, in the shoulders - the anterior head (front delt), the long head (side delt), and the posterior head (rear delt).
Dumbbell Shoulder Workout #1
Watch the video by Ryan Humiston below to see him go through the workout.
Seated Side Lateral Raises with Supinated Grip - 4 Sets of 20
“Around the Worlds” - 4 Sets of 15-20
Leaning Partial Side Laterals (Lean Against Cable Machine/Wall and Raise the Dumbbell Only About Halfway) - 4 Sets of 15-20
Leaning Side Lateral Raises (Lean Away and Hang on With Non-Working Hand) - 4 Sets of 15-20
Rear Delt Flyes Lying Face Down on a Bench - 4 Sets of 20
Dumbbell Shoulder Workout #2
Arnold Press - 4 Sets of 15-20
Hold a pair of dumbbells at shoulder height with palms facing you.
Bring elbows out to the side while rotating hands so palms face forward and pressing the dumbbells overhead until arms are straight. Reverse the movement to return to start.
Single Dumbbell Front Raise - 4 Sets of 15-20
Sitting on a bench, hold one dumbbell vertically between your hands.
Raise the dumbbell up to eye-level and slowly lower it back down.
Seated Rear Delt Reverse Rotations - 4 Sets of 15-20
Hold the dumbbells in front of you with elbows bent so your forearms are parallel to the ground.
Rotate the dumbbells out until they are perpendicular to your body and bring them back in slowly, keeping your elbows touching your side.
Dumbbell Bus Drivers - 4 Sets of 20
Begin the exercise by holding a dumbbell out in front of you with your arms slightly bent.
Keeping your core tight, turn the dumbbells back and forth, flexing your shoulders.
Partial Lateral Raises - 6 Sets of 20 (3 Sets Bottom Half & 3 Sets Top Half)
For the first 3 sets, you will start with the dumbbells at your side and arms straight. Flex them away from your body with your delts until they are halfway up.
For the last 3 sets, use lighter dumbbells and start with them extended away from your body and your arms parallel to the ground. Lower them halfway and bring them back up.
Dumbbell Shoulder Workout #3
Side Lateral Raises - 9 Total Sets of 15-20
Do one set of heavy partial lateral raises at the bottom of the movement.
Do one set of full range of motion lateral raises with lighter weight.
Do one set of partial lateral raises at the top of the movement.
Repeat 3 times for a total of 9 sets.
Reverse Arnold Press - 4 Sets of 15-20
Press when the dumbbell is in front of you instead of at your side.
Lean with your chest/stomach against an incline bench, if possible.
Seated Single-Arm Front Raise - 4 Sets of 20
Keep your feet wide while seated and bring the dumbbell between your legs with a neutral-grip.
Lean forward as you raise the dumbbell (keeping arm locked) to eye level.
Bent Over or Lying Rear Delt Reverse Fly - 4 Sets of 15-20
Lie face down on a bench if you have one. If not, do this standing and bent over.
Keep your palms facing down throughout the movement.
Dumbbell Bus Drivers
Dumbbell Shoulder Workout #4
This workout is done using giant sets - each exercise is done back-to-back in a giant set. No rest in between.
Do each giant set 3 times. Rest for 1-2 minutes between giant sets.
Giant Set #1
Bent Over Rear Delt Flyes - 20 Reps
Lying Rear Delt Flyes - 20 Reps
Incline T-Raises - 20 Reps
Dumbbell “Around the Worlds” - 20 Reps
Giant Set #2
Single-Arm Front Raise (Neutral Grip) - 20 Reps
Front Raise and Rotation Out (Lower Like a Side Lateral Raise) - 20 Reps
Bus Drivers (Slow) - 30 Reps or Until Failure
Bus Drivers (Faster with Lighter Weight) - 30 Reps or Until Failure
Giant Set #3
Partial Side Lateral Raise at the Bottom (Come Halfway Up) - 20 Reps
Full Range of Motion Side Lateral Raise - 20 Reps
Partial Side Lateral Raises (Start a the Top and Lower DBs Slightly) - 20 Reps
Static Hold at the Top (Arms Parallel to the Floor) - 30 Seconds
Dumbbell Shoulder Workout #5
Watch the video from MuscleMonsters below for a full demonstration.
Standing Single-Arm Dumbbell Overhead Press - 4 Sets of 8-10
Dumbbell Hang Clean And Press - 4 Sets of 10
Prone Dumbbell Face Pulls - 4 Sets of 15
Chest-Supported Lateral Raise - 3 Sets of 12-15
Now that we’ve covered shoulders, check out these dumbbell back workouts.
