How many shoulder exercises should you do per workout? The right number of shoulder exercises per workout is different for everyone. Most people looking for muscle growth might do about 3 to 5 exercises for their shoulders. This range helps hit all parts of the shoulder muscle without doing too much. The exact number depends on things like your training split, how often you train shoulders (deltoid training frequency), your experience level (beginner shoulder workout needs less), and your total shoulder workout volume for the week. Let’s look at how to figure out the best number for you.
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Decoding Workout Volume for Shoulders
What does shoulder workout volume mean? Volume is simply the total amount of work you do. For lifting weights, people often think of it as sets times reps. So, if you do 3 sets of 10 reps, that’s a volume of 30 reps for that exercise.
What Volume Means for Your Shoulders
Doing enough volume is key for muscle growth, including getting bigger shoulders. But doing too much volume can hurt your recovery. It can even stop your muscles from growing. The number of exercises you do in a workout is a big part of your total volume for that day. More exercises usually mean more sets and higher volume.
Many trainers suggest a certain number of sets per muscle group each week for growth. This is often called weekly volume. For shoulders, this weekly volume might be anywhere from 10 to 25 sets. This depends a lot on the person. A beginner needs less volume than someone who has been lifting for years.
Factors Affecting Volume Needs
Your body can only handle so much work and still recover. Several things change how much shoulder workout volume you need or can handle:
* How long have you been lifting? New people need less volume to grow. Their muscles react quickly to new stress.
* How hard are your sets? Lifting closer to failure increases the stress on the muscle. This might mean you need fewer sets.
* What other exercises do you do? Exercises like bench press and rows work the shoulders too, even if they are for chest or back. This adds to your total deltoid training frequency and volume.
* How well do you recover? Sleep, food, and stress all matter. Better recovery lets you handle more volume.
The number of sets for shoulders in a single workout adds up to your daily volume. If you do 4 exercises and 3 sets per exercise, that’s 12 sets for your shoulders in that workout. You need to think about how this fits into your weekly volume target.
The Right Number Depends on Many Things
There is no magic number of exercises that works for everyone. The best number changes based on several personal factors and your overall training plan.
How Experience Changes Exercise Count
If you are just starting, your body is not used to lifting weights. You need less work to see results. A beginner shoulder workout should be simple. Maybe 2 to 3 exercises are enough. This lets you learn the right form. It helps your muscles get stronger without getting hurt. As you get stronger and your body gets used to lifting, you can add more exercises. You can also add more sets or lift heavier weights. Someone with more experience might do 4 or 5 exercises for their shoulders. They might do more sets per exercise too.
Your Training Plan Matters
How your workouts are split across the week also changes how many shoulder exercises to do on one day.
- Full Body Workouts: If you train your whole body 2-3 times a week, you might do just 1 or 2 shoulder exercises each time. This spreads the volume out. It allows for more frequent deltoid training frequency without too much stress in one session.
- Upper/Lower Splits: In an upper body workout shoulders day, you train chest, back, arms, and shoulders together. You might do 2-3 exercises for shoulders on this day. The rest of the upper body exercises also work the shoulders a bit.
- Push/Pull/Legs (PPL) Split: A push pull legs shoulder day usually means you train chest, shoulders, and triceps together. This is a common split. Since you are focusing on push muscles, you will do more shoulder work on this day. You might do 3-5 exercises for shoulders. Some exercises, like bench press, work the front shoulders (anterior deltoids). This means you might do fewer specific front raise exercises.
How Often You Train Shoulders
Training a muscle group more often means you might do fewer exercises each time. If you train shoulders once a week, you need to get enough volume in that one session. This might mean doing 4-5 exercises and more sets. If you train shoulders 2 or 3 times a week, you can split the volume up. You might do 2-3 exercises in each session. This higher deltoid training frequency can be good for muscle growth. It keeps the muscle “told” to grow more often.
Picking the Best Exercises
Doing the right exercises is just as important as how many you do. Shoulders have three main parts: the front (anterior), the side (lateral or medial), and the back (posterior). To get round, strong shoulders, you need to work all three parts.
Hitting All Shoulder Parts
Different exercises work different parts of the shoulder more.
* Front Delt: Worked a lot by pressing movements like overhead press and bench press. Also by front raises.
* Side Delt: Worked a lot by lateral raises. These give the shoulder width.
* Rear Delt: Worked a lot by rowing movements and rear delt flyes. These are key for good posture and shoulder health.
Good muscle growth shoulder exercises should include moves for all three heads. You don’t need a specific exercise for every single head if other moves hit them well. For example, a standing overhead press hits the front and side delts strongly. You might then only need specific exercises for the side and rear delts.
Main Moves vs. Single-Joint Moves
Think about compound exercises and isolation exercises.
* Compound Exercises: These work multiple joints and muscle groups at once. Overhead press is a compound shoulder exercise. It works shoulders, triceps, and upper chest. These exercises let you lift heavier weights. They are great for building overall strength and muscle size.
* Isolation Exercises: These work mostly one joint and target a specific muscle part. Lateral raises are an isolation exercise for the side delts. Front raises target the front delts. Rear delt flyes target the rear delts. These are good for shaping the muscle and making sure all parts are getting enough work.
A good shoulder workout usually has one or two compound exercises and then 2-3 isolation exercises. This makes sure you lift heavy for strength but also target specific parts for shape and balance.
Popular Shoulder Exercises
Here are some common and effective muscle growth shoulder exercises:
- Overhead Press (OHP): This is a core exercise for shoulders. You can use a barbell or dumbbells. It builds a lot of strength and muscle in the front and side delts. Barbell Overhead Press is often seen as a main lift. Dumbbell Shoulder Press variations can offer more range of motion.
- Lateral Raise: Great for building the side delts. These give your shoulders that wide look. You can use dumbbells, cables, or machines.
- Front Raise: Works the front delts. Often done with dumbbells or a plate. Since pressing already works the front delts a lot, you might not need much volume here.
- Rear Delt Flyes: Important for the rear delts and shoulder health. You can do these bent over with dumbbells, on a machine, or with cables.
- Face Pulls: An excellent exercise for the rear delts and upper back. It also helps with shoulder health and posture. Often done with a rope handle on a cable machine.
Other shoulder press variations include Seated Overhead Press (barbell or dumbbells), Arnold Press, and Machine Shoulder Press. These offer different feels and ranges of motion.
Sample Shoulder Workout Plans
Let’s look at how the number of exercises might look in different training plans. The number of sets for shoulders often ranges from 2 to 4 sets per exercise, depending on the goal and exercise.
A Simple Plan for New Lifters
A beginner shoulder workout should focus on learning form and building a base. Keep it simple.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 8-12 | Front/Side |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 10-15 | Side |
| Cable Face Pulls | 2 | 12-15 | Rear/Health |
| Total Exercises: | 3 | ||
| Total Sets: | 8 |
This beginner shoulder workout has just 3 exercises. It hits all three heads and adds some health work with face pulls. The total volume (8 sets) is good for someone starting out. This could be done 1-2 times per week.
Shoulders in a Push Pull Legs Split
On a push pull legs shoulder day, you’ll do more shoulder exercises since it’s a focus day. This workout could be done once a week as part of the PPL split.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Overhead Press | 3 | 6-10 | Front/Side |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 8-12 | Front/Side |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 10-15 | Side |
| Machine Rear Delt Flyes | 3 | 10-15 | Rear |
| Cable Face Pulls | 2 | 15-20 | Rear/Health |
| Total Exercises: | 5 | ||
| Total Sets: | 14 |
This push pull legs shoulder day includes 5 exercises. It has two presses for strength and volume, then isolation for side and rear delts. The volume (14 sets) is higher, fitting for a muscle focus day.
Shoulders on an Upper Body Day
In an upper body workout shoulders session, you balance shoulder work with chest, back, and arms. Shoulders are important but not the only focus. This workout might be done twice a week.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 8-12 | Front/Side |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 10-15 | Side |
| Cable Rear Delt Flyes | 3 | 10-15 | Rear |
| Total Exercises: | 3 | ||
| Total Sets: | 9 |
This upper body workout shoulders example uses 3 exercises. The total number of sets for shoulders (9 sets) is less than the PPL example. But you might do this workout twice a week. This would make the total weekly volume for shoulders 18 sets (9 sets * 2 workouts). This shows how deltoid training frequency changes the number of exercises per workout.
These are just examples. You can change them based on your needs and how you feel. Some people might do only 2 exercises if they train shoulders 3 times a week. Others might do 6 if they train shoulders just once and need high volume.
Keeping Your Shoulders Healthy
Your shoulders are complex joints. They can get hurt if you don’t train them right. No matter how many exercises you do, shoulder health should come first.
Warming Up Matters
Always start your workout with a warm-up. This gets blood flowing to the muscles. It prepares your joints for movement. A warm-up might include light cardio and dynamic stretches. Dynamic stretches are movements like arm circles or shoulder rotations. They help move the joint through its full range of motion.
Protecting Your Shoulder Joint
The rotator cuff is a group of small muscles around the shoulder joint. They help move and stabilize the shoulder. Weak rotator cuff muscles can lead to pain and injuries. Doing rotator cuff exercises is very important. You can do these before your main shoulder workout as part of your warm-up, or on a separate day.
Examples of rotator cuff exercises:
* Internal Rotations (with a band or light weight)
* External Rotations (with a band or light weight)
* Scapular Push-ups
* Band Pull-aparts (also good for rear delts and upper back)
Adding 1-2 sets of rotator cuff exercises with light weight or bands can make a big difference over time. It helps keep your shoulders strong and stable as you lift heavier weights with muscle growth shoulder exercises.
Listening to Your Body
Pay attention to your body. If an exercise causes pain (not just muscle fatigue), stop doing it. Maybe your form is off. Maybe that exercise is not good for your body. There are many shoulder press variations and other moves you can swap in. Don’t push through sharp pain. Rest and recovery are also key parts of getting stronger and avoiding injury. Doing too many exercises or sets, or lifting too heavy too often, can lead to overuse injuries. This is why finding the right shoulder workout volume is important.
Finding Your Ideal Number
So, how do you know exactly how many shoulder exercises are right for you? It takes some trying and tracking.
Start Slow, Build Up
If you are unsure, start with a lower number of exercises. For example, start with 3-4 exercises. Do a total of 9-12 sets for the workout. See how your body feels. Are you recovering well? Are your shoulders getting stronger or bigger? If you recover fine and feel you could do more, slowly add an exercise or a set to your main exercises next week or the week after. Do not add too much volume too quickly.
Watch How You Respond
Keep a training log. Write down the exercises you did, sets, reps, and weight. Note how you felt during the workout and how your shoulders feel in the days after. Are they very sore? Do they feel recovered? If you are not recovering, you might be doing too much volume or too many exercises. If you recover quickly and are not seeing results over time (like 4-6 weeks), you might need a bit more volume. This is how you find your ideal number of sets for shoulders and exercises.
Remember that quality is better than quantity. Doing 3 exercises with good form and effort is much better than doing 6 exercises with bad form and little effort. Focus on making each set count.
Common Questions About Shoulder Training
How many sets should I do for each shoulder exercise?
Most people do 2 to 4 sets per exercise for muscle growth. Compound lifts like overhead press might be done for 3-4 sets. Isolation exercises like lateral raises might be done for 2-3 sets. The total number of sets for shoulders in a workout contributes to your weekly volume.
Can I train shoulders every day?
No, training shoulders every day is usually too much. Muscles need time to recover and grow. Most people train shoulders directly 1 to 3 times per week. This deltoid training frequency allows for recovery. Exercises for chest and back also work the shoulders, adding to the total stress.
Is Push Pull Legs good for shoulders?
Yes, a push pull legs shoulder day is a very common and effective training split. On the push day, you work chest, shoulders, and triceps. This lets you focus on key pressing movements and specific shoulder exercises.
What is a good beginner shoulder workout?
A good beginner shoulder workout is simple. It might include 2-3 exercises like Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Dumbbell Lateral Raise, and Cable Face Pulls. Focus on learning the correct form with lighter weights. Keep the total number of sets for shoulders low, maybe 6-9 sets in total for the workout.
How important are rotator cuff exercises?
Rotator cuff exercises are very important for shoulder health. They help stabilize the shoulder joint. This can prevent injuries. It also helps you lift heavier and safer on main lifts like shoulder press variations. Add them to your warm-up or do them on a separate day.
How does my training split for shoulders affect exercise count?
Your training split affects how many shoulder exercises you do per session. If you train shoulders more often (higher deltoid training frequency, like 2-3 times a week), you will do fewer exercises each time (e.g., 2-3). If you train shoulders less often (like once a week on a specific day or a push pull legs shoulder day), you might do more exercises (e.g., 4-5) to get enough shoulder workout volume for the week. On an upper body workout shoulders day, you might do 3 exercises.
Should I do compound lifts or isolation exercises for muscle growth shoulder exercises?
Both are important for muscle growth shoulder exercises. Compound exercises (like presses) build overall strength and mass. Isolation exercises (like raises) help target specific parts of the shoulder (front, side, rear) for balanced growth and shape. A good plan includes both.
Conclusion
The best number of shoulder exercises per workout is not a fixed rule. It changes based on you. Think about your training level, your full workout plan (your training split for shoulders), how often you train shoulders (deltoid training frequency), and how much total work you do (shoulder workout volume).
For most people aiming for muscle growth, 3 to 5 exercises per shoulder workout is a good range. A beginner shoulder workout might start with just 2 or 3. Someone doing a push pull legs shoulder day might do 4 or 5 exercises. The key is to make sure you hit all parts of the shoulder (front, side, rear) with muscle growth shoulder exercises. Include some main shoulder press variations and some targeted raises.
Remember to think about the total number of sets for shoulders you do each week. Make sure it fits your recovery. Always warm up, add rotator cuff exercises, and listen to your body to keep your shoulders healthy. By thinking about these things, you can find the right number of exercises to help your shoulders get stronger and bigger safely. Keep track of what you do and how your body feels. This will help you maximize your gains over time.