The Best And Worst Shoulder Exercises

Summary

In this video, the host ranks popular shoulder exercises for muscle growth on a tier list, from 'S' for super to 'F' for fail. Criteria for top-tier exercises include high tension, no shoulder pain, and smooth resistance. The standing dumbbell lateral raise is favored for its time efficiency, while the cable lateral raise earns the 'S' tier for its effectiveness. The overhead press, despite being a feat of strength, is rated 'B' tier plus due to its front delt dominance. The video also introduces the 'S tier plus' exercise and the 'worst of the worst' for shoulder workouts, concluding with a teaser for a tier list video on quad exercises and a promotion for the host's new book, 'The Muscle Ladder'.

Takeaways

• 📊 The video ranks popular shoulder exercises on a tier list from S (super) to F (fail).
• 💪 Exercises must provide high tension, feel good (no shoulder pain), have a smooth resistance profile, and simple progression to reach S tier.
• 🏋️‍♂️ The video emphasizes the importance of targeting all three deltoid heads: anterior, lateral, and posterior.
• 📉 Standing dumbbell lateral raises are time-efficient but have a suboptimal tension curve, placing them in B tier.
• 🔄 Leaning dumbbell lateral raises modify the resistance curve, increasing tension on the stretched side deltoids.
• 🏆 The overhead press is a strong feat of strength but is anterior delt dominant and less stable, earning it a B tier plus.
• 📚 The video mentions the release of the author's book, 'The Muscle Ladder', covering training, nutrition, and technique.
• 🔗 Cable lateral raises provide maximum tension on the side deltoids when stretched, making them an S tier exercise.
• 🚫 Front raises are considered redundant for most and are not included in the top tiers due to their limited effectiveness.
• 🥇 The cable lateral raise is crowned as the best overall exercise for shoulder development.

Q & A

What are the criteria for a shoulder exercise to be ranked in the S tier?

A shoulder exercise needs to provide high tension especially in the stretched position, feel good (not cause shoulder pain), have a smooth resistance profile, and allow for simple progression in terms of adding weight or reps over time.

Why does the video creator favor exercises targeting the side deltoids over the front deltoids?

The creator favors side delt exercises because the front deltoids are already worked with chest exercises, and they tend to be overdeveloped relative to the side and rear heads.

What is the creator's opinion on standing dumbbell lateral raises despite their popularity?

The creator thinks standing dumbbell lateral raises are time efficient but not the most effective due to the suboptimal tension curve, placing them in the B tier.

How does leaning against something while doing dumbbell lateral raises affect the exercise?

Leaning against something modifies the resistance curve to place more tension on the side deltoids when they are most stretched, making it a more effective variation.

What are the advantages of the Arnold-style seated dumbbell lateral raise?

This exercise provides high tension while the deltoids are stretched, offers stability due to being locked against a bench, and allows for a huge range of motion.

Why does the video creator rank the machine shoulder press highly for front deltoids?

The machine shoulder press is favored because it allows for a deep stretch, feels better than dumbbells, and can be taken to failure without losing control of the weight, making it very effective for hypertrophy.

What is the creator's stance on the overhead press for shoulder development?

The creator believes the overhead press is overhated by the science crowd and overrated by the barbell crowd, placing it in the B tier plus due to its anterior delt dominance and stability issues.

Why does the video creator consider the cable lateral raise to be the best exercise for shoulder development?

The cable lateral raise provides maximum tension on the side deltoids when they are most stretched, offers an even tension throughout the range of motion, and is easy to do, making it highly effective for hypertrophy.

What is the creator's opinion on front raises for shoulder development?

The creator considers front raises to be redundant in most cases and not necessary for muscle growth, suggesting they might be the worst of the exercises listed.

What does the video creator recommend for those looking to target their rear deltoids?

The creator recommends the reverse cable crossover for its amazing stretch on the rear deltoids, enormous range of motion, and even tension throughout the movement.