The Best And Worst Shoulder Exercises

The Best and Worst Shoulder Exercises for Muscle Growth: A Complete Tier List

Building broad, round, three-dimensional shoulders is one of the most sought-after goals in bodybuilding and general fitness. Well-developed shoulders create an “X-frame” physique, make the waist look smaller, and give the upper body a balanced, powerful aesthetic. But not all shoulder exercises are created equal. Some deliver massive gains with optimal tension and overload, while others waste time or even risk injury.

In this article, we’ll rank the most popular shoulder movements into a tier list, ranging from S (Super) all the way down to F (Fail). By the end, we’ll crown one exercise as the best of the best (earning an S+ rank), and call out the most underwhelming exercise that deserves the lowest grade.

Along the way, we’ll also highlight the best exercise for each of the three deltoid heads:

Anterior (front delts): raises the arm forward.
Lateral (side delts): lifts the arm outward to the side.
Posterior (rear delts): pulls the arm backward.

Because each head functions almost like a separate muscle, training all three is essential for complete shoulder development.

Criteria for Ranking Shoulder Exercises

For an exercise to reach the S tier, it must:

Provide high tension, especially in the stretched position. Muscles grow best when challenged under stretch.
Feel good. Exercises shouldn’t cause joint pain and should have a smooth resistance profile that promotes a good pump and mind-muscle connection.
Allow for simple progression. Adding weight or reps over time must be straightforward.

If an exercise fails badly on these, it gets bumped down toward F tier.

Dumbbell and Machine Lateral Raises

Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise → B Tier

Pros: Simple, quick setup, widely accessible, builds the lateral delts. Many bodybuilders built impressive shoulders with them.
Cons: Zero tension at the bottom when delts are most stretched; peak tension only at the top when delts are shortened.
Verdict: Good for convenience, but biomechanically imperfect.

Leaning Dumbbell Lateral Raise → A Tier

Pros: Shifts resistance curve, more stretch tension. Great modification of standard laterals.
Cons: Still doesn’t maximize tension in the fully stretched position.
Verdict: A smart upgrade that deserves A-tier placement.

Super-Range of Motion (ROM) Lateral Raise → B Tier

Pros: Hits the delts in full contraction, creates a unique pump.
Cons: Same resistance curve issues as standard lateral raises.
Verdict: Novel, effective variation, but not enough for top tier.

Machine Lateral Raise (Standing/Seated)

Standing Machine Lateral Raise → A+ Tier: Smooth tension, progressive overload, time-efficient. Nearly S tier, but limited stretch.
Seated Machine Lateral Raise → B Tier: Feels less natural for many lifters; shorter moment arm.

Cable Lateral Raise → S Tier

Pros: Maximum tension in stretched position, smooth throughout range, highly customizable. Works even better with wrist cuffs.
Verdict: Arguably the best overall side delt builder.

Cable Y-Raise → S Tier

Expands range of motion even further, sweeping arms out and back. Slightly trickier to learn but phenomenal for growth.

Behind-the-Back Cuffed Cable Lateral Raise → S Tier

Looks awkward, but allows training both arms at once with a huge stretch. Extremely time-efficient.

Banded Lateral Raise → C Tier

Cons: No stretch tension, max load only at the top. Useful only when equipment is limited.

Overhead Press Variations

Standing Barbell Overhead Press → B+ Tier

Pros: Heavy overload, impressive strength lift, trains front delts well.
Cons: Very front-delt dominant, unstable because of standing position, less side/rear delt involvement.

Seated Barbell Overhead Press → B Tier

Removes balance issues but still mostly front-delt focused.

Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press → A Tier

Pros: Greater range of motion, natural hand path, more side delt stabilization.
Verdict: Superior to barbell press for hypertrophy.

Machine Shoulder Press → A+ Tier

Pros: Deep stretch, stability, easy progression, safe failure training.
Verdict: My number one pick for front delt growth.

Other Side Delt Variations

Arnold-Style Side-Lying Dumbbell Raise → A Tier

Pros: Huge range of motion, excellent side-delt pump.
Cons: Less convenient to set up.

Upright Row (Cable with Rope) → B Tier

Pros: Targets side delts and traps, versatile.
Cons: Traps take over, delts rarely reach failure.

Front Raise Variations → D Tier

Whether dumbbell, cable, or machine, all are redundant if you already press. Front delts get more than enough work from pressing.
Exception: useful if presses are not possible or if front delts lag.

Rear Delt Builders

Reverse Pec Deck → S Tier (Sideways Version)

Pros: Stable, consistent tension, deep stretch when performed sideways.

Rope Face Pull → A Tier

Pros: Hits rear delts well, plus traps and external rotators.
Cons: Mid traps often dominate.

Bent-Over Dumbbell Reverse Fly → B Tier

Same limitation as standard dumbbell laterals: no stretch tension. Still effective in a pinch.

Reverse Cable Crossover → S Tier

Pros: Amazing stretch, smooth tension, giant range of motion.
Verdict: Best overall rear delt isolation exercise.

Final Rankings

S Tier: Cable lateral raise, cable Y-raise, behind-the-back cuffed cable raise, reverse pec deck (sideways), reverse cable crossover.
A Tier / A+: Machine shoulder press, seated dumbbell press, leaning dumbbell lateral raise, Arnold-style side-lying raise, rope face pull.
B Tier / B+: Standing dumbbell lateral raise, super ROM lateral raise, barbell overhead press (standing/seated), upright row, bent-over dumbbell reverse fly, seated machine lateral raise.
C Tier: Banded lateral raise.
D Tier: Front raises.
F Tier: None (even the weakest movements can have some utility).

Best of the Best and Worst of the Worst

🏆 Best Overall Shoulder Exercise (S+ Tier): Cable Lateral Raise. It provides optimal stretch tension, smooth resistance, easy progression, and is time-efficient. If you had to pick only one shoulder isolation exercise, this is the king.
🚫 Worst of the Worst: Front Raises. They aren’t harmful, but they’re redundant in most programs. If you’re pressing, your front delts are already growing.

Takeaway

For shoulders that look broad, balanced, and powerful, prioritize S-tier movements like cable laterals and reverse cable crossovers. Use presses for front delts, laterals for side delts, and rear-delt isolation work for the back. Remember, exercise choice is only one piece of the puzzle—you also need consistent progression, good technique, and proper recovery.

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