Are you finally ready to build those boulder shoulders you’ve been dreaming about?
Here are 6 effective, science-backed supersets for shoulders to get you started:
- Dumbbell Military Press + Seated Lateral Raise
- Barbell Military Press + Leaning Lateral Raise
- Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press + Dumbbell Front Raise
- Landmine Press + Plate Raise
- Cable Front Raise + Cable Lateral Raise
- Face Pull + Rear Delt Fly
Before diving in, let’s quickly go over how to do a superset the right way.
How to Perform Supersets Correctly
A superset is when you perform two exercises back-to-back, usually with little to no rest in between.
For example, let’s say you want to superset two chest exercises:
A1) Flat Dumbbell Bench Press
Rest 10-15 seconds
A2) Flat Dumbbell Fly
Rest 2 minutes
Doing both exercises in superset fashion like this is one full set.
You can also do them with normal rest periods in between sets:
A1) Flat Dumbbell Bench Press
Rest 1 minute
A2) Flat Dumbbell Fly
Rest 1 minute
Here are the three biggest benefits to supersets:
- Saves time: doing two exercises with minimal rest gets you in and out of the gym quickly
- Greater intensity: supersets up the intensity of training and more intensity can mean more results
- Weight loss: increasing the work done in a given time period means increasing the calories burned
Want to Learn More About Supersets?
Read this in-depth guide exploring how supersets stack up against traditional straight sets. You will find out which is better for hypertrophy and how to get results from supersets.
Is it a Good Idea to Superset Shoulders?
I wouldn’t waste my time writing this article if it wasn’t!
There are three heads of the deltoid which don’t get equally hit with normal shoulder press exercises. So pairing two exercises together as a superset allows you to fully exhaust all your shoulder muscles.
That being said, I usually train my rear (posterior) deltoids with back. And this is because the rear delts are activated through pulling movements (like other back exercises) rather than with pushing exercises. Still, some people prefer to do rear delts with shoulders.
Traps are another muscle group sometimes trained with shoulders.
But, again, the traps really only get activated with pulling movements, so I tend to train them with back (although it’s perfectly fine to train them with shoulders).
Either way, I included a sample superset workout for shoulders and traps at the bottom of this post.
6 Best Supersets for Shoulders
Superset #1 – Dumbbell Military Press + Seated Lateral Raise
How to do the dumbbell military press:
How to do the seated lateral raise:
What does this superset target?
The prime target of this superset is to develop shoulder pressing strength and fully exhaust the medial head of the deltoids.
According to one study which compared electromyography (EMG) activity in the deltoids among seated/standing and dumbbell/barbell shoulder press variations, the dumbbell military press elicited the highest EMG activity in the medial deltoid for any shoulder press variation.
Thus, it makes eminent sense to pair these two exercises together and absolutely roast your medial head.
The seated lateral raise eliminates most of your ability to cheat by keeping your butt planted in the seat. So you can use lighter weight here and really focus on developing the mind-muscle connection with your medial head.
Be careful, because you will be strong on the first set or two of these and then will notice a fairly sharp drop-off.
Sets and Reps:
Perform 3-4 total supersets for each exercise, preferably at the beginning of your workout
A1) Dumbbell Military Press 4×8-10
Rest 10-15 seconds
A2) Seated Lateral Raise 4×12-15
Rest 1-2 minutes
Superset #2 – Barbell Military Press + Leaning Lateral Raise
How to do the barbell military press:
How to do the leaning lateral raise:
What does this superset target?
The prime target of this superset is to develop overall shoulder strength, especially in the medial head of the deltoids.
Starting with a barbell shoulder press and pairing it with a lateral raise is one of the classic supersets for shoulders.
One major benefit of doing it this way is it still allows you to go heavy and hard with the press. By doing the lateral raise after the press and then resting, you are preserving your strength. Yet, at the same time, you are exhausting the medial deltoid.
The military press is a technical lift, so make sure you watch the video above and really hone in on your technique.
Going back to the same study I referenced earlier, the barbell military press elicited the second highest EMG activation of the medial head.
But, in order to really hit it, you have to complete the reps with a full range of motion (ROM). The top portion of the press, where you push the bar slightly back, is what activates the medial head.
I also love leaning lateral raises. Like the seated lateral raise, they allow you to take away most of the body English (cheating), and focus in on the medial head. You will also notice you can go slightly heavier with these.
But, don’t go too heavy or it will significantly affect your military pressing strength.
Sets and Reps:
Perform 3-4 total supersets for each exercise, preferably at the beginning of your workout
A1) Barbell Military Press 4×6
Rest 10-15 seconds
A2) Leaning Lateral Raise 4×10-12
Rest 2-3 minutes
Superset #3 – Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press + Dumbbell Front Raise
How to do the seated dumbbell shoulder press:
How to do the dumbbell front raise:
What does this superset target?
The prime target of this superset is to develop strength and size in the anterior deltoid.
In the same study I referenced earlier, the dumbbell shoulder press outperformed the barbell press in terms of EMG activation of the anterior deltoid.
While the dumbbell military press elicited 8% higher activation than the seated dumbbell press, I believe the seated version may be more practical for some people. Staying seated allows you to keep your form tight and eliminate leg drive.
For front raises, I almost always go with a neutral grip (as shown in the video). It feels more natural and bothers my shoulders less than with a pronated (palms down) grip. And this allows me to really focus in on the anterior deltoid.
Beware though, after the first set or two of this superset your shoulders will be screaming. But, that’s a good thing! No pain no gain, right?
Sets and Reps:
Perform 3-4 total supersets for each exercise, preferably at the beginning of your workout
A1) Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press 4×6-8
Rest 10-15 seconds
A2) Dumbbell Front Raise 4×12-15
Rest 2-3 minutes
Superset #4 – Landmine Press + Plate Raise
How to do the landmine press:
How to do the plate raise:
What does this superset target?
The prime target of this superset is to develop strength and size in the anterior deltoid.
Here are two more awesome exercises which are routinely ignored by most weight lifters.
The landmine press is a unique shoulder press variation which puts a little less stress on your shoulder joint than the overhead press. I recommend doing it exactly as described in the video above so you minimize triceps involvement.
Plate raises are a simple exercise which have been used for many years in powerlifting to increase bench press strength. What I love about these is their simplicity and effectiveness. I usually go with a 25 or 35 pound plate, but just choose a weight you can do which fits within the set and rep scheme described below.
Doing this superset will supercharge your front deltoids and develop strength which will carry over into your other pressing movements.
Sets and Reps:
Perform 3-4 total supersets for each exercise, preferably after a pressing exercise
A1) Landmine Press 4×10-12
Rest 10-15 seconds
A2) Plate Raise 4×12-15
Rest 90 seconds
Superset #5 – Cable Front Raise + Cable Lateral Raise
How to do the cable front raise:
How to do the cable lateral raise:
What does this superset target?
The prime target of this superset is to isolate and fully exhaust both the anterior and medial head of the deltoids.
Cables are incredibly underrated shoulder builders.
Most people stick with dumbbells and barbells, to their own disadvantage. Cables allow you to get a greater range of motion and fully stretch out the deltoids.
No dumbbell raise has ever burned my shoulders like a cable front raise. Check your ego at the door on this exercise, because you will be surprised at how light you have to go (to maintain proper form).
For cable lateral raises, you get a much longer range of motion since you start with your arm across your body. Because of this, you may notice you can feel the medial head much more than with dumbbells.
What’s nice about this superset for shoulders is you will be able to go hard the entire time without losing much strength. This is because both exercises are isolation exercises, meaning they only target one muscle group.
This is an excellent superset to do after a heavy pressing exercise, to fully exhaust the deltoids and prime them for hypertrophy (muscle growth).
Sets and Reps:
Perform 3-4 total supersets for each exercise, preferably after a pressing exercise
A1) Cable Front Raise 4×10-15
Rest 10-15 seconds
A2) Cable Lateral Raise 4×10-15
Rest 1 minute
Superset #6 – Face Pull + Rear Delt Fly
How to do the face pull:
How to do the rear delt fly:
What does this superset target?
The prime target of this superset is to fully exhaust the posterior (rear) head of the deltoid.
Rear deltoid training is hard. And a lot of people get it wrong.
Luckily, the two instructional videos above show you the right way to perform both face pulls and rear delt flys. If you do them as instructed in the video, you will be stunned at how much you can actually feel your rear delts working.
I recommend doing face pulls followed by rear delt flys.
But, another way to program this superset is to do rear delt flys first and then hit face pulls. This method will really allow you to feel your rear delts working during the face pull.
If you have trouble hitting your rear delts, this superset will make them burn!
Sets and Reps:
Perform 3-4 total supersets for each exercise, preferably at the end of your shoulder or back workout
A1) Face Pull 4×10-12
Rest 10-15 seconds
A2) Rear Delt Fly 4×12-15
Rest 1 minute
Shoulder Superset Workout for Bodybuilding
Here’s an entire shoulder superset workout you can do to blast your delts:
A1) Barbell Military Press 4×6
Rest 10-15 seconds
A2) Leaning Lateral Raise 4×10-12
Rest 2-3 minutes
B1) Cable Front Raise 4×10-15
Rest 10-15 seconds
B2) Cable Lateral Raise 4×10-15
Rest 1 minute
C1) Face Pull 4×10-12
Rest 10-15 seconds
C2) Rear Delt Fly 4×12-15
Rest 1 minute
Superset Workout for Shoulders and Traps
Here’s a slightly modified version of the workout above to include your traps:
A1) Barbell Military Press 4×6
Rest 10-15 seconds
A2) Leaning Lateral Raise 4×10-12
Rest 2-3 minutes
B1) Cable Front Raise 4×10-15
Rest 10-15 seconds
B2) Dumbbell Shrugs 4×10-15
Rest 1 minute
C1) Face Pull 4×10-12
Rest 10-15 seconds
C2) Rear Delt Fly 4×12-15
Rest 1 minute
Final Thoughts on Supersets for Shoulders
Keep in mind you shouldn’t rely on supersets for shoulders exclusively. This is a high intensity method you should cycle in and out of your training routine. If you use it too often, it will lose its unique training effect quickly.
But, a well-placed superset can supercharge your routine.
And finally bring out those boulder shoulders you’ve been seeking!
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