Best Shoulder Exercises Backed by Science

EMG Analysis Technique

An electromyography (EMG) machine is a diagnostic tool used to evaluate the function of muscles and the nerve cells that control them. It measures the muscles' electrical activity at rest and during contraction.

The process typically involves placing small electrodes on the skin over the studied muscle or inserting a needle electrode directly into the muscle. The EMG machine records the electrical signals generated by the muscles and displays them as waveforms on a monitor. This information is crucial for diagnosing nerve disorders, muscle diseases, and injuries. It helps healthcare professionals assess how well the muscles and nerves are functioning and can guide treatment decisions. The research below was conducted using this science-backed approach with EMG machines.

What is Maximum Voluntary Contraction

Maximum Voluntary Contraction (MVC) refers to the maximum force that a muscle or muscle group can produce voluntarily. It is typically assessed during strength testing, where the individual exerts maximum effort to contract the muscle. MVC is important in evaluating muscle function, as it provides a benchmark for muscle strength and can be used to identify any deficits or improvements in muscle performance due to training, rehabilitation, or other interventions.

In research and clinical settings, MVC is often measured using electromyography (EMG) to capture the electrical activity of the muscles during the contraction. By comparing the electrical signals and the resulting force produced, researchers can gain insights into the efficiency and health of the neuromuscular system. MVC is crucial in various applications, including sports science, rehabilitation, and muscle physiology.

What is Mean and Peak Activation

Researchers typically use mean MVC for their data. I used to think that mean activation was more critical as it measured the average activation throughout the entire repetition. However, muscles are not always active throughout an exercise's entire range of motion, especially during compound lifts.

For example, one muscle might be very active in the stretched position, while another becomes more activein the contracted position of the same exercise.

For this reason, I believe that peak MVC is a more important figure. Peak activation measures the highest point of activation during the repetition.

Still, I believe that mean activation might be more critical for bodybuilding purposes, as it provides constant tension, occlusion, and “the pump.” In contrast, peak activation might be more critical for sport-specific purposes in providing maximum tension at a particular moment for peak force production.

Deltoid Biology

For all the studies below, the analysis of the shoulder muscles is approached by dividing them into three deltoid sections. The studies were then tested using the EMG, which exercises cause Maximal Voluntary Contraction (MVC) for each shoulder section. The three sections are as follows:

Three Sections of the Shoulder

1. Anterior Front Deltoid

2. Middle/Side Deltoid

3. Posterior Rear Deltoid

Study One

For this study, the sample size consisted of only one individual. The individual used an EMG to measure the Peak and Mean Maximum Voluntary Contraction for each shoulder section's selected base of exercises: front deltoid, lateral mid deltoid, and rear deltoid. The results for each section of the shoulder are as follows:

Anterior Front Deltoid

1. Seated Behind the Neck Press

2. Military Press (standing or seated)

3. Incline Press

   
   

Middle/Side Deltoid

1. Banded Face Pull

2. Lateral Raises

3. Seated Behind the Neck Press

   
   

Anterior Rear Deltoid

1. Band Face Pull

2. Bent over Rear Deltoid Raise

3. Hanging Row

Surprises

This study's interesting result is that the behind-the-neck press is more effective at activating and engaging the anterior deltoids.

In addition, the banded Face Pulls showed that this exercise worked more mean and peak lateral deltoids than any other exercise. One would generally assume that this exercise targets the rear posterior deltoids only.

It’s important to know that the study participant performed the band face pull uniquely, making it a mixture of a face pull and a pull-apart. The participant grabbed hold of the bands with my hands about three inches apart, and as the participant performed the face pull motion, the participant pulled the band apart vigorously.

In addition, it was surprising to see that the band face pull worked more mean and peak rear delt muscles than any other exercise, as I assumed a rear delt raise or row variation would have outperformed them.

Study Link: https://t-nation.com/t/inside-the-muscles-best-shoulders-and-trap-exercises/284619

Study Two

This study took the EMG data from a participant size of ten male subjects with a mean age of 22 and a mean body fat percentage of 13%, all of whom had experience in resistance training. The study selected a range of exercises for each deltoid section to find the optimal exercises using the EMG to read the maximal voluntary contraction for each exercise.

The study decided to analyse the EMG activity of the three shoulder sections relative to the military press for the anterior deltoid, the Dumbbell Lateral Raise for the Lateral Side deltoid and the Dumbbell Reverse Fly for the posterior deltoid, all of which are considered the best exercises for each section of the shoulder.

EMG activity of anterior, lateral and posterior part of the m. deltoideus during selected exercises relative to the military press (anterior), the DB lateral raise (lateral) and the DB reverse fly (posterior)

The results from this study showed the following exercises were the top three for each section of the shoulder:

Posterior Rear Deltoid

1. Reverse fly-machine

2. Dumbbell Reverse Fly

   
   

Middle/Side Deltoid

1. Dumbbell Lateral raise

2. Reverse fly-machine

3. Barbell Seated Neck Press

   
   

Anterior Front Deltoid

1. Barbell Seated Military Press

2. Barbell Seated Neck Press

3. Dumbbell Lateral Raise

   
   

Study link:https://suppversity.blogspot.com/2011/08/suppversity-emg-series-m-deltoideus-m.html

Study Three

This study selected 10 exercises most recommended by trainers and recreational lifters. It recruited 16 healthy male participants between the ages of 18 and 30. All subjects had weightlifting experience and attended mandatory practice sessions for the exercises. The study tested participants to find their one-rep maximum for every exercise except push-ups to establish their baseline.

Ten Exercises for the Study

The study measured the maximal voluntary contraction of each exercise for each shoulder section, which is represented as a percentage.

Anterior Front Deltoid

1. Dumbbell Shoulder Press (75%)

2. Dumbbell Front Raise (57%)

3. Battling Ropes (49%)

   
   

Lateral Middle/Side Deltoid

1. 45 Degree Incline Row (84%)

2. Bent Arm Lateral Raise (77%)

3. Cable Diagonal Raise (74%)

   
   

Posterior Rear Deltoid

1. Dumbbell Seated Rear Lateral Raise (73%)

2. 45 Degree Incline Row (69%)

3. Battling Rope (38%)

Summary

This study shows that the Dumbbell Shoulder Press produced the best results for the anterior front deltoid. Surprisingly, the optimal exercise for the middle/side deltoid is the 45-degree Inclined Row (84%); most lifters would suggest the Lateral Raise as the better exercise for this area. The optimal posterior rear deltoid exercise is the Seated Rear Lateral Raise, which doesn't surprise me as this is a go-to exercise for most lifters seeking to isolate the rear deltoids.

Study Link: https://acewebcontent.azureedge.net/certifiednews/images/article/pdfs/ACEShoulderStudy.pdf

Study 4

This study took three participants for the study size; they tested each participant with one repetition maximum for each shoulder exercise, and on the test day, they used 70% of this weight for all exercises. The results of this study were as follows:

Top Three Exercises for the Posterior Rear Deltoid

1. Cable Rear Delt Flyes (double arm) - 70.2% MVC

2. Cable Rear Delt Flyes (single arm) - 59.9% MVC

3. Reverse Pec Deck Machine - 59.3% MVC

   

   Rear Delt Activation Exercises Results (%MVC)

Top Three Exercises for the Anterior Front Deltoid

1. Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press - 62.4% MVC

2. Seated Barbell Shoulder Press - 57.3% MVC

3. Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press - 56.8%MVC

Anterior Front Delt Activation Exercises Results (%MVC)

Top Three Exercises for the Middle/Side Deltoid

1. Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press - 48.5% MVC

2. Standing Barbell Shoulder Press - 48.4% MVC

3. Dumbbell Lateral Raise - 47.4% MVC

Middle/Side Deltoid  Exercises Results (%MVC)

Summary

This study found that the optimal rear posterior Deltoid exercise was the Cable Rear Delt Fly (double arm) by a considerable margin compared to the second- and third-place finishers. This was surprising as I thought the Rear Delt Pec Deck Fly machine exercise would have been superior; this is the general consensus by most gym-goers.

The optimal exercise for the Anterior Deltoid is the seated dumbbell shoulder press by a significant margin. However, the top three exercises for the front deltoid are all shoulder press exercises, with the variation being whether they are performed seated, standing, with a dumbbell, or with a barbell. This result was no surprise to me, as it is general knowledge among weightlifters that the Shoulder Press is superior at activating and engaging the front deltoids. As it compounds, the lifter can use heavier weights compared to exercises such as the front raise.

This study found that the Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press was the optimal exercise for the middle and side Deltoids, but only by 0.1% compared to the second-place finisher, the Seated Barbell Shoulder Press. I was surprised that the Side Lateral Raise was only 1% off third place. This suggests that all three are good choices for isolating the Side Middle Deltoids; however, it appears that the Seated Shoulder Press is the optimal option.

Study Link: https://builtwithscience.com/fitness-tips/the-best-shoulder-exercises/

Summary

Based on my personal experience of 22 years of resistance training, working with thousands of clients and analysing the results of all the above studies, I recommend the following exercises as the optimal exercises for maximal voluntary contraction for a complete, effective shoulder workout would be as follows:

Anterior Front Deltoid

• Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press or Seated Barbell Shoulder Press: 4 sets of 8 repetitions

Middle/Side Deltoid

• Dumbbell Bent Arm Lateral Raise: 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions

Barbell Seated Neck Press: 3-4 sets of 8-10 repetitions (I recommend using the Smith Machine for this exercise, using lighter loads, focusing on PERFECT technique and barbell control - DON'T max out on this exercise!

Anterior Front Deltoid

• Dumbbell Seated Rear Lateral Raise: 3 of 12 repetitions