You know when you feel in shape, you work out hard, and do all the exercises that are supposed to sculpt an action figure-worthy body.
Then you look in the mirror and notice that, yes, your trapezius muscles look like two hills emerging from your shirt.
…but what about your lateral shoulders?
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
Two flat lines like the board of a Roman pizza.
And you think: “How is that possible?!? I do lateral raises, I do shoulder presses, I lift weights like there’s no tomorrow!”
Spoiler: the problem isn’t that you don’t train.
It’s how you train.
And above all, it’s about who really puts in the work when you think you’re hitting your lateral deltoids.
Why Lateral Shoulders Matter More Than the Chest (Visually Speaking)
I know, I know.
The chest is the eternal obsession for many: “Bench Press Monday”, shirts pulled tight over the sternum, pecs pushed out like a pigeon on a date.
But do you know which muscle truly changes the overall perception of your physique?
The lateral deltoids.
They increase the visual width of your body.
They create that famous “V-taper” that makes your waist appear slimmer.
And above all… they make your shirt stand out even if your chest is as flat as a thin Neapolitan pizza.
Without broad shoulders, you could even have Batman’s pecs, but you’ll look compact, closed off, “boxy”.
But with well-developed shoulders, even a basic 5‑euro T‑shirt will look custom‑made on you.
So if you want to look wider, more imposing, and athletic…
It’s not the pounds on the bench that make the difference.
It’s the extra centimeters on your lateral deltoids.
The Water Bottle Test: Have You Truly Isolated the Lateral Deltoid?
I’ll reveal a test that I use, and it’s 100% empirical yet infallible.
I call it: “the water bottle test”.
After a genuine lateral deltoid workout — one of those with slow unilateral raises, advanced techniques, drop sets, and isometrics — grab a half‑liter water bottle and… try to lift it laterally.
If your arm shakes.
If the movement is as slow as in slow motion.
If you feel your deltoid crying out for mercy as if you were lifting a 40‑kg kettlebell…
…then you have isolated the right muscle.
It might seem ridiculous, but it works.
Because after a true isolation workout, even everyday actions become “workouts”.
And that’s when you understand that you don’t necessarily need to push massive weights to grow.
It takes precision, technique… and water bottles to test it all.
The Trapezius: Intrusive, Overactive, and… Too Good at Doing Everything
Let’s start with the stars of the show: the trapezius muscles.
These diamond‑shaped muscles that extend from your neck down to the mid‑back are not just there for aesthetics.
They are there to lift, stabilize, and coordinate everything related to the shoulder blades and neck.
In other words: every time you lift something overhead, pull a barbell towards you, shrug your shoulders, or even just walk like a gorilla after leg day… they work.
And if you let them, they even work when they shouldn’t.
Like when you’re doing lateral shoulder raises.
If your brain doesn’t have a strong mind‑muscle connection with your lateral deltoids, it will say:
“Oh well, I’ll handle it!”
And bam.
The traps take over the whole scene, while the lateral deltoids just sit there, smoking a cigarette.
The Lateral Deltoids: Elusive, Delicate, and Stubborn as Mules
Let’s be clear: the lateral deltoids are not muscles that activate easily.
They don’t perform “natural” movements in everyday life.
Who ever lifts their arms laterally with controlled movements in daily routines? No one.
That’s why they need to be trained in a targeted and specific manner, without distractions, without shortcuts.
The main movement?
Pure shoulder abduction.
This means lifting the arm laterally away from the body, not forward, not upward as in a press, but laterally.
And no, it’s not enough to just throw on some dumbbells like you’re doing a dance move in a club.
It takes:
- Control
- Technique
- Mind‑muscle connection
- Moderate weight
- And a damn desire to feel the burn in your shoulder
Posture, Biomechanics, and Unintentional Sabotage
There’s another silent enemy in the mix: your posture.
If your shoulders are high, stiff, or you tend to lift your shoulder blades during exercises (it happens to many!), the traps get even more activated.
This happens because your body is designed to protect you.
So, if it senses instability or insecurity in a movement, it activates the stronger, more stable muscles to assist you.
The downside is that by doing so, you prematurely retire your poor lateral deltoids.
Strategic Training: The Plan to Revive Your Side Delts
Do you really want them to grow?
Then you can’t just push lateral raises as 3 sets of 12 reps at the end of your chest/shoulders day, when you’re already exhausted.
Here’s a simple but deadly battle plan:
- Direct training at least 2‑3 times per week
- Yes, even just 4 sets of lateral raises on different days can work wonders.
- Start your workout with the lateral shoulders
- When you’re fresh and focused.
- Give them priority.
- Vary the stimuli
- Cable Lateral Raise with the arm in front of the body: continuous tension + maximum isolation
- Incline bench lateral raises (lying on your side): killer. Pure isolation. No cheating.
- L‑Flye with light dumbbells: combines abduction and external rotation. Great also for the rotator cuff.
- Single‑arm fixed‑band lateral raises: increasing tension and greater muscle focus.
- Landmine lateral raise: a creative variant, unique angle, new stimulus.
- Face‑away cable raise: performed with the cable behind you, it creates an epic continuous tension.
- Technique first
- Elbow higher than the wrist
- Slow and controlled movement
- Locked shoulder blades (don’t contract the traps!)
- A one‑second pause at the top
- Drop sets and sets to failure
- The lateral deltoids love prolonged tension.
- It burns. But it works.
It’s a Matter of Mind-Muscle Connection
It sounds like one of those ’90s gym guru phrases, but listen to me:
If you don’t feel the muscle you’re targeting working, something is off.
I spent years doing lateral raises without results until I learned to mentally isolate the lateral deltoid.
I reduced the weight.
I closed my eyes.
I focused entirely on that small range of motion where the shoulder really burns.
And finally… boom.
Shoulders that start to round out.
Watch Your Overall Programming
Last but not least: look at your overall training plan.
If you do a lot of heavy pulling exercises (deadlifts, rows, snatches, cleans) and few flys or isolations, it’s obvious that your traps will grow out of control.
Balance is needed.
Maybe every 3 pulling exercises, insert an exercise for your lateral deltoids.
Do a little “finisher” circuit just for them.
Are Standing or Seated Lateral Raises Better? And What’s the Ideal Torso Angle?
Great question.
And the answer is… it depends.
Standing raises:
- More versatile
- Engage the core and stabilizers
- But easier to “cheat” with swinging, back swings, and… overactive traps
Seated raises:
- Less cheating
- Greater isolation of the lateral deltoid
- Perfect for those who have trouble feeling the muscle
Best torso angle?
A slight forward lean (10–20°) is ideal:
- It minimizes activation of the anterior deltoid
- It increases tension on the middle portion
- It favors isolation
What Does Science Say?
A 2024 experimental study titled “Dumbbell versus cable lateral raises for lateral deltoid hypertrophy” offers some key insights.
It compared the effects of dumbbell versus cable lateral raises over an eight-week period in resistance-trained individuals.
What did they find?
• Both cable and dumbbell lateral raises led to comparable hypertrophy of the lateral deltoid.
• No significant differences were observed between the two methods.
However, the researchers pointed out some limitations:
• The short duration (8 weeks)
• The high training status of the participants (already advanced lifters)
These factors may have made it harder to detect clear differences in muscle growth between the two variations.
So, what does this mean for you?
• You can grow your lateral delts with either cables or dumbbells, as long as the stimulus is strong and progressive.
• The choice comes down to preference, form, and control.
• For some, cables offer more consistent tension throughout the movement.
• For others, dumbbells feel more natural and accessible.
Future research with longer training durations and more diverse subjects is needed to confirm if any long-term differences exist.
So for now: choose the one that makes you feel the burn and allows for perfect execution—and stick with it.
If My Lateral Deltoids Struggle to Grow, Should I Train Only Them or Also the Anterior and Posterior?
Great question.
And the answer is: Yes, you need to train the anterior and posterior as well.
Why?
Because the shoulders don’t function in isolated compartments.
A strong anterior deltoid helps with pressing movements.
An active posterior helps balance the shoulder and improves posture.
And if you only train the lateral, you create imbalances that lead to compensations, injuries, or… guess what? Even bigger traps!
Here are two excellent exercises for each part:
Anterior Deltoids:
- Overhead Press with a barbell or dumbbells
- Front Raise with a plate or dumbbells (neutral or pronated grip)
Posterior Deltoids:
- Reverse Pec Deck
- Face Pull with a rope (with focus on the scapula)
Are Unilateral Lateral Raises More Effective?
Yes.
And let me explain why.
Unilateral lateral raises (one arm at a time) allow total mental focus on one side.
Additionally:
- They eliminate compensations from the other side
- They help correct imbalances
- They allow more freedom in movement (a more natural range)
- Greater control = greater mind‑muscle connection
Especially with cables or bands, you can control the entire range and maintain constant tension.
I often use them as a finisher.
Intense.
Painful.
And damn effective.
Advanced Techniques to Grow the Lateral Deltoids
If you’re already “intermediate‑advanced” and need to shock the muscle, here are some techniques to incorporate:
Drop set: start heavy, then progressively decrease until you reach an intense burn.
Rest‑pause: do 10 reps, rest for 10 seconds, then another 5, rest…
Partial reps: after failure, perform 10–15 partial reps in the upper range.
Isometrics: hold the point of maximum contraction for 3–5 seconds.
Superset: combine two exercises without a break (e.g., raises + face pull).
1 1⁄4 reps: add a mini movement downward before completing the rep.
With these techniques, not only do you break out of your routine, but you also stimulate new muscle fibers.
Just be careful: don’t overdo the volume.
Quality > quantity.
6-Month Program Example to Grow the Lateral Deltoids
Goal: Maximize lateral delt hypertrophy while maintaining anterior/posterior balance and shoulder health.
Split: 3–4 days per week
(2 main delt workouts + 1 optional recovery/activation day)
Day 1 – Lateral + Anterior Focus
- Seated Cable Lateral Raises – 3×15
- Barbell Overhead Press – 4×8
- Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raises – 3×12 + drop set
- Plate Front Raise – 2×12
Day 2 – Posterior + Lateral Focus
- Face Pull with Pause – 3×15
- Reverse Pec Deck – 4×12
- Unilateral Cable Lateral Raise – 2×15
- Dumbbell Shrugs – 3×20
Day 3 – Optional Recovery / Activation Day
(low intensity – can be done at home)
- Lateral Band Raises – 3×20
- Shoulder mobility drills – 5–10 min
- Foam rolling / trap & rear delt stretching – 10 min
Progression every month:
- Add 1 set
- Incorporate advanced techniques
- Change the angle every 4–5 weeks
Conclusion
Don’t get discouraged if today you have an inverted pyramid silhouette.
You can build wide, rounded, 3D shoulders that are a true war machine…
But you need to change your approach.
Be more precise.
Treat your lateral deltoids as special muscles, not as an accessory addition to your Monday workout.
When you feel them really burn, when your arms tremble even just while lifting a water bottle…
…you know you’re on the right track.
Have you also struggled to grow your lateral deltoids?
Have you found a variation or a trick that worked for you?
Write it in the comments!
