Troy Hurst holds a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Carroll University. He is a physical therapist specializing in both athletic and vestibular rehabilitation with an emphasis on performance running.
The deltoids are arguably one of the most visually impressive muscles on the upper body. They give the illusion of a wider, more defined frame and can greatly contribute to an overall aesthetic physique. However, many people struggle with developing their deltoids, often relying solely on traditional weightlifting exercises like overhead presses or dumbbell lateral raises.
Fortunately, there is another way to target and develop your delts – through calisthenics. Specifically, side delt calisthenics. These can be incredibly effective at building wide shoulders. These exercises not only work the deltoids but also engage other muscle groups in the arms, back, and core for a full-body workout.
Plus, since they are bodyweight exercises, you can do them anywhere without the need for gym equipment (4).
Here are 10 side delt calisthenics that you can incorporate into your workout routine to build those wide shoulders.
To develop the side delts, it’s important to understand their anatomy and function. The deltoid muscle is divided into three parts – anterior (front), medial (middle), and posterior (back). The lateral head of the deltoid, which makes up the outer part of the shoulder, is what gives the appearance of width (1).
Functionally, the side delts assist in shoulder abduction – raising your arms out to the sides. This movement is essential for everyday activities and many upper body exercises.
To effectively target this muscle group, exercises that involve abduction or lifting your arms sideways and away from your body are key. This motion primarily engages the lateral head of the deltoids, helping to develop wider shoulders.
In addition to the deltoids, the primary muscles worked in the side delt calisthenic exercises discussed below include the trapezius, rhomboids, triceps, and biceps. These exercises also engage your core to stabilize your body during movements.
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These side delt calisthenics exercises can be incorporated into your workout routine in a variety of ways. You can perform them individually as a circuit or combine them with other bodyweight exercises for a full-body workout.
To get the most out of these side delt exercises, focus on proper form and control, rather than rushing through repetitions. Also, remember to engage your core and maintain proper alignment throughout each movement.
You may need minimal equipment for some of these exercises, such as a pull-up bar or resistance bands. However, there are also variations that can be done without any equipment at all.
Now, here are 6 bodyweight exercises to build wide shoulders through side delt calisthenics:
The pike pushup is an excellent bodyweight exercise that targets the shoulders, particularly the anterior and lateral delts, while also engaging the triceps and upper chest. The movement pattern involves a downward “piked” position followed by a push. This positioning and sequencing makes pike pushups excellent for muscle recruitment of the shoulders, without any equipment at all..
The wall lateral raise focuses intensely on the side and rear delts, helping to build shoulder width. By keeping pressure against a wall throughout the movement you use the wall as both continuous resistance and a tactile cue to maintain proper alignment.
The ring Y-raise is a challenging exercise that targets the shoulders and upper back, including the posterior delts, rhomboids, and trapezius. This exercise requires gymnastic rings or a fitness suspension strap system (such as a TRX strap), which adds an element of instability, further engaging the core.
Read more: The Simplest Lower Back Calisthenics Guide for Beginners
The band lateral raise is a versatile exercise that targets the lateral deltoids using resistance bands. It can be easily adjusted for different fitness levels by using bands with varying resistance.
The band overhead press targets the entire deltoid muscle group, with a focus on the anterior and lateral delts, as well as engaging the triceps and upper chest.
The band upright row effectively targets the lateral deltoids, trapezius, and rhomboids. This exercise also engages the biceps and forearms.
A previous post goes into great details about, Oblique Workouts With Weights, to help build your core.
While calisthenics exercises are highly effective for building strong and defined shoulders, it’s important to train with the right intensity, frequency, and sets to achieve optimal results.
When specifically targeting the side deltoids, it’s essential to focus on exercises that isolate and engage this muscle group.
To effectively train your side delts with calisthenics, you need to be sure that your workouts are challenging enough. Without an adequate training stimulus, you will be unable to experience hypertrophy and strength gains.
You can increase the intensity of your calisthenics exercises by using resistance bands or weighted vests. It’s also essential to maintain proper form and focus on the mind-muscle connection to effectively engage your side delts and maximize outcomes.
For optimal results, it’s recommended to train your side delts 2-3 times a week. This frequency allows for enough stimulus and recovery time for muscle growth.
However, if you’re new to calisthenics or have never targeted your side delts before, it’s best to start with 1-2 sessions per week to allow your muscles time to adjust and avoid overtraining.
The number of sets needed to effectively target the side deltoids varies, depending on your fitness level and the intensity of the exercises. However, a general rule is to aim for 3-4 sets of each exercise with 8-12 repetitions per set. With adequate resistance, this range allows for enough volume to stimulate muscle growth, while maintaining proper form and intensity. This is highly variable, though, and research has shown good results with rep ranges lower and higher than this, provided an adequate resistance is used.
It’s also important to note that different individuals may respond differently to training. It’s crucial to listen to your body and adjust the number of sets and repetitions accordingly if you feel fatigued or experience discomfort.
It’s always better to start with fewer sets and gradually increase as you progress, rather than overtrain and risk injury (2).
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While pushups do engage the side delts to a certain extent, they may not be enough to effectively build and strengthen these muscles on their own.
Here’s why:
Pushups are still an excellent exercise for overall shoulder development, as they engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously. However, if you want to specifically target your side delts, it’s best to incorporate other calisthenics exercises into your routine.
Are you also interested in a lower body workout? Check out a previous post – Best Glute Workout for tips on how to work your gluteus muscles.
It’s not recommended to train any muscle group every day, for a few reasons:
In fact, it’s counterproductive and can hinder muscle growth. Instead, it’s best to follow a well-rounded workout routine that targets the side delts 2-3 times a week with proper rest days in between.
The time it takes to see results in your side delts varies, depending on factors such as individual fitness levels, nutrition, and consistency of training. With a consistent workout routine targeting the side delts and proper nutrition, you may start seeing noticeable changes within 4-6 weeks. However, significant and defined muscle growth may take several months of consistent training.
Research using electromyographic (EMG) studies during pullups demonstrates the greatest muscle activity occurs in the latissimus dorsi (lats), infraspinatus (one of the muscles that makes up the rotator cuff), middle trapezius, lower trapezius, biceps brachii, and brachioradialis. The deltoids will be engaged to an extent, but primarily as a stabilizing muscle. If you are looking for exercises specifically to target your deltoids, pullups are probably not your best bet. However, pullups are a fantastic compound exercise to add to your overall workout routine.
The side deltoids respond well to high repetitions when targeted using isolation exercises. However, it’s essential to also incorporate medium-to-heavy compound shoulder training for optimal results.
A combination of both high reps and heavier weights in the range of 8-12 repetitions can effectively stimulate muscle growth and definition in the side delts.
It’s crucial to listen to your body and adjust the intensity, frequency, and sets accordingly, while maintaining proper form during exercises.
Upright rows do target the side deltoid muscles, making them an effective exercise for building and strengthening this area. Dumbbell, barbell, and resistance band rows are also great exercises to engage the side delts, while targeting other muscle groups in the back and shoulders.
Check out our guide on, Oblique Stretches, that you can include in your warm-up routine and workout to help support muscle function and prevent back pain.
Targeting your side delts with calisthenics exercises can effectively build strength and definition in this muscle group.
By incorporating a variety of exercises, such as the ring Y-raise, band lateral raise, band overhead press, and band upright row, into your workout routine with the right intensity, frequency, and sets, you can achieve strong and defined shoulders.
Remember to always listen to your body and adjust accordingly, to prevent overtraining and injury.
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