Dumbbells are a versatile fitness tool. Unlike barbells, which lock you into a specific grip, dumbbells allow you to adjust your grip and your range of motion during an exercise. To properly strengthen your shoulder muscles with dumbbells, you need to perform exercises that target all three heads of the shoulder muscle.
Shoulder Muscles
The shoulder, or deltoid, muscle has three heads, or origin points. The anterior, or front, deltoid originates at your clavicle bone. The lateral, or middle, deltoid muscle originates at your lateral scapula, and the posterior, or rear, shoulder muscle originates at your inferior scapula. All three muscles attach to the humerus. Each deltoid muscle moves the arm in different ways. To strengthen all three heads, you will need to perform exercises that target each one.
Anterior Deltoid
The anterior deltoid lifts the arm forward and pulls the upper arm across the chest. Dumbbell chest presses target not only the chest muscles, but also the anterior deltoid. Overhead presses, where you press the dumbbells directly overhead, also target the anterior deltoid muscles. Isolate these muscles with a front raise. Hold the dumbbell against the front of your thigh with your palm facing you. Lift your arm straight up until it is parallel with the ground.
Lateral Deltoid
Overhead presses work the lateral deltoid muscles as well as the anterior deltoid muscles. To isolate the middle shoulder muscle, do dumbbell lat raises. Hold the dumbbells to the sides of your thighs, your arms hanging straight down. Your palms should face you. Lift your arms out to the sides until they are parallel with the ground. You can lift both arms simultaneously or one arm at a time. For an increased range of motion, start with your hands in front of your thighs, your palm facing each other.
Posterior Deltoid
Overhead presses or chest presses do not work the rear shoulder muscle. Some back exercises, such as bent-over rows, hit this small muscle, but only as a secondary mover, not the primary mover. To target the rear shoulder muscle, perform bent-over rear lateral raises. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Bend over at the hips until your torso is at a 45-degree angle. Keep your back straight. Hang your arms straight down with your palms facing each other. Lift the dumbbells out to your sides until your arms are almost parallel with the floor.
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