The key to capped deltoids is to prioritize the medial head.
Last updated: December 13, 2023
Canadian natural bodybuilder and powerlifter Jeff Knippard uses science to build his aesthetic physique. Through his techniques, he learned how to cap the shoulders to achieve a three-dimensional look. Nipperd shares the main exercises he does for the anterior, posterior, and lateral deltoid heads. three dimensional aesthetics.
On November 30, 2023, Nipperd published a training tutorial by exercise scientist Dr. Mike Israeltel on Nipperd's YouTube channel. Check it out below.
[Related: The 4 Back Exercises Ryan Terry Trained to Win the 2023 Men’s Physique Olympia]
Front Delt: Machine Shoulder Press and EZ Bar Front Raise
Nipperd trained the shoulder press, starting with the frontal part of the shoulders. Exercising seated improves his stability and puts most of the tension on his shoulders. Additionally, increased stability allows lifters to approach mechanical failure without increasing the risk of injury. Dr. Israeltel paused at the bottom of the rep to increase the difficulty of the set while loading the delt in the extended position.
Nippard suggests unilateral compressions to correct shoulder force imbalances. Nipperd typically targets 6 to 10 repetitions per set, with an emphasis on the mind-muscle connection to effectively load targeted muscles.
Israeltel's front delt proposal is the EZ bar front raise with an underhand grip. You can increase your range of motion without putting strain on your joints. Cable machines allow you to position your arms behind your lower body, allowing for even more freedom of range. Maintaining a proud chest throughout the movement, especially during explosive concentrics, must be well combined with 4-5 seconds of controlled eccentrics.
Side delts: Lateral raises and cable Y raises
Turning to the least developed head of the deltoid, the medial deltoid, Israeltel favors lateral raises with a hyper range of motion. This lateral raise moves the dumbbell almost overhead at the top of each rep. Keeping your palms down while working through your range of motion activates your medial deltoid muscles in a shortened position. Once I got into the 10-20 rep range, my doctor begged me to take full control of my eccentrics and stimulate my muscles as much as possible.
The best Nipperd transverse deltoid workout is the crossbody cable Y raise. By crossing your arms over your body, you can greatly stretch your outer deltoids. As with the exercises Israeltel recommends, increasing range of motion is key to medial deltoid development.
Rear Delt: Reverse Cable Fly & Reverse Spec Deck
With the theme of expanding range of motion, the two performed a reverse cable fly. By adapting your movements to your athlete's anatomy, you'll be able to better target your deltoid muscles. Dr. Israeltel suggests switching which hand is on top or on the bottom during each set of movements to ensure muscle balance.
Although you can't load as much, it is very important to minimize the load while maximizing muscle involvement.
Nippard likes reverse spec decks. Dr. Israeltell instructs him to hunch his shoulders for two reasons. The first is to pre-stretch the posterior deltoids at the beginning of the exercise. The second is the cue for both the concentric and eccentric portions of each rep to extend your hands outward as if you were “painting a wall” with your palms. This prevents the trap from overtaking the load. Keeping your elbows locked will help create a bias that works your rear deltoids.
deltoid muscle anatomy
As Nipperd explained, during chest exercises, the anterior deltoid bears a large amount of stress. Dr. Israeltel agreed, further noting that the posterior deltoid muscles are under a lot of stress during back training. They agreed that the main focus should be on the medial deltoids during shoulder training. Dr. Israel Tell said he should cover 70-90% of his shoulder training with the medial deltoid muscles.
If you see someone with big shoulders…in most cases, it's actually the deltoid muscles in their flanks that are very large. What's really important are the side delts.
[Related: The 8 Exercises Dana Linn Bailey Uses for Shoulder Hypertrophy]
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Featured image: @jeffnippard on Instagram
