10 Best Cable Shoulder Exercises That Can Help Build Stronger And Bigger Delts

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If your goal is to have a V-shaped chest, then one of your fitness goals should be to build a slim waist and large shoulders. Cable shoulder exercises should play a crucial role in your training regimen to help you achieve your goal of developing large shoulders.

You can isolate and target your upper body and back muscles from different angles using shoulder exercises with cables, helping you to build them more efficiently. Using a cable machine will help you extend the range of motion of the shoulder exercises and help you to sculpt and strengthen them.

Aside from being one of the most popular gym equipment in a commercial gym, it could also be one of the most valuable training equipment you can install in your home gym.

Cable machines are very versatile. They are very effective tools for strengthening and building your upper body muscles. Cable shoulder exercises could be what you are looking for in your desire to build stronger and bigger deltoids.

Check out our top cable machines if you are yet to install one in your home gym.

Top cable shoulder exercises for building stronger and broader deltoids

Include some of these best shoulder exercises with cables in your training regimen to help you develop massive shoulders to help give you the V-shaped upper body you want.

You will need a cable machine for all the cable shoulder exercises discussed here. Are you yet to install a cable machine in your home gym? Then one of our recommended best cable machines could serve you well.

Cable upright row

The cable upright row is one best shoulder exercises with cables that can target and activate the muscle groups in your upper back and shoulders.

You will need a rope or a straight bar attached to the pulley on the cable machine for these compound cable shoulder exercises.

Steps to follow

• Adjust the cable to its lowest point
• With an overhand grip, grasp the bar with both hands, then take a step back, putting some tension in the cable.
• Breath out, then pull the bar straight up in the direction of your chin
• Stop when your upper arms and elbows are about the same height as your shoulders
• Breath in and slowly pull the bar to your starting position
• Repeat

Cable face pulls

Face pulls are another compound shoulder cable exercises that can target your rear deltoids. It is one of the best cable shoulder exercises to include in your upper body training regimen. It can help improve your posture when you do it regularly.

You will need to attach a rope at face height to the machine to help you do the shoulder cable exercises correctly.

Steps to follow

• Stand upright in front of the lat pull-down machine
• With an overhand grip, take the ends of the rope in each hand. keep your hands close to each other
• Turn your palms to face each other.
• Raise your elbows and make them level with your shoulders.
• Create tension in the rope by taking a step backward.
• Breath in, and pull the rope towards your face. Ensure you keep your elbows high. Also, keep the rope at eye level and don’t move your head forward.
• Move your hands apart as the rope gets close to your face.
• Then, squeezing your shoulder blades, breathe out, and slowly return the rope to your starting position.
• Repeat

Cable front raise

The front raise is another cable machine exercise that can effectively target your shoulders.

It is straightforward to perform and will suit everyone, including those at the start of their fitness journey.

There are a few variations to the cable shoulder exercises, but the best way to do the exercise is with a straight bar attached to the bottom pulley of the cable machine.

Steps to follow

• Load the cable machine with the appropriate weight
• Stand upright with your back towards the machine and with the cable between your legs.
• Bending down, grab the bar with your palms facing down.
• Take a few steps forward to create tension in the cable. Ensure the bar is close to your thighs
• While breathing out, pull the bar straight up until it’s parallel to the floor
• Hold the position for a second at the top of the movement.
• Start breathing out, and slowly lower the bar to your starting position.
• Repeat.

Cable shoulder press

The cable shoulder press is another upper body exercise that targets your shoulders, as well as your chest and triceps.

Steps to follow

To do the shoulder press cable shoulder exercises,

• Attach a robe or cable with two handles to the low pulley on a cable machine
• Squat, and with your back towards the machine, grab the two handles and stand up. Ensure the handles are just above your shoulders
• Take a step back to give you stability.
• While engaging your core, pull the cables upwards until you stretch your arms fully overhead.
• Reverse the move to get the handles to their starting position around the back of your shoulders
• Repeat

Single arm cable side lateral raise

The single arm lateral raise targets the middle head of your delts, the rounded muscle at the top of your shoulders

It is one of the best cable shoulder exercises that help target the middle deltoid rotator cuff muscles to improve shoulder movements.

The primary focus of the cable machine shoulder exercises is the muscles in the side deltoids but will work the anterior deltoid and the lower and middle traps too.

Steps to follow

• Load the machine with an appropriate weight that will be enough for you to lift with one hand
• Stand, with feet shoulder-width apart, beside the cable machine.
• Adjust your body to enable you to get a good posture. If necessary, support your body by placing your hand on the machine.
• Stretch out and with your outside arm, grab the handle of the cable.
• Then, bend your elbows to about 10-30 degrees, and without rotating your arm, gradually raise your arm sideways and bring it to the same level as your shoulders.
• Hold the position for up to five seconds, then, while breathing in, slowly lower the weight back to your starting position.
• Repeat

Rear delt cable crossover

Apart from your shoulders, the rear delt cable crossover shoulder exercises can target your forearms and delts.

You will need two low cable pulleys for the crossover shoulder cable exercises. Each cable must have a stirrup handle attached.

Steps to follow

• Between the two machines and with your left hand, grasp the cable handle on your right side. Do the same with the other hand, grabbing the handle on the opposite side.
• Then, while slightly lowering your knees and hips, bend till your torso is about parallel to the floor.
• Next, cross the cables over each other while raising them up.
• Continue raising them up until your hands are parallel to the floor. Ensure your palms are facing downward, and you maintain the bend in your arms as you lift the cables.
• Slowly return your hands to their starting positions.
• Repeat

Cable reverse fly

The reverse flys are some of the best shoulder exercises with cables for working the shoulder and upper back muscles, especially your rear delts.

You can activate your rhomboids and triceps with the cable reverse fly if you get the exercises right.

You will need two cables with handles for the exercises.

Steps to follow

• Attach the cables at chest height to the machine.
• Using a neutral grip, reach across your body and grab a handle at the opposite side with one hand. Do the same with the other hand.
• Bend your knees and elbows slightly, and pull the cable handles. Ensure you don’t squeeze your shoulder blades.
• Pause and slowly return the handles back to where you started.
• Repeat

Cable pulldown

Aside from your shoulders, back, and arms, the cable pulldown can also target your abs muscles. It is a compound exercise that can help you build strength and improve the look of your torso.

It is one of the best shoulder cable exercises that can form part of your workout to strengthen your upper body.

Steps to follow

• Attach a cable with a handle to the highest point on one of the frames of the machine. Ensure the anchor point is above your head.
• Load the machine with the appropriate weight
• Sit in front of the cable machine
• Using an overhand grip, grab the handles with arms about shoulder-width apart.
• Engage your abs, and ensure you keep your elbows still and arms straight.
• Exhale and pull the handle slowly towards your chest. Ensure you keep your arms and back straight.
• Pause when the handle reaches your chest
• Inhale and slowly return the handles to your starting position
• Repeat

Standing cable rear delt row

The primary target of the cable rear delt row exercises is your rear deltoids. But it can also develop your biceps, traps, and rhomboids.

Include these shoulder cable exercises in your workout to build size and definition in your shoulders.

Steps to follow

• Attach the cables at chest level on the machine.
• Using an overhand grip, grab the cable handles.
• Extend your arms, ensuring they are parallel to the floor. Keep your lower back straight and bend your knees slightly.
• Keeping your elbows up and pointing sideways, start pulling the handles towards your neck. Exhale while you do this. Ensure you keep your elbows parallel to the floor while pulling the handles
• Stop pulling just before the rope reaches your neck, pause.
• Then, while inhaling, return the handles to your starting position.
• Repeat 8-12 reps to complete a set

Cable Y raise

The Y raises are another effective cable shoulder exercises you can rely on to develop your upper back.

Unlike other isolation exercises, the Y raise can activate many different muscle groups together. It can help you build all three heads of the deltoids, namely, the anterior, medial, and posterior muscles. They also work your lower, middle, and upper traps.

Steps to follow

• Start the shoulder exercises with cables by attaching a cable with stirrups to the low pulleys on a cable machine.
• Load the cable machine with light to moderate weights
• Standing between the cables, stretch sideways and grab the stirrups or cable ends on the opposite side. That is, grab the stirrup on your left with your right hand and vice versa.
• Step back to put some tension in the cable. And with your hand on the correct side of your body, the cables should cross at the front of your hips
• Standing upright and with feet shoulder-width apart, slightly bend your elbows. and engage your abdominal muscles.
• Then, raise your arms upward and outward to your sides in a Y shape.
• Continue raising your arms until they are above your head
• Slowly lower your hands and return to your starting position
• Repeat

Final words from LiveLIfe

A cable machine can be a valuable addition to any home gym setup. The number of exercises and their variations open to you is enormous. And installing one in your setup is something worth considering, especially if your schedule limits your ability to frequent a commercial gym.

A cable machine will provide so much value when your goal is to build well-defined massive shoulders.

Cable shoulder exercises can help you to target the right muscles from different angles to give you the V-shaped upper body you’ve always wanted. We hope some of the best shoulder exercises with cables discussed here can put you on the road to achieving your fitness goals