Best Split for Shoulders & Delts

Best Split for Shoulders & Delts: Build Wide, Round, and Strong Shoulders

Big arms and a thick chest are impressive, but nothing transforms your physique like wide, round shoulders.

Broad delts create the coveted V-taper and make your waist look smaller. For athletes and lifters, strong shoulders also boost pressing strength and protect against injuries.

But here’s the truth: many lifters don’t give shoulders the specialized training they need. A few sets of overhead presses tagged onto “push day” won’t cut it if you want capped delts that stand out.

This guide breaks down the best workout splits for shoulder development, compares which are most effective, and shows you how to specialize your training for maximum delt size and strength.

🔎 Key Principles of Shoulder Growth

1. Train All Three Heads of the Delts
   • Anterior (front): presses, front raises
   • Lateral (side): lateral raises, upright rows
   • Posterior (rear): face pulls, reverse flyes, rear-delt rows
2. Frequency
   • Shoulders respond well to 2–3x/week direct training.
   • Rear delts especially need extra volume since they’re often undertrained.
3. Volume
   • Hypertrophy sweet spot: 12–20 sets per week (direct shoulder work).
   • Lateral + rear delts need more isolation than anterior, which already gets hit with chest presses.
4. Variety of Rep Ranges
   • Heavy overhead presses for strength (4–8 reps).
   • Moderate volume for size (8–12 reps).
   • High-rep isolation for metabolic stress (12–20 reps).

💥 Best Splits for Shoulder Development

Push Pull Legs (PPL)

Why It Works:

• Shoulders trained 2x/week on both Push days.
• Easy to balance heavy presses with isolation raises.
• Allows focus on lateral + rear delts alongside chest/triceps work.

Sample Shoulder Focus (PPL 6-Day):

• Push A: Overhead Press, Dumbbell Lateral Raises, Face Pulls
• Push B: Arnold Press, Upright Rows, Rear Delt Flyes

Pros:

• Great frequency (2x/week)
• Balanced compound + isolation
• Easy to add rear delt emphasis

Cons:

• Chest and triceps may dominate if shoulders aren’t prioritized

👉 Best for: Intermediates wanting balanced delt growth.

Upper / Lower Split

Why It Works:

• Shoulders worked twice weekly on both Upper sessions.
• Compounds + isolations can be distributed for recovery.

Sample Shoulder Workload (Upper/Lower 4-Day):

• Upper A: Overhead Press, Lateral Raises, Rear Delt Flyes
• Upper B: Arnold Press, Upright Rows, Face Pulls

Pros:

• Balanced and recovery-friendly
• Easy to scale for beginners to advanced lifters
• Ensures consistent frequency

Cons:

• Limited time for high-volume shoulder specialization

👉 Best for: Beginners & intermediates who want steady progress.

Bro Split (Shoulder Day)

Why It Works:

• A full day dedicated to shoulders = maximum focus.
• Allows high volume for all three heads of the delts.
• Classic bodybuilding approach for shoulder specialization.

Sample Shoulder Day (Bro Split):

• Overhead Press – 4×6
• Arnold Press – 4×8
• Dumbbell Lateral Raises – 4×12
• Upright Rows – 3×10
• Rear Delt Flyes – 3×15
• Face Pulls – 3×12

Pros:

• Maximum isolation and volume potential
• Perfect for targeting lagging lateral/rear delts
• Great for mind-muscle connection

Cons:

• Only trained once a week → frequency is suboptimal
• Can lead to fatigue in one marathon session

👉 Best for: Advanced bodybuilders specializing in shoulders.

PHUL (Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower)

Why It Works:

• Shoulders trained directly twice weekly (Power Upper + Hypertrophy Upper).
• Heavy presses build strength, isolations cover hypertrophy.

Sample Shoulder Frequency (PHUL 4-Day):

• Power Upper: Overhead Press, Upright Rows
• Hypertrophy Upper: Arnold Press, Dumbbell Lateral Raises, Face Pulls

Pros:

• Balance of strength and size
• Perfect frequency (2x/week)
• Solid rear delt integration

Cons:

• Limited isolation volume unless added

👉 Best for: Intermediates chasing both pressing strength and delt growth.

PHAT (Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training)

Why It Works:

• Combines pressing power with bodybuilding-style delt volume.
• Multiple weekly exposures (Upper Power + Hypertrophy Upper + Hypertrophy Push).
• Tons of room for lateral/rear delt emphasis.

Sample Shoulder Frequency (PHAT 5-Day):

• Upper Power: Overhead Press, Upright Rows
• Hypertrophy Upper: Arnold Press, Lateral Raises, Rear Delt Rows
• Hypertrophy Push: Dumbbell Overhead Press, Cable Lateral Raises, Face Pulls

Pros:

• Huge volume + frequency (2–3x/week)
• Excellent for lagging delts
• Combines heavy compounds + pump work

Cons:

• Demanding recovery needs
• Overkill for beginners

👉 Best for: Advanced lifters who need shoulder specialization.

📊 Split Comparison for Shoulder Development

🏋️ Shoulder Specialization Strategies

1. Prioritize Lateral & Rear Delts → These give the shoulders roundness and width.
2. Use Overhead Press Variations → Barbell, dumbbell, Arnold, and machine presses.
3. Train Delts 2–3x Per Week → Frequency beats a single marathon session.
4. Incorporate High-Rep Isolation → Lateral raises and rear delt flyes grow best in 12–20 rep range.
5. Mind-Muscle Connection → Control the eccentric, pause at contraction, especially on raises.

✅ Final Verdict: Best Split for Shoulder Development

• For Beginners: Upper/Lower (balanced and recovery-friendly).
• For Intermediates: PPL or PHUL (frequency + variety).
• For Advanced Lifters: PHAT (volume + frequency) or Bro Split (shoulder specialization).

👉 The best split for shoulders is the one that lets you hit all three heads with the right balance of compounds and isolations, 2–3x per week, while still recovering.

🔗 Next Steps:

• Compare [PPL vs Bro Split]
• Read [Best Split for Chest Growth]
• Explore [Best Training Split for Muscle Growth]