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Try the following shoulder workout. Use the variations mentioned every other week. DO NOT neglect your rear delts. They must be trained with less weight and you must concentrate on the mind-muscle connection. Your shoulders get taxed quite a bit during the training of other body parts, especially chest. Try separating your chest day and shoulder training a few days apart. I have never trained shoulders exceptionally heavy. For me shoulder development has come through the mind-muscle connection, squeezing, and concentrating on the negative portion of the movement. I also include a combination of partial reps towards the end of my sets on some days.
My traps have always grown very easily, but I still include a couple of sets of shrugs. I believe dead-lifting has done more to build my traps than anything else. So, take note, if your traps are lagging and you want that A-Frame, don’t neglect the dead-lift.
Exercise/Movement
1. Front Raise: 10-12 Reps (Try alternating from barbell & dumbbells, Use a single plate to finish off the movement during the end of your sets) Tap your front delts in between sets to build the mind-muscle connection. Do this on all body parts and you will begin to see a difference in recruitment of the focused muscle group.
2. Lateral Raise: 10-12 Reps Alternate holding the dumbbells in the front, with your chest high, on one set and starting from the side of your thighs with lighter weight towards the end of your sets. ( Tip: Holding your elbows back during the lateral raise will put more attention on the rear delts.)
3. Upright Rows: Traditionally the barbell is used with this movement and is still a staple in shoulder training. (Alternate this by doing upright dumbbell rows, the wider your elbows are will recruit more rear delt.)
4. Shoulder Press: You can mix this up and use your favorite machine at your gym or barbells and dumbbells. (Tip: Do partial reps towards the end of you sets and squeeze during the movement.)
You can mix the order of the movements up and alternate from week to week. Just concentrate on the mind-muscle connection and the squeeze during the movements and your shoulders are going to grow like baby boulders.