Getting fit and leading a healthy lifestyle should be a top priority for everyone who wants a greek-god physique. For this, you need to be a regular member at the gym and have a healthy diet as well. Having a good set of toned shoulders not only make you look attractive, but keeps your physique and shoulder fat in line! In order to help you achieve this, you need to concentrate on exercises which particularly cater to the shoulder muscles.
Since these are specific exercises, you need to pay greater attention to the choice and repetition of a particular exercise with respect to your training goals or program. You can begin with a specific motion and continue it for 30 days and then go back to your normal workout plan.
Receiving assistance from a gym trainer can add further benefits as they are more likely to help you perform high-intensity exercises for building your shoulder muscles.
To begin with, let us look at the benefits of shoulder exercises.
Shoulder strength is like the foundation pillar for your head, arms and upper torso. Having strong arms means that you can pretty much do any work like a boss. From lifting furniture to pushing a car! All seems like a piece of cake. Improved strength also results in well-built biceps. An awesome set of biceps are not only good for flaunting but they also assist in working out difficult exercises such as weight lifting and push-ups. Also, you become adept at doing any physical work in general - running, swimming, planking, typing, jumping and much more.
It is no doubt that your shoulder and collar bones are one of the most-strongest of the musculoskeletal system. From holding your spine and head in palace to supporting your ribs and arms, the shoulders are indeed heavy workers. Regular shoulder exercises also work on building stronger bones and reduces injury. Strong bones also protect against the risk of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease which causes thinning and weakening of bones. Weak bones are highly susceptible to fractures and injury. So, if you want to make your bones stronger than ever, go hit the gym right now.
Think of your shoulder muscles as the central structure that connects your upper and lower body. Strong shoulder muscles stabilize all the muscles included in the core. Your ability to stand or run in a rough/inclined terrain without losing your balance is all because of solid shoulder muscles. Even maintaining a stable posture as you lift weights is a result of regular shoulder exercises.
As mentioned before, an overall toned shoulder benefits other muscles as well. Apart from reduced risk of injury, your biceps and triceps become much stronger. You can perform other types of athletic activities which are indirectly supported by your shoulder muscles.
Looking to make boulders out of your shoulders? You are in the right place!
This is an exercise which can be conducted only at the gym as it requires you to use extension cables with weight. You, being in a standing position, have to use the handle grip for pulling the cable at your chest height. First you do it with your one hand, then repeat the same with the other arm. Next, slightly bend your knees, like in a hopping position, and begin pulling the cables from both the arms simultaneously. Ensure that your elbows are slightly bent and pull the cables without squeezing the shoulder blades. Keep repeating to complete a set.
Advantages - In this exercise your deltoids are continuously being worked upon as the resistance of the cable is always counter-pulling.
Excellent for your deltoids, you will require the assistance of two dumbbells. To begin with, take a dumbbell in each hand and bend over at the hips until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Next, let the dumbbells hang directly beneath you with your elbows straight. Now, raise the dumbbells up and out to the sides until they are at the level of your shoulders. Keep repeating to complete a set.
Advantages - This exercise can be done standing as well as in a seated position. And with dumbbells in each hand, your additional muscles are also worked upon, thus improving overall stability and physique.
This is an isolated one hand exercise good for the deltoids. You are required to visit the gym as it is a cable and weight extension exercise. You start in a standing position and pull the cable pulley machine attached to the floor from the hand opposite the one facing the pull machine cable. Next, raise your arm holding the cable up to your shoulder height. Ensure that you maintain a slight bend at your elbow, now, pause and repeat the same pulling motion.
Advantages - The cable offers constant tension; hence your deltoid muscles are constantly working. It also gives an option to work your arms one by one. You also have an option to use the cable behind your back instead of across the front of your body.
This is another isolated one hand exercise good for the deltoids. Again, this exercise can only be conduct at the gym with a cable and weight extension. For this, you need to grab the lower pulley cable attached to a weight. Next, pull the cable with your arms straight and raise it till your thigh length. Keep your torso straight and begin pulling the cable further till it is parallel to the floor. Ensure that you maintain a slight bend at the elbow while your opposite arm remains intact. Once you have completed a few sets with one arm, repeat the same with the other arm.
An excellent exercise which will result in muscles that will definitely fill every corner of your shirt. First, select the weight that you are comfortable with lifting. There is no need to go hulk on day one. Begin with a tight power grip on the weight bar with your elbows pointing out in a semi-squat like position. Next, rest the bar on your shoulders in the same squat position and push the bar up until your arms are straight. Now, pause for a second to maintain stability and end by lowering the bar down to the chest.
Advantages - This is a complete bodybuilding centric workout where multiple muscle groups are working together from head to toe.
This is named after the smith machine which holds heavy weights in a bar. You start by standing straight at the centre of the smith weight machine. Next, set the bar on the smith machine to a height around the middle of your thighs. Grab the barbell and lift it up and fully extend your arms with a straight back. Now, lower the barbell back to its original position. Keep repeating till you are comfortable and exhausted.
Advantages - This exercise engages the rear as well as the front deltoids. It also helps you reduce any unwanted stress on the back and shoulder joints.
Another gym-based exercise but it is simpler in comparison to the ones mentioned above. You are required to grab the dual handles of a face pulley with both of your hands and pull the cable directly towards your face. Ensure that your upper arms are kept parallel to the ground.
Advantages - The primary advantage of conducting a face pull is that the middle trap muscle is worked upon that allows you to handle heavier weight.
A variant of a lateral raise. Start by holding two dumbbells by your side at arms-length with the palms of the hand facing you and your upper body in a straight position. Next, lift both the dumbbells on your side with a slight bent elbow until they reach the shoulder. Try to keep your arms as parallel as you can to the floor. You can begin with 10 sets and keep increasing the weight as well as the no of sets.
Advantages - Lateral raises put enough tension on your middle deltoids for toning. You can also adjust the way you hold the dumbbell in order to improve the core movement.
Another heavy weight lifting exercise which can be only conducted at a gymnasium. You need to sit on the bench in a squat rack position and grab the barbell at a height just above your head. Next, try to lift the barbell up over your head by locking your arms. Now, lower the bar down to the shoulders to complete one set. Keep lifting the barbell up and down.
Take a dumbbell in each hand and rest them on your thighs. Next, raise the dumbbells to shoulder height one at a time and then rise them upward till they reach the top. Next, bring them down, pause and raise them again.
Advantages - the seated dumbbell manages to remove any imbalances as you have two dumbbells and a base support to complete each motion exhaustively.
For those who love to hit the gym, we have a list that you just can’t miss.
The first thing is to build mass by undertaking the most taxing exercises - basically conduct exercises that help you pull heavy weight. Make dumbbells your best friend. Start with 2 sets of a heavy weight target preferably 5 pounds. Next, as you get tired reduce the weight as per your comfort. At last, call that trainer of yours who you paid so much to become your spotter. You can make your spotter help you in weight lifting. In this workout, your front as well as middle delts are put to work together. You can follow a dumbbell marathon such as dumbbell shoulder press>upright barbell row>bent over rear delt ease>side lateral raise>standing front barbell raise over head.
A muscle burning workout is an ultimate combination of moderate weight and supersets in order to increase the number of calories burned. The routine can be as mentioned as follows - seated barbell military press>side lateral raise>seated bent over rear delt raise>front cable raise>upright cable row>reverse machine flyes>lateral raise with bands.
It is always advisable to work with weight lifting machines before indulging in free weights. Working with machines will constrain you to a proper motion. Once you master working with a machine, working on free weights will improve coordination and better control. You can begin with military press>side lateral raise>front cable raise>reverse machine flyes.
Now, you need to begin with a workout that focuses on making your middle delts wider. To begin with, you can use different angles of dumbbell exercises and work on your deltoids when your strength levels are at the highest. Begin with barbell shoulder press>upright barbell row>one arm side laterals>side lateral raise.
What you require for a good chest is well built front deltoids. Front deltoids are important as they’re engaged in all your pressing moves and inclines. It is advisable for you to separate your chest and shoulder workouts by at least 48 hours into your training program. You can start by barbell shoulder press>arnold dumbbell press>front two dumbbell raise and finish with a front cable raise.
The pre-exhaust technique is where you start with single joint movements followed by multijoint overhead presses while your triceps are still strong. Starting with single joints relieves your elbows from additional stress. Begin with standing low pulley deltoid raise>barbell front raise>reverse machine flys>machine shoulder military press>upright barbell row.
If you don’t like the gym, make your home a warzone for those muscles. But to do so, make sure you have a pair of weights or a resistance band.
Here are 10 shoulder exercises to do at home.
This works on your anterior deltoids without the use of any equipment. You start in a forearm plank position with the elbows under the shoulders and feet hip-width apart. Next, move forward so that your hips are lifted towards the ceiling. Next, drive your shoulders forward to hover over your wrists and reverse the movement to reach the initial position.
This movement is perfect for improving shoulder stability. You begin in a straight arm plank position with your shoulders above your hands and your feet hip-width apart. Next, extend your right arm forward and then to the side and place it back to the plank. Make sure your body is positioned in a straight line. Then, reach your left arm under your body and pull your right leg toward your core in order to tap your right foot with your left hand.
Perfect for your middle delt, start in stand still position with a dumbbell in each hand. Next, raise both of your arms till they are at level with your shoulders while your palms are facing downward. Do at least 10 sets and pause, then increase the number of sets.
This is an upper back exercise which works on the posterior delt. Begin in a semi-squat position with a dumbbell in each hand and your feet shoulder width apart. Next, raise both of your arms with your elbows slightly bent until they reach shoulder level.
Excellent for muscle growth, this movement works on the entire deltoid muscle. Begin with a dumbbell in each hand while standing straight and your feet shoulder-width apart. Next, raise the dumbbells to your shoulder level and then straight above your head. Lower the dumbbells to the shoulder level and repeat.
Start off with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides with a dumbbell in each hand. Next, you need to lower into a squat position then stand up and curl the weights from the hanging to the clean position. Now, drop back into the squat position and then stand up as you press the weights directly above your shoulders.
Another dumbbell-based movement where you engage the core. Begin with holding a dumbbell in each hand and keep the forearms in front of your chest and your palms facing back. Next, rotate the weighs as you lift them up above your shoulders. Now, lower the weights back to the starting position and repeat the same to complete a set.
An ideal exercise for working on your rotator cuff muscles. Begin by holding a dumbbell in each hand and raise your arms out to the sides with your elbows bent at 90 degrees. Next, bring your forearms together up front and reverse the movement and press the weights directly above your shoulders.
You start by holding a dumbbell in each hand with your arms extended straight above your head and your feet hip width apart. Next, bring the weights back to the shoulder level and at the same time raise one leg straight out in front of your body. Ensure that as you lower your leg, the dumbbell needs to go back overhead. Repeat the same with the other leg and continue alternation to complete a set.
This is a combination of two or more dumbbell based exercise. It works on your lateral deltoids, traps and the front raise works on your anterior deltoids. You start off in a standing position with dumbbells in each hand and raise your arms straight in front of your chest. Next, lower yourself in a lunge position and raise your arms straight out to the sides.Lower the weights as you get back up return to the centre to complete the movement.
Although we have heavily focused on heavy exercises in this article, working on your shoulders also requires the right kind of diet with a lot of protein. There is always an option of consuming whey protein, but consuming natural sources of protein such as pulse, sprouts, eggs and much more are a better option. A rich protein diet is low on carbohydrates and high on protein. When you consume a lot of protein, there are less carbs available for the body. Thus, the body starts burning the extra fat and you start becoming thin.
The human shoulder is a combination of 8 muscles working together in harmony. The main shoulder joint is referred to as the glenohumeral joint. The largest of these muscles is the deltoid. The remainder which aid in movement are Infraspinatus, Triceps brachii, Pectoralis major, Pectoralis minor, Teres major, Biceps brachii, Latissimus dorsi, Subscapularis and Supraspinatus. The rotator cuff is made up the following four muscles - supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis.
Additional notes to consider:
*Disclaimer: The tips & exercises suggested are the personal opinion of the writer. Kindly consult a licensed physician/dietitian/practitioner before implementing the same.
