Introduction:
There are many different shoulder workouts that you can do to build strength and tone your muscles, but not all of them are effective or efficient ways to achieve those goals. If you’re looking to build stronger and more toned shoulders, look no further than this list of the top 10 shoulder workouts in the industry right now.
Overhead Press:
It's important for your shoulder blades to be together and down, and this will help you get the most out of the overhead press. You can also do this workout while seated by raising your arms overhead while balancing on your buttocks.
You may want to incorporate overhead pressing exercises into your workouts if you have trouble with movement, as these exercises will strengthen your rotator cuff muscles.
This move is fantastic for building up strength in your upper body! You can't go wrong when using heavy weights that are challenging to lift, but make sure you're lifting properly so that you don't put yourself at risk for injury. To make sure that you're lifting correctly, keep your back straight and use an overhand grip on the barbell or dumbbells when doing bicep curls. If any weight feels too heavy to handle, switch it out for something lighter until you feel comfortable enough to increase the weight again.
Bench Press:
If you want an all-around strong upper body, there's no better exercise than the bench press. It also works as your primary chest and shoulder workout, so make sure to incorporate this into your weekly routine. Do three sets of five repetitions with good form and enough weight that you feel challenged. Some people will do pyramid training by starting with five reps of weight at lower level and working their way up to one rep max, others may opt for supersets (four sets) consisting of two exercises back-to-back, performing four reps per set in order before moving on to the next exercise. Keep track of what works best for you and watch your strength soar! Another great benefit of the bench press is it can be done just about anywhere. You can use anything from gym equipment, free weights or a stability ball to get those muscles firing on all cylinders. Plus, because it's such a large muscle group, you're using more than just your arms - meaning you'll see results faster!
Lateral Raises:
Wide grips target the outside of your deltoids. With these, you want to keep your shoulders and elbows at 90 degrees while performing the exercise. This will maximize muscle recruitment in the anterior head of your deltoid, with minimal involvement from other parts of your upper body (mostly posterior). Bring the dumbbells up and out, so that they're almost parallel with each other. Slowly lower them down over an eight count and repeat for as many reps as desired. If you want more challenging shoulder workouts, narrow your grip and do three sets of 8-12 reps with heavier weights. For even more intense shoulder workouts, perform front raises by bringing the weight straight out in front of you instead of side to side. However if front raises feel too easy for you then try reverse flyes by bringing the weight straight behind you instead of straight out to the side.
Rear Delt Flyes:
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Set the incline bench at 45 degrees and lie face down on it with your stomach against the bench. Keeping your back flat, raise your arms in front of you until they are just below shoulder height and squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement. Lower back down under control for one count. This is one rep. Do 10-12 reps total, going light so that you can feel it in the muscles of your shoulders and make sure not to tense up other areas such as your neck or back. Rest 60 seconds between sets. Push-Ups: Hold yourself up over the ground by placing your hands palm down, slightly wider than shoulder width apart, and toes tucked under. Bend your elbows 90 degrees out from your body and slowly lower yourself towards the ground until your chest nearly touches it. Your head should stay looking forward throughout this exercise rather than tucking down towards the ground. Press back up to starting position by straightening your arms fully with tension in both biceps while exhaling deeply through pursed lips. That's one rep! Repeat 12 times or more if desired - but remember this exercise is tough on the joints so keep these form pointers in mind!
Seated Rows:
Lie on your back with your knees bent, and hold the bar in both hands just outside of your hips. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull the bar up towards your chest. Be sure not to raise the rib cage off the floor at any point during this exercise as this reduces the effectiveness of the movement. Return to starting position in a slow and controlled manner, making sure that you're keeping an upright posture throughout each rep. Repeat for 8-12 reps before resting. Do 2 sets total. Bent Over Lateral Raises: With dumbbells in hand, bend over from the waist so that your torso is parallel to the ground. Raise one arm out straight in front of you until it's parallel to the ground; then return it back down while raising the other arm out straight ahead. Keep alternating between arms until all reps are complete. Do 12-15 reps per side before resting for 1 minute; do 3 sets total.
Face Pulls:
Pullups can be tough for beginners, so the simplest way to strengthen your back is with face pulls. Stand about a foot away from the high cable and grab it with one hand (use a strap if necessary). Rest your body on the bench, keeping your back as parallel to the ground as possible. Keeping your arm straight, pull back until you feel tension in your upper back; return and repeat. Perform 3 sets of 12 reps.
If this isn't possible, try standing between two resistance bands while holding each end in one hand. Hold them above your head so that you're pulling up against resistance; keep your feet shoulder-width apart and slowly let the band down while contracting your shoulder blades together behind you before lifting again. Perform 3 sets of 12 reps per side.
Upright Rows:
This is an old-school workout that hits the shoulders, biceps, and the forearms. Execute it by holding Rows weights in both hands next to your chest with palms facing away from you. Bend your elbows as you raise the weights out to each side of your body. Allow them to stretch out before bending at the elbows and pulling them back in toward your chest again. Repeat for desired reps (usually 12-20). The exercise can also be done one arm at a time. Just lift the weight using only one hand, alternating between arms. One Arm Cable Lateral Raise: For this exercise, grab a single handle attached to a cable machine and stand with feet shoulder width apart. Lean into the cable machine so it's taut but not too tight. With elbow bent at 90 degrees hold your arm close to your waistline. Pulling up on the handle move it from beside your waist over head until you feel a slight contraction in your deltoid muscle then return slowly to starting position making sure not to lock out or bounce at the bottom of movement.
Dumbbell Shrugs (1-arm):
1. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in one hand, palm facing up. Bend at the waist and use your other arm for balance. This is your starting position. Raise the weight so that you are bringing it up to your shoulders. Hold this position for one second before lowering it back down and repeating until you've done eight reps on each side (16 total).
2. Using the same starting position as above, raise the weight up towards your shoulders but don't quite get there (at full extension). At this point you should feel some contraction in your traps or upper back muscles that won't allow you to go any higher.
Band Face Pulls (horizontal):
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- Lie on your back, knees bent and feet flat on the floor, about two feet away from your head. Bend your right arm 90 degrees and place the right palm on the back of your head. Place the left arm behind you at 90 degrees. Using both hands, pull gently away from the head until you feel tension in the muscles. Release, then repeat by crossing over with the other arm. Perform three sets of ten reps for each side.
3. Single-Arm Dumbbell Row: Grab a dumbbell that’s heavy enough to challenge you but not so heavy that it limits range of motion. Stand up straight and hold the weight next to your chest with one hand. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you row the weight up towards your armpit and lower it down without letting go or fully extending it. That’s one rep; do eight more like this, alternating sides after every four reps (four total per set). Aim for three sets total.