Shoulder Exercises

Barbell and dumbbell pressing is the most effective exercise to build shoulders. It allows you to push heavy weight without risking injury.

Dumbbell shoulder press:

• Hold a dumbbell in each hand and sit on a bench with back support.
• Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height such that your palms are facing forward and dumbbells are at ear level.
• Now, push the dumbbells upward until they touch at the top.
• Do not lock your elbows at the top of the movement.
• Slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position, keeping elbow joints in line with shoulders.
• Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Seated barbell military press:

• The military press targets the deltoid muscles in the shoulders as well as the triceps and traps.
• Sit on a bench with a bar behind your head. Do note that the angle between the forearm and upper arm should be 90 degree as the barbell goes down.
• Now lift the bar up over your head by pushing up and locking your arms.
• Lower the bar down to the collarbone slowly, while exhaling.
• Repeat the above steps and do recommended repetitions.

Standing barbell military press:

• This exercise targets a lot of muscles and increases the stability of your core. The most of the work is done by the front and side delts.
• Grab the barbell from a squat rack and rest it on your upper chest.
• Press the bar upward until your arms are extended overhead. Slightly bend the knees while doing this.
• Slowly lower the bar down as you inhale and repeat the procedure.

Dumbbell overhead press:

• Sit on a bench having back support while holding a dumbbell upright on top of your thighs.
• Hold the dumbbells in each hand just outside of your shoulders with your arms bent and such that your palms are facing each other and sit on a bench.
• Press both the dumbbells up until the weights are overhead and your arms are straight.
• Now slowly lower the dumbbells down to the starting position.
• Repeat the procedure.

Side lateral raise:

• Hold the dumbbells in each hand with your palms facing in and your arms straight down at arm’s length and stand up with a straight torso.
• Now lift the dumbbells to your side with a slight bend on the elbow and hands slightly tilted forward as if pouring water in a glass.
• Go up until your arms are parallel to the floor, pause for a second and then slowly lower the dumbbells back down.
• Repeat the recommended repetitions.

Dumbbell front raise:

• Hold the dumbbells in each hand such that the dumbbells are on front of your thighs at arm’s length with the palms facing your thighs.
• Lift the left dumbbell upwards while maintaining the torso stationary and slight bend on the elbow and such that the palm of your hand is facing down.
• Lift upward until your arm is parallel to the floor and pause for a second. Then slowly lower down the dumbbell to the starting point.
• Continue alternating in this fashion until all of the recommended repetitions.

Barbell rear delt row:

• Hold a barbell using a wide and overhand (palms facing your body) grip.
• Standup straight while holding a barbell and slowly bend over as you keep the natural arch of the back and slightly knees band.
• Your torso should be parallel to the floor. While keeping the upper arms perpendicular to the torso, pull the barbell up towards your upper chest.
• Do not use biceps to do the work. The arms should only act as hooks.
• Now slowly lower down the barbell to the starting position and repeat this procedure.

Upright barbell row:

• Hold a barbell such that the grip is slightly less than shoulder width. Rest the bar on your thighs with a slight bend in your elbows. Do note that your back must be straight.
• Now use the sides of your shoulders to lift the bar and raising your elbows up and keep the bar close to your body as you raise it.
• Lift the bar until it nearly touches your chin. Here you must note that your elbows should be higher than your forearms.
• Pause for a second and slowly lower down the barbell. Repeat the recommended repetitions.

Reverse machine fly:

• Adjust the handles of a fly machine such that they are fully to the rear for reverse fly and adjust the seat so that the handles are at shoulder level.
• Grab the handles with your hands facing inwards and pull your arms out to your sides and as far back as possible, contracting your shoulders and rear delts.
• Keep this motion till you feel a stretch in your shoulders then hold for a second.
• Now slowly return back to the starting position.