7 Shoulder Exercises You Should Be Doing

When it comes to building strength and muscle in your upper body, it's important to focus on all of the major muscle groups, including your shoulders. Strong shoulders not only help to improve your overall physical appearance, but they also play a crucial role in everyday activities like lifting and carrying objects.

There are many different exercises that you can do to work your shoulders, and it's important to incorporate a variety of exercises into your routine in order to target all of the different muscle groups in your shoulders. Some of the best exercises for building strong shoulders include:

1. Overhead Press

The overhead press is a great exercise for building strength and size in your shoulders. It can be performed with dumbbells, barbells, or even a Smith machine. To perform the exercise, start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and the weights at shoulder level. Press the weights overhead while keeping your core tight and your feet planted on the ground. Lower the weights back to shoulder level and repeat for the desired number of reps.

2. Lateral Raises

The lateral head of the deltoid muscle can be strengthened by doing lateral raises. To perform the exercise, start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and a pair of dumbbells at your sides. Raise the dumbbells out to your sides, keeping your elbows slightly bent and your palms facing the ground. Lower the dumbbells back to your sides and repeat for the desired number of reps.

3. Front Raises

Front raises are a great exercise for targeting the front head of the deltoid muscle. To perform the exercise, start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and a pair of dumbbells at your sides. Raise the dumbbells out in front of you, keeping your elbows slightly bent and your palms facing the ground. Lower the dumbbells back to your sides and repeat for the desired number of reps.

4. Rear Delt Flyes

The rear head of the deltoid muscle can be strengthened by doing rear delt flyes. To perform the exercise, start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and a pair of dumbbells at your sides. Bend forward slightly at the waist and raise the dumbbells out to your sides, keeping your elbows slightly bent and your palms facing each other. Lower the dumbbells back to your sides and repeat for the desired number of reps.

5. Upright Rows

Upright rows are a great exercise for targeting the upper traps, as well as the front and lateral heads of the deltoid muscle. To perform the exercise, start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and a barbell or pair of dumbbells in front of you. Grip the barbell with an overhand grip, or the dumbbells with a neutral grip. Pull the weight up towards your chin, keeping your elbows pointed out to the sides. Bring the weight back down to the starting position and do as many reps as you want.

6. Arnold Press

The Arnold press is a great exercise for targeting the entire shoulder complex. To perform the exercise, start by sitting on a bench with a pair of dumbbells at your sides. Grip the dumbbells with a neutral grip and press them overhead while rotating your wrists so that your palms face forward at the top of the movement. Lower the dumbbells back to your sides while rotating your wrists so that your palms face each other, and repeat for the desired number of reps.

7. Push Press

The push press is a great exercise for building strength and power in the shoulders. To perform the exercise, start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and a barbell or pair of dumbbells at your shoulders. Dip down slightly and then explosively press the weight overhead, using the momentum from the dip to help drive the weight up. Lower the weight back to your shoulders and repeat for the desired number of reps.

Incorporating these 7 exercises into your fitness routine can help you build strong, muscular shoulders. Remember to always use proper form and start with a weight that is appropriate for your fitness level. As you get better at the exercises and get stronger, you can gradually add more weight to keep your muscles from getting too strong.

It's also important to change up your workouts and do different kinds of exercises so that you can work all of the shoulder muscle groups. In addition to the exercises mentioned above, you may also want to consider incorporating exercises like dumbbell shrugs, front and lateral plank raises, and seated dumbbell press into your routine.

Another important factor to consider when working out your shoulders is a proper warm-up and cool-down. Before you start your workout, you must take a few minutes to stretch and warm up your shoulder muscles. This can help you avoid injuries and increase your range of motion. In the same way, it's important to take a few minutes to stretch and cool down after your workout to keep your muscles from getting sore and stiff.

In conclusion, there are many great exercises that you can do to work your shoulders and build strength and muscle. Be sure to incorporate a variety of exercises into your routine and pay attention to proper form and warm-up/cool-down in order to achieve the best results and prevent injury. With dedication and consistency, you can achieve strong, muscular shoulders that you can be proud of.