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When it comes to building strength and size, the shoulders are often overlooked by many gym-goers. The truth is, if you’re looking for a complete physique, you can’t forget about your shoulders. Strong, well-developed shoulders can help improve posture and make your arms look bigger and more impressive.
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In this article, we’ll discuss the best shoulder exercises to build strength and size. We’ll cover everything from basic bodyweight exercises to more advanced weighted movements.
Push ups are one of the most popular chest exercises, but they can also be used to target the shoulders as well. To perform a push up, start in a plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart and your feet together. Bend your elbows and lower your body until your chest is just above the ground. Push back up to the starting position and repeat for reps.
You can make push ups more challenging by elevating your feet on a bench or step. This will put more emphasis on your shoulders and chest muscles. You can also try adding a clap in between each rep for an explosive variation.
Shoulder presses are a great way to target the deltoids, which are the muscles located at the top of your shoulder. To perform a shoulder press, stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a pair of dumbbells at shoulder height. Press the weights straight up overhead and then lower them back down to the starting position. Repeat for reps.
You can also perform this exercise while seated on a bench or chair. This will help support your back and reduce the risk of injury. Additionally, you can switch to one arm at a time for increased intensity.
Front raises are another effective shoulder exercise that can help build strength and size. To perform a front raise, stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides. Raise the weights straight out in front of you until your arms are parallel to the ground. Pause for a moment and then slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position. Repeat for reps.
This exercise can also be performed while seated on a bench or chair. To make it more challenging, you can perform the movement with a single arm at a time or add a pause at the top of the movement.
Lateral raises are a great exercise to target the middle portion of the deltoid muscle. To perform a lateral raise, stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides. Keeping your arms straight, raise the weights out to your sides until they are parallel to the ground. Pause for a moment and then slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position. Repeat for reps.
For added intensity, you can add a pause at the top of the movement or use a single arm at a time. You can also increase the challenge by performing the exercise while seated on a bench or chair.
Reverse flyes are a great exercise to target the rear deltoids. To perform a reverse flye, stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides. Keeping your arms straight, raise the weights out to your sides until they are parallel to the ground. Pause for a moment and then slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position. Repeat for reps.
For added intensity, you can perform the movement with a single arm at a time or add a pause at the top of the movement. You can also increase the challenge by performing the exercise while seated on a bench or chair.
Upright rows are a great exercise to target the middle and upper portions of the deltoid muscle. To perform an upright row, stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides. Keeping your arms straight, raise the weights up towards your chest until they are close to your chin. Pause for a moment and then slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position. Repeat for reps.
To make this exercise more challenging, you can increase the range of motion by raising the weights higher or using a single arm at a time. You can also increase the intensity by adding a pause at the top of the movement.
These exercises are a great way to build strength and size in your shoulders. While these exercises can be performed with just your bodyweight or a set of dumbbells, you can increase the intensity by adding resistance bands or kettlebells into your routine. As always, make sure to warm up before and stretch after each workout session. With consistency and dedication, you’ll soon have strong, well-developed shoulders.
