A properly executed shoulder workout routine can be wonders for you. It will broaden your back, make your arms look bigger and make your waistline look smaller. And also by strengthening the muscles surrounding your shoulder joint your shoulder workout routine will decrease the likelihood of severe injury due to dislocation or a rotator cuff tear.
The exercises outlined below are what I use. As usual, I start with the bodyweight exercise first.
Inverted Shoulder Press – this can be done with your feet on the floor (easier) or elevated on a chair (harder). Place your feet appropriately and then form a ‘V’ with the rest of your body. Your hands should be on the floor with your legs straight and your torso straight. Your butt should be up in the air, like the picture below.
You are now in a position to do the press with the emphasis on your shoulders, so lower yourself to the floor and then press up.
I have found that you really can’t do this exercise to failure, due to the risk of injury of your head hitting the floor, so be careful. If this exercise is too tough to start off, then go to the next one.
Military press – this can be done with the resistance bands or dumbbells. Start straight with the dumbbells or resistance bands at shoulder height in front of your body. Feet should be shoulder-width apart. Push the weight/bands overhead, straightening your arms but keeping your back straight as well for support. Pause and then lower the weights down to the starting position.
You can add intensity by adding an isometric hold for a few seconds as you are lowering the weight. Stop halfway down and do this hold if you choose.
Upright Row – stand straight with holding the weights/bands in front of your thighs. Raise the weights in front of you until they are shoulder height, just under the chin. Then lower the weights/bands slowly to the starting position.
Front Raise – assume the same position as the upright row. Now, you will keep your arms straight and raise your arms until the weight are at shoulder level and your arms are parallel to the floor. Pause and then lower the weights down to the starting position.
Lateral Raise – stand straight with the weights at your sides. You will now perform the same move as the front raise, but raise your arms sideways until your arms are parallel to the floor. Pause and then lower the weights down to the starting position.
Shoulder Shrug – grab your weights/bands and let them hang next to your arms. Shrug your shoulders as high as you can, pause, and lower the lower your shoulders back to the starting point.
You can do these exercises in your shoulder workout routine however you choose. Some ideas would include:
As a superset-doing one set of ten and then immediately going to the next exercise for a set of 10.
Picking three of them to start out (ie: Military press, front raise, lateral raise) and doing 3 sets of 10 for the first exercise and moving to the next.
Regardless of your choice, your shoulder workout routine is key because the shoulders connect the arms with the torso. Therefore, you will be limiting the effectiveness of other workouts for your chest, arms and shoulders without properly conditioned shoulder muscles.