Shoulder Exercises For Building Strong And Effective Muscles and Joints

Shoulder Exercises are important for all individuals to maintain as a part of their daily exercise routine. As shoulder exercises are performed, the shoulder muscles  are being strengthened, which benefits individuals in many ways such as attaining a better posture and reduction of back pain.

The shoulder of your body contains three bones. They are the upper arm bone, shoulder blade and collarbone. The shoulder muscles are of two types, the first being anterior axio-appendicular muscles and the second being posterior axio-appendicular muscles. Deltoid is the most important muscle of your shoulder and is also large. Further, other shoulder muscles such as trapezius and subscapularis muscles are present over the top of the rib cage and below the deltoids respectively.

These muscles provide support to your shoulder joint, in addition to generating the movements of the shoulder girdle. You can set up your own shoulder routine by performing a variety of shoulder exercises. Some of the shoulder exercises you can perform are stated below:

1. Seated Dumbbell Clean

The seated dumbbell clean is one of the prominent movements performed when you are trying to recover from any injury after a surgery. Also, these movements are done when you are trying to increase the size of your muscle cells by performing these exercises.

 How to do Seated Dumbbell Clean?

 1. Take both the dumbbells and hold them onto each of your hands.

2. Now be seated at the end of a bench.

3. Tilt yourself a little forward.

4. Your body must be kept straightened.

5. Raise your shoulders upwards.

6. Lift the dumbbells and bring them to the level of your shoulders.

7. Now bring the dumbbells back slowly downwards to your side in the same way in which you had moved them upwards.

Equipment Required:

1. Dumbbells
2. Flat Weight Bench

2. Snatch-Grip High Pull

This is a free weights exercise and is mainly focused on your shoulder and the trapezius muscles. This exercise also targets the hamstring, calves, abs, forearms, upper back muscles and a few others.

By performing high pulls fiercely, you can observe that the response of trapezius muscles would be much better to such fierce movements.

How to do Snatch-Grip High Pull?

1. Your feet must remain at about shoulder width apart. Hold on to the bar about 4-5 inches wide.
2. Squat down as if you would be seated in a chair with your knees bent.
3. The bar has to be kept tight as you stand up and pull the bar upwards with you.
4. When the bar is pulled above your knees, the bar must be bounced a little away from your quads.
5. You must pull the bar on to your sternum and your hips must be thrust forward.
6. Now get the bar on to your waist again and squat downwards by setting the weight once again on the floor.
7. Repeat once again.

Equipment Required:

• Barbell

3. Bent-Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Bent-Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise is a very effective shoulder exercise that works on the middle part of the deltoid muscles. This exercise can be done either in a seated position or by remaining in a standing position.

How to do Bent-Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise?

1. Hold onto a pair of dumbbells with both of your hands and keep your torso bent till your chest lies almost parallel to the ground.
2. Your arms have to be raised on to both sides when the dumbbells are being lifted.
3. Upon both the arms staying equidistant to the ground, stop for a moment and gradually scale them down back to the position where you started.
4. Do at least 2 sets of 10 reps along with the dumbbell lateral raise for completing a thorough shoulder workout.

Equipment Required:

• Dumbbells

4. Lateral Plank Walk

The Lateral Plank Walk is one of the full body exercises that possess the ability to challenge the core of your body by defining the muscles present in your shoulder. By doing this exercise, your body would be able to maintain a balance, in addition to increasing your body strength.

How to do Lateral Plank Walk?

1. Begin in a plank position.
2. Now, place your left foot as well as hand on to your left side.
3. Similarly, place your right foot and hand to your left, by which you will be back on to the plank position.
4. Now, place your right foot and hand to your right. In the same way, you can place your left hand and foot. Your left as well as right hand will be directly under the shoulders once more at such a point.
5. Now one rep would be complete. You can try about 12 reps in both directions so that you can complete one set each in both directions.

Equipment Required:

• No equipment would be required as this exercise only requires individuals to use their bodies.

5. Push-Press

Push-press is a powerful shoulder exercise and is performed as a part of barbell complexes. Push-press actually involves the movement of upper body mainly associated with gaining strength and is also popularly connected to fitness sports.

This is one of the shoulder exercises that is not easy to do, especially if you are a beginner or if you are just at the learning stage of performing exercises. Push-press is one of the overhead press forms, wherein, the barbell is pushed to the top with the help of assistance from the lower body.

How to do Push-press?

1. Push-press is performed by remaining in a standing position.
2. Firstly, you can begin by keeping the barbell on your upper chest, while keeping your palms up. Further, keep your elbows pointed out and your upper arms side by side onto the floor.
3. Now, by keeping your knees bent and moving your hips a little lower, you have to come to the position of a quarter squat.
4. Subsequently, you should move upwards by applying enough force and completely extend both your arms and elbows, while you go ahead to lift the bar above your head. You need to just hold on for a few seconds prior to coming back to the starting position to do the next rep.

Equipment Required:

• Barbell or Dumbbells

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Disclaimer:

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a health advice. We would ask you to consult a qualified professional or medical expert to gain additional knowledge before you choose to consume any product or perform any exercise.