5 Best Shoulder Workouts For Boulder Shoulders

Aaron Fike Special for NASCAR
Aaron Fike Special for NASCAR

We are obsessed with our shoulders. Are we not? Working on them is painful and tiring but at the end of the day, it feels so good. It takes time to see definite results but it is definitely worth the wait. So when you are hitting the gym and you find yourself in a messed up situation because you have no idea how to work your shoulders, what do you do? Do not feel demotivated and work it out with double the motivation and energy!

Here are some useful shoulder workout tips you must remember before you start working on them:

1. Do not overdo your shoulder workouts. Be careful with your posture and weights. In order to bulk up, do not choose a weight that you cannot work with. Mix that up with a bad posture and you will end up with a shoulder injury.

2. Be extra careful when doing the overhead movements or behind the back movements. Moderate weights are usually suggested for these kinds of exercises so as to prevent tears and sprains.

3. Always complete the full range of motion. Completing the full motion enables you to work on the entire shoulder region.

4. Maintain a locked posture with a slight bend when doing exercises like front or lateral raises.

5. There is a difference between seated and standing variations of exercises and you must pay attention to both.

This routine consists of intermediate and advanced level exercises that will help you get stronger and well-built shoulders.


Exercise #1

Upright Barbell Row

This exercise helps you build your muscle strength and can be seen as an intermediate level exercise.

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Instructions:

Step 1: Hold a barbell with your palms facing your body. The width must be a little less than shoulder distance.

Step 2: Pull the barbell up to your thigh level and keep your back straight. Keep your arms straight and bend your elbows slightly.

Step 3: Use your shoulder to lift the bar up but keep it close to your body. Lift it up to make it touch your chin. Keep your elbows higher than your forearms level.

Step 4: Pause for 1 second and get back to the initial position. Repeat.

Do 2 sets of 15 reps each.

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Next up: Side Lateral Raises

Exercise #2

Side Lateral Raises

This can be seen as a beginner level exercise but it is super effective when it comes to building shoulder mass and strength.

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Instructions:

Step 1: Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Keep your back straight and your core engaged. Keep your arms by your side such that your palms are facing you.

Step 2: Keep your body stationary and raise your arms sideways to bring them up such that they are a little higher than being parallel to the floor. Your elbows must be bent a little but your shoulder must do all the work. Your pinky finger must be higher than your thumb.

Step 3: Pause and return to the initial position. Repeat.

Do 2 sets of 15 reps each.

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Next up: Standing Front Barbell Raise

Exercise #3

Standing Front Barbell Raise

In case you do not want to use a barbell, you can hold a dumbbell in each hand.

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Instructions:

Step 1: Hold a barbell in your hand, bend your elbows slightly and stand straight. Your palms must face down and should be a little lesser than shoulder width apart, while your feet must be shoulder width apart.

Step 2: Slowly lift the barbell to bring it over your head. Hold this position for 1 second.

Step 3: Slowly lower it down to the starting position and repeat.

Do 2 sets of 12-15 reps each.

Next up: Arnold Dumbbell Press

Exercise #4

Arnold Dumbbell Press

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Instructions:

Step 1: Sit on a bench and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Extend your arms in front of you such that they are at your chest level. Bend your elbows at a 90 degree such that your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Your palms must face your body.

Step 2: Curl your dumbbells, raise your hands and simultaneously rotate your palms to make them face forward until your arms are completely extended over your head.

Step 3: After holding this for a second, bring it back to the initial position by rotating your palms towards your body. Repeat.

Do 2 sets of 12-15 reps each.

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Next up: Seated Dumbbell Clean

Exercise #5

Seated Dumbbell Clean

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Instructions:

Step 1: Sit on a bench and grab a dumbbell in each hand.

Step 2: Keep your back straight and arms extended downwards by your side with your palms facing backwards.

Step 3: Now, do a shoulder shrug as you power clean your dumbbells and bring them up to your chest level. Your upper arms must be parallel to the floor and your elbows should be bent at 90 degrees.

Step 4: Slowly, take the dumbbell back to the initial position and bend forward. Repeat.

Do 2 sets of 14-15 reps each.

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