Have you ever wished to have strong and powerful shoulders? Well, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we will give you a shoulder strengthening exercise routine that will not only help you achieve an impressive physical appearance but also provide you with a solid foundation for your daily activities with ease and confidence.
When is it beneficial to strengthen your shoulders?
Strengthening your shoulders can be particularly beneficial in the following cases:
- Injury prevention: Shoulder strengthening helps stabilize and protect the shoulder joint, reducing the risk of injuries such as dislocations or tears of the rotator cuff tendons.
- Improved athletic performance: If you engage in sports that involve repetitive shoulder movements, such as throwing, swimming, or weightlifting, strengthening your shoulders can enhance your performance and reduce the risk of joint-related injuries.
- Pain relief: Strengthening the shoulder muscles contributes to pain relief associated with conditions like rotator cuff tendonitis and osteoarthritis.
- Enhanced posture: Strong and stable shoulders promote adopting a proper posture, which can prevent or alleviate neck, back, and shoulder pain caused by poor posture habits.
- Daily activity performance: Strengthening your shoulders facilitates the performance of everyday activities such as lifting heavy objects, pushing, pulling, or carrying shopping bags.
Without further ado, here are the 8 shoulder strengthening exercises we have for you today:
Shoulder Press
Stand or sit while holding a barbell or dumbbells at shoulder height. Lift your arms upward, fully extending your elbows, and then slowly lower back to the starting position (repeat several times).
Lateral Raises
Stand with your arms extended, holding dumbbells at the sides of your body. Slowly lower the dumbbells down to your thighs and return to the starting position, performing at least 10 repetitions.
Dumbbell Rows
With one knee resting on a flat bench, lean your torso forward, also supporting yourself with the hand on that side of your body. Hold a dumbbell with the opposite hand and lift the elbow upward, keeping the arm close to your body. Then, slowly lower the dumbbell towards the ground, repeating the movement several times and switching sides to perform the exercise with the other arm.
Rear Delt Raises (Birds)
Stand or sit while holding dumbbells in each hand. Lean your torso forward, keeping your back straight. Raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the ground, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Then, slowly lower the dumbbells toward the ground, repeating the motion of raising and lowering several times. This movement is similar to a bird flapping its wings.
Push-Ups
Get into a plank position with your arms straight and hands resting on the ground. Bend your elbows to lower your body towards the ground and then extend your arms to return to the starting position.
Front Raises
Stand while holding dumbbells in front of the front of your thighs. Extend your arms forward until they are parallel to the ground, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Then, slowly return to the starting position.
Shoulder Raises with Resistance Band
Place a resistance band around your hands and sit or stand with your arms extended to the sides. Lift your shoulders towards your ears as high as you can without shrugging your elbows. Hold the position for a few seconds and then slowly lower your shoulders. Repeat the movement several times.
Pike Push-Ups
Start in a high plank position with your hands on the ground, arms extended, and legs extended behind you. From this position, lift your hips towards the ceiling, keeping your legs and arms extended (your body should form an inverted V shape).
Bend your elbows and lower your head towards the ground while keeping your elbows pointing backward. Lower until your head is close to the ground or until you feel a stretch in your shoulders; push up with your arms and hands to return to the starting pike position. Repeat again and again.
