When we think of upper body workouts, we normally do not think of our shoulders. They are actually one of the most left out body parts when exercising. Working out your shoulders adds better definition to your body and enhances your physique. If you want to learn the ultimate shoulder workout, then continue reading.
Shoulder Muscles
Before starting the ultimate shoulder workout, you should know what muscles are contributing to them. Your shoulders are actually one of the most complex joints in the body. They consist of 2 groups; the extrinsic and the intrinsic. The extrinsic muscles come from the torso and are attached to your shoulder bones, where as intrinsic comes from the scapula and attach to your humerus. The muscles that make up the extrinsic are the trapezius, latissimus dorsi, and the rhomboids. The intrinsic muscles are the deltoids, teres major, and the rotator cuff. All of these muscles help to build shoulder definition and tone. As you start to work out these muscles, you should be aware of how much you are lifting and how fast. Lifting weights that are too heavy can cause you to injure the shoulder muscles and intense pain. Sometimes shoulder dislocation can even occur. You should always stretch out your shoulder muscles before lifting. This is also true for any part of the body.
Great Shoulder Exercises for a Complete Shoulder Workout
Before you get to the ultimate shoulder workout, you should know some basic shoulder exercises. These can be added to any other workout routines that you can think of, especially if you just want to add a small arm workout.
Dumbbell Overhead Press - If you do not normally lift weights, you should choose one that is relatively easy for you. Hold one in each hand and start with them just above you shoulders with your palms facing forward. Now begin by raising your arms straight above your head and lower them back into position.
Dumbbell Front Raise - Stand with your knees slightly bent and hold the dumbbells in front of your thighs. While keeping a bent elbow, slowly lift your arm to shoulder level and lower again. Your arms should be in total control and not just flailing up and down.
Barbell Upright Row - For your first time doing this exercise, you should not use any weight on the barbell. This will allow you to learn the form and motions. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the bar in front of your waist. Make sure you have a firm overhanded grip on the bar. Now lift the bar up to your shoulders. Your elbows should be level with the bar. Then lower it back down to your waist.
Shoulder Exercise Benefits
Working out your shoulders has many benefits. Your shoulders are incorporated into a wide range of movement that pertain to daily life. They make it easier for your arms to do various daily activities as well. When this joint becomes weak, the range of motion can be altered. This is caused by instability in the joint and can lead to injury. Working out your shoulders on a regular basis can improve your posture. However if they are overworked, you can also ruin your posture. It may create an overly powerful front side of the body and cause a hunched-over back. This will cause your body pain. You should perform isolated shoulder stretches to help increase strength and flexibility in the shoulder. By exercising your shoulders, you can also increase the muscle strength around the joint. The most important parts of the shoulder to work are the rotator cuff and deltoid muscles.
Ultimate Shoulder Workout
Warm Up - Your warm up should consist of a circuit which is 1 push up and then a burpee. A burpee is when you do a pushup then stand up and raise your hands above your head while performing a jump. Perform 5 burpees but increasing the number of push ups in between. So, for the second round you would do 2 pushups and then a burpee, followed by 3 pushups and then a burpee, until you have completed 5 burpees.
Round 1 - The first round of your complete shoulder workout should be standing military presses. You should perform 5 sets of about 8 reps each. This motion targets your deltoids and also includes the core. To perform this motion, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. You should hold the barbell level with your shoulders and palms facing up. Lift the bar over your head and back down. Keep control during these motions, you do not want to drop the bar!
Round 2 - The next part is 5 sets of barbell shrugs. You should aim to do 8 reps of this as well to keep your ultimate shoulder workout fully balanced. Shrugs help not only your shoulders, but your neck as well. For this exercise, be careful not to roll your shoulders during this movement.
Round 3 - During this round, you are going to perform a dumbbell rear deltoid fly. This movement can be done standing or sitting. If you are standing, you must be aware of your posture and form throughout these motions. Your back should be hunched and arms should have total control of your move.
Round 4 - This last round is for the power clean. You should complete 3 sets with 6 reps each. This move targets most of the body such as your glutes, hamstrings, calves, and forearms. If you have not done this before, then you should do the motions without any weight to get used to it first.
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-Franki
