Weight Training Fitness: Shoulders

The shoulders have three main areas involved with them.  They are primarily used to push things away from you.  The main exercises for the shoulders are the shoulder press, the lateral raise, the front raise, the reverse lateral raise, and the barbell shrug. 

The Shoulder Press

The shoulder press is done with a barbell.  You sit on a seat in front of a barbell that is behind your head.  The action of the exercise is to lift the bar off the stand and slowly lower the bar to just behind your head.  Press the weight back up to complete the first repetition.  Perform ten repetitions, rest for one minute, and then complete two more sets.  The alternative to a barbell shoulder press is a dumbbell shoulder press.  You can also do an alternating dumbbell shoulder press.

The Lateral Raise

The lateral dumbbell raise is done with a low amount of weight.  Hold a light dumbbell at your sides, stand with your feet a little more than shoulder width apart.  Lift the weight straight out to your sides, then lower the weight.  This is the one repetition, complete ten repetitions then rest for one minute.  Complete two more sets.  Remember to control the weight instead of letting the weight control you.

The Front Raise

The front raise is done the same way as the lateral raise except this time you’ll be lifting the weight in front of you.  Once more grab a manageable weight and stand with your feet a little more than shoulder width apart.  Hold the weight with your hands so when you lift the weight it is like your knuckles are pointing forward.  Once you bring the weight back down that completes one repetition.  Perform ten repetitions, rest for one minute, and then complete two more sets.

The Reverse Lateral Raise

The reverse lateral raise is pretty much a mix between the lateral raise and a shrug.  Instead of starting with the weight dangling at your sides the weights are together in front of you.  Put the weights together like you’re showing someone, elbows bent, and you are leaning over.  Move the weights apart out to your sides keeping your elbows and upper arms parallel to the ground.  Your hands should end in an overhand grip with the weights about as high as your ears.  When you lower the weights back down that completes one repetition.  Do ten repetitions, rest for one minute, and then perform two more sets.

The Barbell Shrug

The Barbell shrug is a great exercise but it isn’t for the shoulders. I added it in this hub because every time I workout my shoulders I also perform three sets of the barbell shrug. The barbell shrug works the trapezoid muscle. To perform this exercise place a barbell on a squat machine and load it with about three plates (three forty five pound weights each side). Grasp the bar in an overhand grip and lift it off the support. Simply shrug your shoulders then lower. The idea is to think about shrugging your shoulders to your ears. Perform ten repetitions, rest for one minute, and then perform two more sets. If you find yourself having a difficult time holding onto the bar, grab the bar in overhand and underhand grip. This exercise can also be done with dumbbells or a smith machine.

There are many other exercises that can be done to work the shoulder muscles; this list of exercises is to form a foundation on which to build on.  If you find yourself unsure of how to properly perform an exercise, each gym offers a personal trainer that has been trained and is knowledgeable on all exercises.  Use the services that the gyms offer.  Before starting any exercise routine get a physical done by a medical doctor if you are over the age of thirty.

Copyright 2009 by Wesley Cox