6 Exercises for Bigger Shoulders

Take care of your shoulders. You’ve probably heard the advice before, but have you been following it?

A lot of people like to load up the bench press and count it as a chest and shoulder workout.

 

It’s definitely an exercise that targets the chest. But as a shoulder exercise, the bench press only works the front deltoids. And that can be a problem.

Don’t Let a Shoulder Injury Take You Out

If you overtrain your shoulders using a single exercise or movement and neglect the rest of the muscles, there’s a good chance you’ll develop a muscle imbalance and other problems.

 

Shoulder injuries account for an estimated 7.5 million hospital visits per year in the United States, and many more people suffer with a shoulder injury without going to the doctor.[1]

 

It was a nagging shoulder injury that took out cricket player Max Sorensen.

 

The right-arm fast bowler for Ireland recently announced his retirement after struggling with a shoulder injury for about a year.

 

And he’s not the only athlete to face retirement because of a shoulder injury.

Australian pro tennis player Nick Kyrgios dropped out after struggling with a shoulder injury during the Citi Open tournament.

 

And it’s what brought an end to professional baseball pitcher Matt Meyer’s career, even after shoulder surgery.

 

You’re probably not a professional athlete, but if you like lifting, pushing, and pulling exercises in the gym, you need strong shoulders to do the work.

 

Shoulder Injury Prevention Strategies

Before you hit the gym and start cranking out reps and sets on the shoulder press machine, or grunting your way through Dumbbell Arnold Presses, take the time for a proper warm up.

 

It’s one of the best ways to prevent a shoulder injury, especially if you enjoy playing sports that require overhand movements or like training your shoulders in the gym.[2]

So what should you do before a shoulder workout?

 

Here are some ways to increase internal and external shoulder rotation and develop muscle strength to help you train your shoulders safely.

 

• Use a resistance band. Warm up with Band-Over-Backs, Face Pulls, and Pull-Aparts. Do 10 reps of each exercise, up to three sets. 
• Go light. Before you load a barbell or grab a heavy set of dumbbells, warm up with a lighter weight. 1-2 sets, 10 reps each. 
• Stretch. You can perform these stretches before/after your workout, between sets, and even throughout the day to develop shoulder strength and mobility, and prevent injury. 

   

  • Sleeper Stretch
  • Pec Doorway Stretch
  • Door Lat Stretch
  • Snow Angel Foam Roller Stretch

 

How to Build Bigger, Stronger Shoulders

If you want to get the most out of your training sessions, on shoulder day, or any other training day that requires shoulder mobility, warm up properly. I can’t stress that enough.

 

Get that out of the way (5 to 10 minutes), and you’ll be ready for a shoulder workout to build muscle strength and size in the two primary shoulder muscles:

 

 

• Deltoids (Anterior head, middle head, posterior head)
• Rotator cuffs (infraspinatus, teres minor, supraspinatus, subscapularis)

 

 

6 Exercises for Bigger Shoulders

 

If you want to build bigger shoulders, hypertrophy training makes the most sense, which is a training protocol designed to stimulate muscle growth.

 

And it’s pretty simple to follow. Pick your shoulder exercises. Do 3 to 5 sets, 6 to 12 reps each.

Want to know what exercises I recommend to build bigger shoulders?

 

Here’s six that I regularly include in my own training routines on shoulder day.

 

1. Seated Barbell Shoulder Press

• Sit on bench with back support with a barbell just above your head.
• Choose a weight you can handle for 6 to 12 reps.
• Place your hands on the bar about shoulder width apart.
• Lift the bar over your head and lock your arms.
• Breathe in and slowly lower the bar, until your elbows are about parallel with the floor.
• At the bottom of the rep, exhale and drive the bar back to the starting position.

 

2. Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press

• Pick a set of dumbbells you can handle for 6 to 12 reps.
• Sit on a bench with back support holding the dumbbells.
• Breath in and kip the dumbbells to shoulder height.
• Exhale and drive the dumbbells upward, locking your elbows above your head
• Inhale, and slowly lower the dumbbells to shoulder height.

 

 

3. Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise

• Pick a set of dumbbells you can handle for 6 to 12 reps.
• Lean forward slightly, holding the dumbbells at your side.
• Breathe in, then exhale and raise your upper arms until about parallel with the floor.
• At the top of the lift, inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position.
• Use a lighter weight if you’re tempted to thrust the weights upward, or elbows drop lower than wrists.

 

4. Cable Front Raise

• Attach a straight bar to a cable machine near your feet.
• Select a weight you can handle for 6 to 12 reps.
• Step in front of the bar, pick it up, and pull it through your legs.
• Stand up straight, holding the bar at arm’s length and breathe in.
• Keeping your arms straight, exhale and raise the bar to eye level.
• Breath in, and slowly lower the weight to the starting position.

 

5. Cable Rope Face Pulls

• Attach a dual-handle cable rope to a pulley machine at chest height.
• Choose a weight you can handle for 6 to 12 reps.
• Facing the cable rope machine, grab the rope with an overhand grip and breath in.
• Exhale and pull the cable rope towards your nose.
• Breathe in and slowly lower the weight to the starting position.

 

6. Plate-Loaded Shoulder Press

• Load the shoulder press with a weight you can handle for 6 to 12 reps.

• Sit down. Place your hands on the bars, and breathe.
• As you exhale, push the bar up until your arms are extended above your head.
• Breath in and slowly lower the weight to the starting position.
• If you want a different variation of this exercise, straddle the seat and face the bench to work your shoulders from a different angle.

 

Want to build bigger shoulders and a better body? Check out my customized training and meal plans to achieve your goals.

 

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References

1. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. (2009). Common shoulder injuries. From: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00327.
2. Haugsboe, S., et al. (2016). Preventing overuse shoulder injuries among throwing athletes: a cluster-randomised controlled trial in 660 elite handball players. British Journal of Sports Medicine. From: https://www.klokavskade.no/upload/Publication/Andersson_2016_BJSM_Preventing%20overuse%20shoulder%20injuries%20among%20throwing%20athletes.pdf