A Perfect Workout for Super Shoulders
Having super shoulders not only makes you look good but also offers amazing health benefits. Strengthening this area of your body helps stabilize the shoulder joint, which is prone to various injuries.
Despite this important fact, this usually isn’t one of the muscle groups people work out the most. Whether due to discomfort or sheer laziness, they often neglect the shoulder muscles in their exercise routines.
Why you should have super shoulders
Beyond how great having super shoulders will make you look, it’s positive to keep this area of the upper extremities in good condition. The three key benefits of training these muscles are better posture, injury prevention, and improved self-esteem.
A workout for super shoulders
Based on the above, we’re now going to detail how to build super shoulders through physical training. To do this, you need to know that this area doesn’t just consist of the deltoid, but other, lesser-known muscles.
The shoulder muscle most people know about is the deltoid, which consists of three areas: anterior, medial, and posterior. However, in the proximal region to the shoulder joint, there are also other muscles that influence the stability and well-being of this area. They are the supraspinatus, subscapularis, teres minor, and infraspinatus.
Therefore, you should exercise the muscle groups in this region during your workout to get super shoulders. Here are some ways to do it!
Standing military press
To get super shoulders, you should include the military press, either standing or sitting, in your workout routine. This is the quintessential shoulder exercise. To do it, you need to use a barbell without any added weight.
In this case, we recommend doing it standing, with your lower extremities shoulder-width apart. The grip should be as close as possible to your body, to avoid execution errors. After that, follow these steps:
- Bring the barbell up to your head, passing it as close as possible to your face, in order not to lift it forward. You should avoid a wide grip.
- During the grip, your index fingers should rub against the anterior deltoid.
- Avoid arching or hunching your back.
Raises for super shoulders
The advantage of shoulder raises is that there are many different types, which helps avoid monotony. From side to front raises or those performed with a barbell, this exercise works out the entire shoulder region.
Front raises
You can do this exercise with dumbbells or with a barbell, adding some extra weight. In addition, you can do it standing or sitting.
- The grip of the dumbbell can vary, but the most common is with the palm of your hand down.
- The starting position is with both dumbbells or the barbell resting on the front of your thighs.
- Perform the elevation up to the level of your eyes. This can be asymmetrical, elevating one arm first, then the other. However, you can also raise both at the same time.
Lateral raises
You can do lateral raises for super shoulders with dumbbells. In addition, you can also do them while standing or sitting. As in the previous exercise, you have to grip the dumbbells or the barbell with the palm of your hand down.
- During the starting position, the dumbbells rest on the sides of your thighs.
- You can lift both dumbbells at the same time. However, those who are starting this exercise should elevate one, and then the other.
Although there are many different types of raises, to build super shoulders, we recommend including both in your physical exercise routine.
Bird-dog exercise
The main goal of the bird-dog exercise is to work the posterior area of the deltoid and the rotator cuffs. In addition, it’s a fun and highly recommended exercise for this area of the body.
- Again, you should grip the dumbbells with the palm of your hand down.
- The starting position is sitting on the edge of an exercise bench with your trunk inclined forward (about 45 degrees) and the dumbbells resting on each side, under your thighs.
- You should do the bird-dog exercise symmetrically, raising your arms laterally to feel the contraction in the scapular area.
Work your way up to super shoulders!
Exercise routines depend on each person, both in discipline and physical capabilities. Therefore, you must adapt the recommendations for super shoulders in terms of intensity and repetitions. Since good results depend on this, it’s best for you to consult a professional trainer.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Abboud, J. A., & Ramsey, M. L. (2011). Anatomía del hombro y del codo. Técnicas Quirúrgicas En Hombro y Codo. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/IJGENVI.2010.030566
- Paine, R., & Voight, M. L. (2013). La función de la escápula. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy.