Best Shoulder Exercises

Best Shoulder Exercises: Shoulder muscle, like back muscle has the potential to help give you a v-taper, wide shoulder and a slim waist forming a v shape.  This shape embodies the lean, athletic look, and so the shoulders should be targeted to work toward the goal of achieving this.

As always we will be looking for compound exercises rather than isolation exercises, to held build definition and lean muscle rather than bulky muscle mass.

Best Shoulder Exercises 1 – Military Shoulder Press

The exercise is a compound exercise, and is therefore physically harder to perform because it works not only the shoulders, but the core, and the arms.  The exercise also requires balance and stability to progress, which involves the whole body, with a particular focus on the core, making it the best shoulder exercise for overall growth and strength.

This exercise can be done standing or sitting, if sitting, chose a bench with back support to avoid arching and over-extension of the spine.

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Holding the bar with palms facing toward you, clean the bar to the shoulder; If you are performing the exercise from a seated position, get your spotter to pass you the bar.

Keep your abs tight, and your back straight, and look forward, do not bend backward as you press, as you can cause back injury this way.  Press the bar above your head, so that your arms are straight but not locked out, to the count of two.  Hold in the extended position for a count of one, and lower in a controlled manner to a count of two, to the clavicle (front of the shoulder).

This exercise can be varied by using dumbbells, as this will allow each shoulder to work independently, building the shoulders equally.  This exercise is harder, as one shoulder is not able to support the other so many more synergist (supporting) muscles are brought into play.

Best Shoulder Exercises 2 – Lateral Raises

This exercise is the best shoulder exercise for building the shoulder muscles as well as shaping them, which beef up the shoulders, and accelerate the v-taper development.  This exercise can be performed in a variety of ways, using either cable or dumbbells, seated or standing.

Start with the dumbbells at the hips, and the arms by the sides, palms facing in, and arms straight but not locked out.  Raise the weights outwards and upwards until they are at shoulder height, to the count of two.  Hold the position for a count of one, and lower in a controlled manner to the count of two.

Make sure that you do not bend your arms, or extend the weights higher than shoulder height, or you can damage your shoulder socket.

Best Shoulder Exercises 3 – Pull ups

This exercise is a great compound exercise that uses a large amount of the muscles in your upper body, shoulders, laterals, back, arms and core.

Hold the pull up bar slightly wider than shoulder width, palms facing away from the body.  Keep the abs tight and the back straight.  Lift with the arms, until the chin is at bar height, to a count of two.  Hold the position for a count of one, and lower for a count of two.

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When the arms are back to the straight position, ensure that the arms are not locked out.  Do not ‘cheat’ yourself up by swinging or kicking your legs.

This exercise can be varied by using a pull up machine (which has knee supports) or putting a chair underneath you, and placing your toes on it, to give your lift a bit of assistance.