Tired Of Flabby Shoulders? Try These Exercises!
If you want to rid yourself of flabby shoulders, there are several exercises that can help. By adding these to your daily routine alongside eating healthily and maintaining an exercise regime, results should appear within just weeks.
Take two weights in each hand, raise them straight up above your head with elbows tucked close to your body, then lower them slowly back to starting position in a controlled manner for 10 repetitions.
1. Shoulder Press
The shoulder press is one of the key exercises for developing strong shoulders. Furthermore, this upper-body movement promotes balance and posture improvement as well as decreases risk for osteoporosis.
Push presses enable users to lift more weight than overhead presses, making them ideal for building raw strength. On the other hand, overhead presses are better at building eccentric strength by slowly lowering loads over time.
A complete shoulder workout should involve both movements; either on a machine in the gym, or using dumbbells for free weight versions. Machine shoulder presses focus on anterior deltoid and lateral deltoid muscles in front of shoulders (anterior deltoid and lateral deltoid); free weight versions engage smaller shoulder muscles as well as core and lower body muscles to stabilize your posture and improve core strength.
Behind-the-neck presses offer another variation on the shoulder press exercise, targeting the posterior deltoid muscle and traps muscle in your shoulders’ posterior region. Although difficult to perform, these exercises may prove beneficial provided your shoulder ROM allows it and trunk stability remains in tact.
2. Dumbbell Rows
Dumbbell rows are an effective exercise to build strength in both your back and posture, as well as work the biceps and shoulders. To perform them, stand with feet hip-distance apart, bend knees slightly, hold two dumbbells each in your hands with elbows close to sides, hinge forward at waist for row position then pull away into tricep kickback to strengthen shoulders and upper back; lower weights back into row position before repeating 10 times.
Eb notes that many people make the mistake of performing rows from a bench, which puts their spine into an unbalanced position and allows the head of their humerus to come too close to their collarbone, creating an imbalance that over time could damage labral and rotator cuff tendons, as well as lead directly to shoulder pain.
Another mistake often made during this exercise is forgetting to squeeze shoulder blades together, which will prevent your shoulders from rounding too far during row movement and help protect them in the long run. To get the most out of this workout, focus on these cues and incorporate dumbbell bent-over rows immediately into your routine.
3. Dumbbell Shoulder Extensions
Shoulder muscles are responsible for many important movements, including raising your arm in front, to the side and behind of you as well as rotation and stabilizing the shoulder joint. Unfortunately, however, they can also become vulnerable to injury when performing repetitive overhead movements or exerting too much force.
To avoid injury and ensure proper muscle development, it’s essential to incorporate exercises that target different parts of the shoulder. Following these dumbbell shoulder workouts will help build strong, well-rounded shoulders.
Shoulder extensions can be an excellent addition to your shoulder routine, as they work out the back deltoid muscles which often remain underdeveloped. You can do this exercise either standing or sitting.
Start out light, gradually increasing the weight as your strength improves. Be sure to perform warm-up and cool-down exercises prior to and following each workout; always focus on controlled movement in order to minimize injury risk and maximize results. If pain or discomfort arise during these exercises, speak to a physical therapist or certified personal trainer immediately for assistance.
4. Dumbbell Shoulder Curls
The dumbbell iron cross is an effective shoulder exercise to do at lighter weights for warming-up, upper body superseting or finishing off shoulder workouts. Simply stand with one dumbbell in each hand and extend both parallel with the floor while keeping your elbows bent slightly; lower until they meet at chest level (similar to a bicep curl).
This isolation exercise can be used to add width and broadness to shoulders for those seeking a V-taper physique. Start by picking up two dumbbells, standing with feet hip-width apart and keeping arms bent at elbows (think “W” shape). Bring the dumbbells up to shoulders by bending elbows at 90-degree angles until reaching shoulders then lower them back down slowly back to starting position.
By controlling the lowering phase, you can prevent momentum-driven swings that put extra stress on the shoulder joint and increase tension on muscles for greater strength and performance gains. This will make exercises more challenging while simultaneously increasing tension on muscles to bring about greater gains in strength and performance.
5. Dumbbell Squats
A dumbbell squat is an excellent exercise to strengthen both your legs and lower body, as well as to train core muscles. To complete one effectively, hold one dumbbell in each hand while standing shoulder-width apart with feet shoulder width apart and bend at your knees and hips until your thighs are parallel with the floor before returning back up into standing position while maintaining an upturned chest and straight spine.
Alternately, single-leg dumbbell squats can help target both quads and glutes. To do this variation, grab a single dumbbell and stand with feet wider than shoulder width apart (A). Next, assume an exaggerated sumo stance before dropping into a front squat until the crease of your hip drops below your knees – then drive back up explosively!
Add Calf Raises (B) To increase the difficulty of this exercise, incorporate Calf Raise exercises. Squatting with Calf Raises really works your legs and makes a movement more challenging; make sure your core is engaged so your back doesn’t arch, as this puts an increased strain on the lower spine.
