Men want shoulders like rocks. Women just want broad shoulders. And these workouts are designed to build muscle to get rounder, fuller shoulders, prevent injury, and strengthen pushing and pulling power. You don’t need heavy weights, high-tech machines, or long workouts that isolate your deltoids from every angle; leave that to the bodybuilders. With the routines presented here, you can build strong, sculpted deltoids in less than 30 minutes.
Shoulder exercises help strengthen and tone the deltoids. Ideal for women, shoulder exercises improve strength and endurance and reduce shoulder pain. In addition, toned shoulders can make any outfit more beautiful. That is why all women, regardless of age, occupation, or fitness level, need to do shoulder exercises.
Take a look at the 15 best exercises for women. Grab the dumbbells and let’s go!
The shoulders are one of the most visible parts of a woman’s body. Whether you are wearing a dress, bikini, or tank top, your shoulders are always exposed. What they say about you depends on their tone of voice. The rounded deltoids, clearly separated from the biceps, tell the world that you have a healthy, toned body.
In this article, we will recommend seven exercises for women to create sexy, toned shoulders.
The Best Shoulder Exercises For Women | Ultimate Guide 2024
Gym Training for Shoulders: What You Need to Know
The shoulder is made up of many muscles, all of which play an important role. Online coach (open in new tab) and personal trainer, who has over 12 years of experience in the industry, explains, “There are three main muscles in the shoulder. They are the anterior deltoid (located in the front and used for pushing), the middle deltoid (located on the sides and used for lifting), and the posterior deltoid (located on the back and used for pulling). Underneath these muscles are a number of small rotator cuff muscles that stabilize the shoulder.
How do these shoulder muscles develop?
The process by which the body develops muscles is called muscle hypertrophy. Exercises such as lifting heavy weights cause mechanical trauma to the muscle fibers. This may seem like a bad thing. But when you build muscle, you want it. As a result, the cells around the fibers tighten around the damaged fibers, strengthening them and increasing muscle mass. The process of building muscle in the shoulder is no different than building muscle in any other area of the body. For more information, see our article on how to build muscle.
Gym Training for Shoulders: Common Mistakes to Avoid
Our shoulders are made up of a ball and socket joint, and as the book “Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Shoulder Muscles (opens in new tab)” was published in 2021, our shoulders have the greatest range of motion in the human body. In fact, these muscles are capable of abduction, adduction, flexion, extension, internal rotation, and external rotation. However, all of these movements carry the risk of injury.
Warm up properly
Because there are so many movements in the shoulder, it is important to properly mobilize and activate the muscles. If you don’t, the likelihood of injury is high and you can injure the small muscles of the rotator cuff,” he states. Using bands, dowels, and small weight plates perform each of the movements you plan to do in this session.
Load the shoulders as you perform the chest exercises. Rawlings explains, “Compared to the chest, the shoulders are relatively small. At the gym, I often see people with elbows that are splayed out when doing push-ups or bench presses. To keep your shoulders healthy, pull your elbows in slightly so that they form an arrow shape from your elbows to your head.
Stop swinging
trainer says the following. “To grow and develop your muscles, you need to create tension and use good form. In particular, when doing lateral raises, don’t swing the dumbbells. Choose a lightweight, control the movement, and feel each repetition. Focus on raising your elbows as high as possible to shoulder height, leaving a small gap between your hands and body at the bottom to create tension time.
Anatomy of the Shoulder
If you suffer from shoulder stiffness (and let’s be honest, who doesn’t?), you may need to take a step back. It is important to ask yourself why you are doing the exercise. The exercise needs to fit your purpose. Of course, to understand the role of different exercises, you need to quickly understand the anatomy of the shoulder.
Ball and Socket Joints
The shoulder, like the hip joint, is a ball and socket joint. As the name implies, the “ball” of the shoulder (the head of the humerus, the long bone of the arm) rotates in the socket.
There are other joints and technicalities involved here. It goes without saying that this ball-and-socket joint allows for tremendous mobility (and weakness).
Lots of deltoids.
The deltoid is the visible muscle group of the shoulder. These three muscles work in concert with each other to create movement. They are sometimes referred to as the “heads.”
The three heads of the shoulder are
- Anterior deltoid
- Medial deltoid
- Posterior deltoid (back)
Each deltoid muscle plays a central role.
The anterior deltoid focuses on shoulder abduction (movement away from the midline of the body) when the shoulder is externally rotated. The medial (or middle) deltoid performs abduction of the shoulder during internal shoulder rotation. The posterior deltoid performs external rotation of the shoulder, lateral abduction, and a variety of other good functions.
What shoulder exercises are recommended for men and women?
seated or standing military presses
The seated (or standing) military press is an essential part of any shoulder-related exercise, and for good reason.
How to do this exercise
The Military Press is surprisingly simple to perform.
First, if you are doing it standing, you will need to place a barbell on a dumbbell stand at about chest height. If you don’t have a rack, sweep the bar on the floor and position it in that position.
Then, once the bar is on the rack, approach the bar. Place your hands around the bar, palms facing outward (away from your body). The width of your grip will depend on your comfort and flexibility. Begin with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart to get a feel. Your feet and shoulders should be in line with each other.
Third, place the barbell on the small “shelf” made by the front of your shoulders and collarbone. If you are not flexible enough in the first position, adjust the bar up slightly so that it rests on the top of your chest.
Fourth, push the bar out directly above your head and lock your arms at the elbows. As the bar is pushed over your head, keep your chin away from the bar. Instead of pushing forward, push upward.
Fifth, lower the bar to the starting position in a controlled manner.
What muscles are involved?
Military presses work the anterior deltoid and part of the medial head. As an added bonus, it also works the triceps (needed to hold the weight above your head).
Aim for at least 4 sets of 8-10 reps each. This is a heavy-weight exercise!
Arnold press
The Arnold Press was popularized by the legendary athlete himself, who created one of the most impressive physiques in the history of bodybuilding.
How to do this exercise
First, sit on a bench with two dumbbells of appropriate weight in hand. Take each dumbbell and place it directly in front of you. The starting position is quite unique: begin holding the dumbbells in the final position of the traditional biceps curl (dumbbells in the palms of your hands, facing you, arms bent).
Next, squeeze and rotate the dumbbells up and down. At the top of the motion, the dumbbells should be facing directly outward (palms facing you).
Third, slowly lower the dumbbells back down to their original position (palms facing you).
Front Deadlift.
Another front shoulder exercise, the front dumbbell lift is a great option for training the front of the shoulders.
How to do this exercise.
First, select some dumbbells and assume a neutral position. Keep your arms out in front of you and the dumbbells in front of your body. As with the side deadlift, the palms of your hands should be facing inward (toward the midline of your body).
Next, raise one arm forward until it is parallel to the floor. Keep everything in the shoulders so as not to sway or compromise stability. At the top of the motion, turn your hand palm down.
Third, lower the arms. Wash the arms alternately and repeat.
Which muscles are involved?
Dumbbell front raises are a great workout for the front part of the deltoid muscles. If you are looking for an exercise that stimulates the front of your shoulders, this is the exercise for you.
Try to do several sets (at least 3-4 sets) for at least 10-12 reps.
Inverting dumbbells in the incline position
Something to do deep in the deltoid muscles? Reverse dumbbell lifts are for just that.
How to do this exercise.
First, hold the dumbbells and get into a neutral position.
Next, tilt your hips until they are almost parallel to the floor. Keeping your back flat and knees slightly bent, lift each dumbbell (palms facing inward and toward the midline of your body). Raise the weights until your arms are parallel to the floor.
Finally, lower the weights (carefully) and repeat the exercise.
What muscles are involved?
Reverse dumbbell raises are great for strengthening the posterior deltoids. Often overlooked, this shoulder area is usually not trained as much as the frontal and lateral areas.
Aim for multiple sets (at least 3-4) and 15-20 reps or more. This exercise is for low to moderate weight and has lots of volume.
Facial pulls with cables or pulleys
An essential exercise for shoulder health, facial pulls are the one exercise you’ll be glad you did 30 years from now.
How to do this exercise.
You will need a rope or pulley machine.
First, take the rope or handle and attach it to the machine. Adjust the height to match your eye level.
Next, grab both ends of the rope and use your shoulders to pull your fists directly toward your ears. As you bring your fist back, rotate your shoulders so that your fist ends up moving upward. Point your finger joints toward the ceiling as you pull your shoulders together as if you were holding a coin between your shoulder blades.
Finally, slowly return your weight and start again.
What muscles are involved?
Facial pull-ups are essential for scapular contraction, rotator cuff health, and posterior deltoid development. If you do bench presses, Arnold presses, or military presses, it is arguable that facial suspensions are necessary to develop strength for these exercises.
Let’s do chin-ups We are serious.
Aim for multiple sets (at least 3-4) and at least 15-20 reps. This exercise is for low to moderate weight and has lots of volume.
Cable front deadlift
This is a variation of the dumbbell exercise, with one small difference. Let’s use a cable or pulley machine to develop your muscles in a whole new way. Muscle isolation is more easily achieved here.
Best Shoulder Exercises For Women | Video Explanation
FAQs
How can I reduce shoulder fat?
You should do aerobic exercise three times a week and eat a healthy diet that helps burn fat. 3-4 weeks later, you will begin to see results. Then you should start weight training or weight lifting to strengthen your shoulders. Perform weight lifting under the guidance of a professional trainer.
How can I increase my shoulder width at home?
You can increase shoulder size at home by adding dumbbells, barbells, and resistance bands to your shoulder training program. Along with exercise, you may want to consume protein powder.
Do push-ups work?
Yes, push-ups work the shoulders, chest, biceps, triceps, and core. Doing push-ups regularly will give you strong, toned shoulders.
When should I see a doctor for shoulder pain?
You should see your doctor if there is swelling, pain, redness, or heat on the surface of the skin that affects your ability to exercise. If pain sprays do not help, it is best to take x-rays and consult a registered orthopedic surgeon.
What are the best exercises for women to tone their back and shoulders?
- Superman: Superman is an excellent erector spinae exercise.
- Bent-Over Dumbbell Row.
- Overhand Grip Bent-Over Barbell Rows.
- Lat Pull-Down.
- Seated Cable Row.
- Renegade Rows:
- Kettlebell Farmer’s Carry.
- Single-arm dumbbell row.
Conclusion
Nice shoulders are worth the effort. They can make your waist look slimmer, accentuate your arms, and strengthen your entire upper body. Now you have seven of the best shoulder exercises for women in your training arsenal. By alternating between the above two workouts for eight weeks, your slouchy shoulders will be transformed into diamond-shaped deltoids.
Hi, I am Matt Storace and I am a former personal trainer and founder of Beast Biceps. We had to find ways to train at home. When I started looking for the equipment I needed, I quickly realized that there were no good resources online. So I created Beast Biceps. It is a treasure trove of information developed from my experience and research. Read More Here
