Shoulder strengthening exercises are essential for maintaining healthy, muscular shoulders. From hair washing to door opening, our shoulders are extremely complicated joints that we use on a regular basis. Exercises for strengthening your shoulders are simple, don’t take much time, and will maintain your shoulders in good condition for the rest of your life.

Yash Birla has excessively broad shoulders. He has the kind of shoulders which every gym goer wishes to build.  Although the shoulders are not the strongest muscle group in the body, the shoulder joint and supporting muscles play an important part in many lifts and activities, says Yash Birla.

The shoulder muscles are mostly used in overhead motions, like the overhead shoulder press, but they are also essential for pushing, pulling, and joint stabilisation in other exercises.

Whether you’re recovering from an injury, warming up before an exercise, or just in between, strengthening your shoulders doesn’t require a lot of time, expensive technology, or equipment.

Strengthening and maintaining flexibility in the shoulders is important for overall upper body strength and function.

Here are 7 effective shoulder exercises

Overhead Shoulder Press:

  • Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
  • At shoulder height, grasp a barbell or dumbbell.
  • When you press the weights overhead, completely stretch your arms.
  • Lower the weights back to shoulder height.
  • This exercise targets the deltoid muscles.

Lateral Raises:

  • Hold dumbbells in each hand while keeping your arms at your sides.
  • Raise and extend your arms till they are parallel to the floor.
  • Return to the starting position with the weights lowered.
  • This exercise targets the lateral or side head of the deltoids.

Front Raises:

  • Similar to lateral raises, but lift the weights directly in front of you.
  • Throughout the movement, keep your elbows slightly bent.
  • This targets the front or anterior head of the deltoids.

Reverse Flyes:

  • Maintain a straight back while bending forward at the hips.
  • Hold dumbbells in each hand with palms facing each other.
  • Squeeze your shoulder blades together while raising your arms to the sides.
  • Lower the weights back down.
  • This exercise targets the rear or posterior head of the deltoids.

Face Pulls:

  • Make use of a cable machine attachment for a rope.
  • Pull the rope towards your face, keeping your upper arms parallel to the ground.
  • This exercise targets the rear delts and helps improve posture.

Shrugs:

  • Hold a dumbbell in each hand while keeping your arms by your sides.
  • Shrug your shoulders toward your ears.
  • Lower your shoulders back down.
  • This primarily targets the trapezius muscles.

Rotator Cuff Exercises (Internal and External Rotation):

  • Internal Rotation: Attach a resistance band to a fixed point, stand with your elbow at your side, and rotate your forearm across your body against resistance.
  • External Rotation: Attach a resistance band to a fixed point, stand with your elbow at your side, and rotate your forearm away from your body against resistance.
  • These exercises specifically target the rotator cuff muscles, which are crucial for shoulder stability.

Yash Birla advises to start with a weight that allows you to maintain proper form and gradually increase the resistance as your strength improves. Practise these 7 effective shoulder exercises regularly and you will see results in no time. If you have any existing shoulder issues or concerns, it’s advisable to consult with a healthcare professional or a fitness expert before starting a new exercise program. You can also start a gym membership in Yash Birla’s all new Pump gym located in Malabar Hills where the trainers can help you to embark your fitness journey.