Shoulder workout at gym | Shoulder Exercises in Gym

What is the shoulder workout at the gym?

Lifting a weight that’s too heavy for you is a mistake anyway of the part of the body you’re working on, but it can be truly disastrous when doing a shoulder workout. The shoulders are fragile and complicated joints that are not especially easy to target, and if you do put them under too much pressure before they’re ready you can end up with problems that put you out of action for months.

It is also, however, absolutely important to schedule some shoulder exercises into your workouts, because without strong shoulders, you’re going to come up short when trying all sorts of other lifts, especially when training your chest and back.

What are the Health Benefits of doing shoulder workout at gym?

There are certain health benefits you gain by doing shoulder exercises:

Improved strength – Shoulder strength is like the chief support for your head, arms, and upper body. Having strong arms means that you can pretty much perform any work like a boss. Increased strength also results in well-built biceps. An awesome set of biceps are not only best for flaunting but they also assist in working out hard exercises such as weight lifting and push-ups. Also, you become adept at performing any physical work in general – running, swimming, typing, planking, jumping, and much more.

Stronger bones – It is not confusing that your shoulder and collar bones are one of the strongest in the musculoskeletal system. From holding the spine and head in place to supporting your ribs and arms, the shoulders are indeed heavy workers. Daily shoulder exercises also work on building stronger bones and decreasing injury. Strong bones also protect against the chance of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease that causes the weakening and thinning of bones. Weak bones are highly permitted to fractures and injury. So, if you want to make the bones stronger than ever, go hit the gym right now.

Improved stability –Think of your shoulder muscles as the central structure that joins your upper and lower body. Strong shoulder muscles stabilize all the muscles involved in the core. Your ability to stand or run in a rough/inclined terrain without losing balance is all because of solid shoulder muscles. Even keeping a stable posture as you lift weights is a result of daily shoulder exercises.

Improvements in other areas – Apart from decreased risk of injury, your biceps and triceps become much stronger. You can practice other types of athletic activities which are indirectly supported by your shoulder muscles.

What are the Shoulder Exercises you can perform in the Gym?

These are some listed exercises you can follow:

• Dumbbell front raise
• Dumbbell lateral raise
• Reverse fly
• Seated military press
• Standing dumbbell shoulder press
• One-arm dumbbell push press
• Plank dumbbell shoulder raise
• Push-ups exercise
• Standing Cable Pulley Fly
• Crab Walk
• Prone T
• Straight Arm Circles
• Renegade Row
• Standing Dumbbell Fly
• Face Pull
• High Pull
• Seated Dumbbell Clean
• Trap Raise
• Clean and Press
• Snatch-Grip High Pull
• Band Lateral Raise
• Band Front Raise
• Band Bent over Lateral Raise
• Band W Raise
• Single-Arm Cable Row
• Suspension Trainer Y-Raise
• Suspension Trainer Rear-Delt Raise
• Dive Bomber Push up
• Pike Press
• Dip
• Lateral Plank Walk
• Dumbbell Neutral Grip Overhead Press
• Dumbbell Raise Complex
• Snatch-Grip Low Pull
• Snatch-Grip Shrug Pull
• Rack Dead lift
• Farmer’s Walk
• Dumbbell Dead lift/Shrug Combo
• Bottoms-up Kettle bell Press
• Incline Bench Press
• Machine Shoulder Press
• Bent over Reverse Flye
• Waiter’s Walk
• Barbell upright row
• Feet-Elevated Push up
• Suspension Trainer Knee Tuck
• T Push up
• Dumbbell Incline Row
• Offset Single-Arm Chest Press
• Angled Press
• Inverted Row
• Barbell Overhead Press
• Single-Arm Cable Front Raise
• Cat-Cow
• Suspension Trainer Pike Push up
• Pull up
• Cross-Body Landmine Row
• Seated Single-Arm Press
• Dumbbell Bent-over Lateral Raise
• Suspension Trainer Row
• Inchworm
• Incline Bench-Supported Y Raise

Dumbbell front raise

This exercise is a productive move to isolate your anterior deltoid muscles or the front of the shoulder.
Standing, hold dumbbells in front of you with the palms facing your legs.
Keep your elbows and knees slightly flexed as you lift your arms straight in front of you to shoulder level.
Slowly return to the beginning position.
Four sets of 12 reps. Take a break about 60 seconds between sets.

Dumbbell lateral raise

Lifting laterally stimulates your posterior deltoids and upper-back muscles.
Standing, hold dumbbells with the palms facing each other.
Keeping your elbows and knees slightly flexed, lift your arms out from your sides in wide arcs to about shoulder level.
Slowly return to the beginning position.
Four sets of 12 reps. Rest around 60 seconds between sets.

Reverse fly

This exercise targets the posterior deltoids, as well as the rhomboid and middle trapezius muscles of your upper back.
Standing, hold dumbbells with the palms facing each other.
Flex your torso forward, forming a 45-degree angle with the floor.
With elbows slightly flex, lift the dumbbells up and out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor.
As you raise the weights, focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Four sets of 12 reps. Rest around 60 seconds between sets.

Seated military press

Along with improving anterior, medial, and rear deltoid strength, this exercise also targets the upper back.
Sitting, holding a dumbbell in each hand, and lifting both weights to shoulder level with palms facing out and elbows flexed.
Press the weights up and toward each other as you straighten the arms.
At the top of the motion, keep a slight flex in your elbows.
Slowly bring down the weights, and return to the beginning position.
Four sets of 12 reps. Rest around 60 seconds between sets.

Standing dumbbell shoulder press

Lifting weight overhead from a standing position engages all the muscles of the shoulders and upper arms and works the core as it stabilizes.
To start, stand with the feet shoulder-width apart, squeezing your abs and your glutes tightly throughout the motion to maintain a straight back.
With the dumbbells at shoulder height, press the weight straight upwards until your arms are fully extended.
When your arms cover your ears, you’ve achieved a straight-up pose.
Three sets of eight reps. Take a break about 60 seconds between sets.

One-arm dumbbell push press

This combines shoulder work with full-body power development, improving your strength in overhead pressing motions in a big way.
Begin in the same position as the standing shoulder press, but with a dumbbell in only one hand.
Begin the motion with a slight knee dip (think quarter squat depth).
Rapidly extend the knees and hips to create driving power that will push the weight forcibly with one hand over your head to a full lockout.
Gently lower the weight back down to shoulder height to repeat for reps.
Four sets of 6 reps per side. Rest around 90 seconds between sets.

Plank dumbbell shoulder raise

Holding the dumbbells, begin in a plank position supported on your hands and your toes.
Initiate with your feet a little bit wider than shoulder width.
Move the feet in if you need to increase difficulty.
From this position, alternate reps raise one arm off the ground and extend it in front of you until it lines up with your body (parallel to the floor).
Three sets of five reps per side. Rest about 1 minute between sets.

Push ups

The standard push up – get down on all fours, extend your legs behind you, and lower your torso. Hold this pose for a few seconds and push yourself back up parallel to the ground.

As for those variations, here are some you can utilize to target different muscles:

Incline push up – use a bench or chair to elevate the body.
Push-back push up – instead of lifting your body straight off the ground, bend your knees to bring your body back into a frog-like posture.
Pike push up –Embrace an inverted V-shape instead of keeping your body straight.
Diamond push up – put your hands close together in a diamond shape.
Wide push up – keep the hands further apart (targets your pecs).
Cross-body push-up – this is where you raise a leg and cross it above the other when lowering your body, which can be more challenging for the shoulders.
Staggered push-up – stagger your hands by drawing one up about ten to fifteen centimeters away from the shoulder and the other down about ten to fifteen centimeters toward your waist.

Standing Cable Pulley Fly

The standing cable pulley fly is an awesome exercise for targeting your deltoid muscles and your chest. Use two cables on the chest height and extend your arms to the sides while adopting a neutral posture.
Take a step forward and lower the weights slowly while allowing your shoulders to open up. Engage your pecs to make the raise.
You can practice a variation of this exercise known as a reverse cable fly.
Stand facing the cable machine, and reach across your body to grasp two cables at shoulder height.
Your arms should create a cross on your chest.
Pull-on the cables by extending the arms to the side while moving your shoulders back.

Crab Walk

The crab walk is a bodyweight exercise that targets the shoulder, arm, core, and leg muscles.
The beginning position is a seated one.
Bridge your hips off the floor, bend your knees, and support yourself using your hands.
The purpose of this exercise is to crawl by drawing one hand along with the opposite foot and repeating on the other side.

Prone T

The prone T is a shoulder exercise that increases stability.
Lie belly down on a bench with your neck, head, and spine aligned.
Let your arms hang loose in front of you before lifting them to form a T.
You can make this exercise more difficult by throwing some small weights into the mix.
A variant of this exercise is known as prone Y. Instead of lifting your arms laterally, raise them above your head to form a Y or V shape.

Straight Arm Circles

Stand up straight and extend your arms to create a T shape. Form circles with the arms and widen these circles as time goes on until you gain a full range of motion. Change direction after a few seconds.
Straight arm circles are also great for enhancing mobility. They can aid you to adopt a healthier posture by opening up your shoulders. If your goal is to develop muscle mass in the shoulders, it’s important to add exercises like straight arm circles that permit you to preserve your mobility.

Renegade Row

Begin in the top position of a push up with your hands on dumbbells shoulder-width apart.
Row one dumbbell toward the side of the body while balancing on the opposite hand and feet.
Hold for one second at the top and return the weight slowly to the beginning position.
Repeat on the other side.

Standing Dumbbell Fly

Hold a dumbbell in each hand by the sides.
Without shrugging, use your torso to swing the weights up a few inches.
Your arms and upper body will form an upside-down V shape.
Think of it as a lateral raise with momentum but without full range of movement.

Face Pull

Tie a rope handle to the top pulley of a cable station.
Grab an end in each hand with palms facing each other. Step back to place tension on the cable.
Pull the handles to the forehead so your palms face your ears and the upper back is fully contracted.

High Pull

Grab the bar with hands about double shoulder width and hold it in front of your thighs.
Flex your knees and hips so the bar hangs just above your knees.
Explosively extend the hips as if jumping and pull the bar up to shoulder level with elbows wide apart, as in an upright row.

Seated Dumbbell Clean

Grasp a dumbbell in each hand and sit on the edge of a bench.
Keeping the lower back flat, lean forward.
Explosively straighten the body and shrug the weights so your arms rise.
Allow the momentum to flip the wrists so you catch the weights at shoulder level.

Trap Raise

Set a bench to a low incline and lie chest-down with a dumbbell in each hand and the palms facing.
Retract your scapulae, then raise the weights straight out so your arms are parallel to the ground.

Clean and Press

Stand with feet shoulder-width.
Keeping the lower back arched, flex your hips back to lower your torso and grab the bar with your hands shoulder-width.
Extend your hips to raise the bar off the floor.,
When it gets past the knees, jump and shrug the bar so that momentum raises it and you catch it at shoulder level.
Brace the abs and stand tall. Press the bar straight overhead.

Snatch-Grip High Pull

Set up as you did for the clean and press, but grab the bar with hands double shoulder width.
Explode the bar upward until it’s at chest level and the upper arms are parallel to the ground.
Try to push the chest out as you lift the bar and contract the upper back fully.

Band Lateral Raise

Step on the free end of every band with the opposite foot so the bands create an X in front of your body.
Lift your arms 90 degrees out to the sides until your upper arms are parallel to the ground.

Band Front Raise

Stand on bands and grab the opposite ends. Lift the arms in front of your body to shoulder height.

Band Bent over Lateral Raise

Stand on the end of one band with your left foot and hold it with your right hand.
Perform the opposite with another band so that the bands cross each other.
Flex your hips back until your torso is almost parallel to the ground.
The bands should be taught in this beginning position.
Squeeze your scapulae together and lift your arms out to your sides.

Band W Raise

Attach bands to a stable object at shoulder level and grab the opposite ends in each hand.
Stand back to set tension on the bands.
Squeeze your scapulae together and row the bands to your shoulders with elbows expanding so your upper arms make a W shape.
Pause for two seconds.

Single-Arm Cable Row

Stand facing the pulley, holding the D-handle in your right hand, palm facing downwards, and step back until the cable is taut.
Sink back into the butt and keep your chest high, left hand on left hip.
Retract your scapulae and draw your elbow straight back.
As you pull, rotate your palm toward the body, so it’s next to the rib cage.

Suspension Trainer Y-Raise

Grab the handles and stand with feet about shoulder width.
Lean back 45–60 degrees, so the body is supported by the suspension trainer, and brace your abs.
lift your arms up and out into a Y shape with palms facing forward.
Your body will become more vertical, but don’t permit your shoulders to lose tension at the top of the motion.
Your weight will transfer from the back foot to the front foot.

Suspension Trainer Rear-Delt Raise

Shorten the length of the handles, but stand as you performed for the Y raise.
Open your arms out to the sides with palms facing in until your scapulae are squeezed together.
Allow a little flex in your elbows.

Dive Bomber Push up

Get into the push up position.
Push your hands into the ground to drive your weight back so the hips rise into the air.
Your back should be upright and your head behind your hands.
Lower the body in an arcing motion so that your chest scoops downward and nearly scrapes the ground.
Continue moving forward as you press the body up so your upper body is vertical and your legs are straight and nearly on the floor. That’s one rep.

Pike Press

Come into push up position and push your hips back so your upper body is nearly vertical.
Your arms, hands, and head should be in a straight line.
Lower the body until your head nearly touches the ground between your hands and then press back up.

Dip

Place the palms of your hands on a bench or chair, and, if available, put your heels on another elevated object in front of you so your legs are attached
Lower the body until your upper arms are parallel to the ground.

Lateral Plank Walk

Come into push up position and simultaneously move your right hand over your left while your left leg steps out wide.
Now bring the left hand out and walk your right foot into a normal push up footing.
That’s one shuffle. Continue walking for 10 shuffles and then walk in the other direction to get back to the starting position. Keep your core braced and the hips level at all times.

Dumbbell Neutral Grip Overhead Press

Grab a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level with palms facing each other and elbows pointing forward.
Brace the core and press the weights straight overhead.
At the top, shrug the shoulders and hold for a second.

Dumbbell Raise Complex

Hold dumbbells at the sides with palms facing you.
Lift the weights in front of you to shoulder level with thumbs pointing up.
Complete 12–15 reps and then lift the weights out to your sides 90 degrees (flex your elbows a bit as you lift).
Complete the reps and then change to a lighter pair of dumbbells.
Lift them out to your sides and up to ear level with straight arms and thumbs pointing up.
Grab this position for 30 seconds. Squeeze your glutes to aid support you.

Snatch-Grip Low Pull

Set up as you did for the high pull, but when you jump, do an explosive shrug and flex your elbows to pull the bar into your belly.
Do not continue to raise the bar to chest level.

Snatch-Grip Shrug Pull

This is done the same as the low-pull, but keep your elbows extended and do an explosive shrug once the bar passes your knees.

Rack Dead lift

Set up the bar on some boxes, mats, or the safety rods of a power rack so that it rests just under your knees.
Stand with feet hip-width and, keeping the lower back in its natural arch, flex your hips back and grab the bar just outside your knees.
Pull the bar into the body tightly, extend your hips and stand up.

Farmer’s Walk

Pick up the heaviest set of dumbbells you can handle and walk.
Squeeze the handles hard and walk with the chest out and shoulders back.
If you don’t have the room to walk in a straight line, walk in a figure-eight pattern.

Dumbbell Dead lift/Shrug Combo

Grab dumbbells at your sides and stand with feet shoulder-width.
Flex your hips back to squat down until the weights are knee level.
Now accelerate upward and shrug hard at the top.
Reset your feet before starting the next rep.

Bottoms-up Kettle bell Press

Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettle bell in one hand at your shoulder.
Grab the kettle bell’s handle, positioning the kettle bell upside down, so the bell is pointing toward the roof.
Keeping your wrist perfectly extended and the kettle bell steady, press your arm straight up, straightening your elbow.
Carefully flex your elbow and lower the kettle bell back to shoulder height.

Incline Bench Press

Place an adjustable bench at a 30- to a 45-degree angle and lie back on it.
Grab the bar just outside shoulder width, arch the back, and pull it off the rack.
Lower the bar to the upper part of the chest and then drive your feet into the ground as you press it back up.

Machine Shoulder Press

Modify the seat of a shoulder press machine so that the handles are at shoulder level.
If you have shoulder issues, and if your machine permits it, grab the handles so your palms face each other.
Otherwise, grab them with palms facing forward as normal.
Make sure the elbows track in a normal pressing path as you press the handles overhead.

Bent over Reverse Flye

Place as you did for the neutral-grip row but with lighter dumbbells.
Lift your arms out to your sides 90 degrees, squeezing your scapulae together at the top for a second.
Finish your set and then rest until the end of three minutes, when your timer goes off.

Waiter’s Walk

Grasp a dumbbell or kettle bell in one hand and hold it either overhead or with your elbow flexed so it’s near your face.
Keep your scapulae pulled down and back, and your wrist straight.
Fire the glutes as you walk 10 yards out and 10 yards back.
Change hands and repeat.

Barbell upright row

Grab the bar with hands slightly farther outside shoulder width than for the overhead press.
Squeeze your scapulae together and pull the bar to chest height.
Your elbows should be flexed 90 degrees in the top position and the upper arms should be horizontal.

Feet-Elevated Push up

Take a push up position with your feet on a stair, bench, or Swiss ball.
Lower while inhaling until the chest nearly touches the ground.
Exhale as you push back upwards.
You can also put your hands on top of the medicine ball.
Maintaining core tight and neck neutral, lower chest toward the ball as far as possible, or until elbows reach 90 degrees.

Suspension Trainer Knee Tuck

Begin in push up position with hands under shoulders and each foot inside a suspension trainer strap so the straps hang vertically.
While keeping the shoulders stable, pull the knees toward your chest.
Move slow and controlled.

T Push up

Begin in push up position, arms straight, with hands-on light dumbbells (or begin without weights, as shown).
Lower yourself and as you push back up, raise your right arm and rotate to the right until your right arm is extended up and you are the left side faces the floor.
The body should look like a “T” on its side.
Return to the beginning position and repeat on the other side.

Dumbbell Incline Row

Straddle the seat of an incline bench and lie chest down, grabbing a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing in, both feet on the ground.
Retract your scapulae and row both dumbbells parallel to your hips.

Offset Single-Arm Chest Press

Lie on a bench with your right glute and right shoulder blade on the bench and left glute and left shoulder blade off the bench.
Hold a dumbbell in your left hand and either extend the opposite arm or hold on to the bench just above your head.
Lower the weight until the elbow is in line with your shoulder, then press it up until the arm is fully extended.

Angled Press

Grab a light dumbbell or kettle bell with both hands and, maintaining your lower back arched, flex your hips back until your torso makes a 45-degree angle.
Grab the weight at shoulder level as you would do a normal overhead press, then press it at that angle.
Pause the need position for a moment.

Inverted Row

Place a barbell in a rack at waist level. Slide under the bar and grasp it overhand.
The body should be in a straight line from neck to ankles.
Hang with your arms extended and only your heels touching the ground.
Pull your chest to the bar, then return to the beginning position.

Barbell Overhead Press

Place the bar up in a squat rack or cage, and grab it just outside shoulder width.
Take the bar off the rack and grab it at shoulder level with your forearms perpendicular to the ground.
Squeeze the bar and brace the abs.
Press the bar overhead, pushing the head forward and shrugging your traps as the bar passes the face.

Single-Arm Cable Front Raise

Face away from the pulley, with D-handle in right hand, fist close to your body and down, left hand 2 on left hip.
With soft knees and a tight core, keeping the arm completely extended, raise the right arm until the fist is in line with the shoulder.
Pause for 1 second, then lower for 1 rep.
Complete all reps on the left side, then switch to the right.

Cat-Cow

Begin on all fours with hands beneath shoulders and knees on the floor.
Inhale, dropping the chest as you push your hips and scapulae back into cow position.
Lift your chin and chest and gaze forward.
Exhale as you move your belly button to your spine and round your back toward the roof to transition to the cat.

Suspension Trainer Pike Push up

Attach the suspension trainer to a stable object overhead, and lower the foot cradles to about knee height (you want the body to be in a straight line when you rest the feet in them).
Get into a push up pose with your feet in the cradles and hands placed shoulder-width on the ground.
Keeping your abs braced, lower the body until your chest is just above the ground, and then push back up.
Now flex your hips and raise them into the air until your upper body is vertical.
Straighten the body again. That’s one rep.

Pull up

Grasp the bar with an overhand grip. Hanging from the bar, pull your scapulae back and down to raise your body and build momentum.
Finish by pulling up with the arms.

Cross-Body Landmine Row

Stand with landmine on right, feet slightly staggered, left leg forward.
Grab the barbell in your right hand, hinge your torso forward, and extend both arms down to begin.
Keeping left fingertips pointed to the floor, row right arm so elbow points to back wall.

Seated Single-Arm Press

Sit on a bench, feet on the ground, a heavy dumbbell in your right hand, holding it at shoulder level to begin.
Press dumbbell overhead, then return to begin for 1 rep.
Do all reps on the right side, then switch sides.

Dumbbell Bent over Lateral Raise

Grab a dumbbell in each hand and, keeping the lower back in its natural arch, flex your hips back until your torso is about parallel to the ground.
Permit your arms to hang.
Now squeeze your scapulae together and lift your arms out 90 degrees, with thumbs pointing up, until your upper arms are parallel to the ground.

Suspension Trainer Row

Join a suspension system trainer to a pull up bar.
Grasp the handles so you’re looking up at the pull up bar.
Walk out until you can extend your arms without hitting the ground.
Hang from the straps so that the body forms a straight line.
Pull yourself up until the handles reach the sides of the chest.
Lower and repeat.
One of the hamstring workouts is the Reverse Inchworm, it is done by flexing at the waist and walking your feet out into a push up position.

Inchworm

Stand with legs straight and hands on the ground.
Walk the hands out.
Keeping legs as extended as possible, walk your feet back to the hands using short steps from the ankles.

Incline Bench-Supported Y Raise

Straddle a bench set to a 45-degree incline, a light (3 to 10 pounds) dumbbell in each hand.
Lift arms up and out to form the letter Y. Hold this pose for 5 to 8 seconds.

Author: Dr.Nidhiphysio

Physiotherapist in Mobile Physiotherapy Clinic Bapunagar, Ahmedabad