Best Shoulder Exercise Workout Routine

Best Shoulder Exercise Workout Routine

Before we start it's important to really talk about the shoulder. They are usually underdeveloped and many pros are lacking great looking shoulder? Why is that? The shoulder are a small muscle group and I always see people swinging the weights or hunkering down on a smith machine and doing quarter presses. In exercise science you look at developing the muscle through full ROM (range-of-motion). That means when you do a press you go from your clavicle all the way just short of lockout by a few centimeters. Never use a weight that's too heavy - you'll end up tearing your rotator cuff or develop "underdeveloped" shoulder.

I see the same thing at contests with back and legs. No striations, just a mushy soft body part. People deadlift too much weight, swing their bent over rows (the hips are working!) and use bone crushing weight.

You don't always have to start your shoulder routine with the press. You can finish with it or put it in the middle. It's a myth that you need to do it first.

Shoulder press:
Either with a barbell, dumbbells, smith machine or Freemotion Fitness cables. Always squeeze the handles/barbell hard to get your mind-to-muscle connection. Next lower the weight all the way down using full ROM and power the weight up for 10-20 reps depending on your program (bodybuilding or fitness modeling).

Standing/Seated laterals:
Working the medial head of the shoulder. Keep your arms straight and bring your arms up to shoulder height. Use a weight that you won't swing for 15-25 reps. Keep the eccentric or downward movement just as slow as the concentric.

Standing/Seated bent-arm laterals:
Same principle except you can hold a heavier weight without swinging. Keep your arms slightly bent with your hands facing forwards. Arc the weight up with a weight that's 10-15% heavier and do 12-15 reps. The medial shoulder should be aching by now.

Standing front raises:
Keep your arms straight, just short of lockout, and raise the dumbbells/cable to either shoulder height or the old school method of going through full ROM all the way up. Never swing the weight. If you can't complete the reps, stop the set - your muscles are fatigued. 12-15 reps.

Bent-over laterals:
This is a tiny, tiny, tiny muscle group called the posterior/rear shoulder. Keep your arms straight and perform 15-25 reps either standing/seated or on the stability ball.

Bent-arm, bent-over laterals:
Using a heavier weight but still using clean form. Your arms are slightly bent and your pinky comes up first in an arching motion to work the rear shoulder. 12-15 reps.

Plank shoulder rolls:
In the lower plank position, on your forearms you roll back and forth for 20-30 reps to finish off the shoulder and incorporate core work.

Best Shoulder Exercise Workout Routine