Your shoulders are one of the most easily injured and hardest muscles to build. While every workout has its risks, it's especially important to train your shoulders properly and safely.
Strengthening your shoulders can improve your posture, reduce neck pain, and lower the risk of injury. That's why it's crucial to train them safely. To help, we’ve put together the best tips and safe exercises to build strong, injury-free shoulders.
6 Shoulder Workout Tips
Before hitting the weights, there are a few things you should keep in consideration when training your shoulders to ensure that you will maximize results and minimize injury.
Always warm-up
As with any workout, you should make sure to spend a few minutes warming up by doing a few static and dynamic stretches that mimic the movements you would do with actual weight. Doing this will make sure that your muscles are ready to start lifting heavy weights and minimize the risk of pulling a muscle.
Warm-up tip: Use a long resistance band and pick 1-2 shoulder warm-up exercises (band pull aparts, pass-throughs, presses, front raises) to do before your workout, aim to do two sets with 10-15 reps.
Use wrist wraps for extra support
When doing heavy pressing movements like shoulder presses or overhead lifts, your wrists can experience a lot of strain. To protect your wrists and maintain proper form, consider using wrist wraps. Wrist wraps help stabilize your wrists, allowing you to lift heavier with more control while reducing the risk of injury. They’re especially helpful if you feel wrist discomfort during pressing exercises, as they provide extra support and can help you focus on safely building stronger shoulders.
Do shoulder-isolated exercises at the end of the workout
Do multi-joint compound movements, like overhead presses and upright rows, at the beginning of your shoulder workout, and do isolated exercises at the end. Single-joint exercises will eliminate assistance from other muscle groups and focus only on the muscle being targeted. Take lateral raises, for example, there are many variations like front, side, and rear laterals. Front raises target the anterior head, side lateral raises target the middle head, and rear laterals target the posterior deltoid head. Doing isolated exercises like these at the end of your workout will help completely fatigue the muscle and give you a significant pump.
Avoid fully extending your elbows
Make sure that your arms are in a natural position. New and even intermediate lifters make the mistake of fully extending and locking their elbows when performing raises and pressing movements. When you lift, your elbows should have a slight bend to them to support your joint. It will also make sure that the only joint in motion is your shoulder, and not your triceps, which can happen when the arms are fully extended. Pay attention to the placement of your elbows throughout shoulder exercises, you don't want to over-bend or fully extend. It should be just a slight bend.
Don't lift a weight that is too heavy for you
This goes for any exercise, never lift a weight that is too heavy for you. Lifting too heavy of a weight can place unnecessary stress on your stabilizing muscles and your back. Before increasing the weight you can lift, make sure that you can complete 12-15 reps with a full range of motion and with proper form.
Plan your shoulder workouts accordingly
Almost every upper-body exercise involves your shoulder, from bench presses to dumbbell rows, even lower-body workouts require movement in the shoulders! So, pay attention to how your training split is set up to avoid overworking your shoulders. Most chest movements and some multi-joint tricep exercises engage the shoulders. Your rear delts are also being engaged when training your back during rowing movements. Not having a proper training split with at least 1-2 days in between to let the shoulders rest can lead to the delts being overworked.
Safe Shoulder Exercises Anyone Can Do
When it comes to strengthening the shoulder joints and muscles, you want to make sure you're implementing the best exercises. However, everybody is different so what works for someone else, might not work for you. Instead of giving you a list of the best shoulder exercises, we're going to focus on the best safe shoulder exercises that anyone can do!
Band rear delt squeeze
This is more of a warm-up exercise for the arms and upper back. Doing banded exercises like this one is a great way to warm up the shoulder muscles and arms before lifting actual weights. It'll help your muscles activate and be prepared for the heavy lifting it's about to do.
How to do it:
- Stand with feet hip-width apart and with a long resistance band in both hands about shoulder-width apart.
- You want to keep your hands the right distance apart to keep tension on the band, so play around with different hand placements to see what works best for you.
- Lift the band so that it is taught and in front of your chest. Slowly stretch both arms horizontally out to the sides as you widen the band across your chest.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades then release slowly.
Seated dumbbell shoulder press
The shoulder press is one of the best shoulder exercises there is, however, some variations (like the barbell shoulder press) can be difficult. You should incorporate different variations to ensure progress, but you can start with this shoulder-friendly variation.
How to do it:
- Grab a set of dumbbells and sit on a bench making sure the backrest is upright.
- Hold the dumbbells at shoulder height with plans facing forward.
- Press the weight upwards until arms are extended overhead (elbows should not be locked), and your back should be flat, not arched.
- Lower to sides of shoulders and repeat.
Bottoms up kettlebell press
The problem with overhead exercises, like the shoulder press, is that lifters do them wrong. They neglect to engage their rotator cuff and shrug their shoulders which can cause instability. The bottoms-up kettlebell press fixes this problem! So, if you're having trouble with your overhead press form, try this variation instead.
How to do it:
- Hold a kettlebell with one hand bottoms up so that the horn is sitting on your palm.
- Raise your arm so it's nearly at shoulder level with your elbow bent at a 90-degree angle, and begin to slowly press the weight overhead.
- Hold, and then slowly lower the weight back down.
Upright rows
This exercise is an effective multi-joint movement that is often overlooked, thanks to the widely loved shoulder press. This move is an excellent shoulder builder and really fires the muscles up!
You can use a dumbbell for an easier variation, and when you're ready to increase the intensity try it with a barbell or plate.
How to do it:
- Grab a pair of dumbbells and stand with palms facing the front of your thighs.
- Pull dumbbells to the front of the shoulder with elbows leading out to the sides, and make sure the weight is very close to your body. Allow wrists to flex as the weights rise upward, the elbows should be slightly above shoulder level.
- Lower and repeat.
Dumbbell front raises
This move works the front of the deltoids. A word of caution, make sure to choose an amount of weight that fits your fitness level. Lifting the weight out in front of you can be difficult so don't lift more than you can.
How to do it:
- Grab dumbbells in both hands. Position dumbbells in front of upper legs with elbows straight or slightly bent.
- Raise dumbbells forward and upward until upper arms are above horizontal.
- Hold for a few seconds, then slowly lower your arms back down to your sides and repeat.
Tip: Make sure your core is engaged throughout the move to help with stability, you don't want to be rocking to the sides or backward and forwards.
Dumbbell lateral raises
This exercise targets the front and mid deltoids, but most of the workload is placed onto the lateral head of the delts. Again, stick with a lighter weight for this exercise since this move has your arms almost straight (slight bend on the elbows).
How to do it:
- Stand upright with a dumbbell in each hand and resting on your sides.
- Slowly begin to raise your arms to the side until they are lateral to the floor, remember, don't lock your elbows.
- Keep the movement slow and controlled as you lower the weight back down to your sides.
Seated bent-over lateral rear delt raises
The name of the exercise explains exactly what it's working, the rear delts. This is the part of the deltoid that's on the backside of your shoulder. It also works other large muscles in your back, but the main focus is the rear delts.
How to do it:
- Sit down on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand and by your sides, then lean forward slightly. This is your starting position.
- Begin to raise the dumbbells slowly until the rear delts are fully contracted.
- Hold for a few seconds and then lower your arms back down to your sides. Remember to keep the movement slow and controlled.
Face pulls
Face pulls are another great exercise that helps develop your rear delts or the backside of your shoulders. It involves using a cable machine and rope attachment to pull the rope towards your face. This helps your shoulders do most of the work instead of your back.
How to do it:
- Attach a rope attachment to the high pulley on a cable machine.
- Grab the handles with both hands and with your palms facing in. Take a few steps back so that your arms are fully extended.
- Lean back slightly, engage your core, and pull the rope towards your face as your elbows flare outward toward the sides. Your rear delts should be engaged, and shoulders rolled back (not hunching or rolled forward).
- Reverse the movement and slowly extends your arms. Don't allow your shoulders or chest to roll forward.
Dumbbell shrugs
This exercise targets mainly the trapezius muscles which are located on either side of your neck. This is definitely an exercise you don't want to neglect because strengthening these muscles helps with proper posture by helping pull your shoulders back and stabilizing your neck and upper back.
How to do it:
- Grab a pair of dumbbells or a barbell (depending on your fitness level) and stand with your feet slightly greater than shoulder-width apart.
- Hold the dumbbells or barbell at thigh level and shrug the shoulders straight up. Do not roll your shoulders, just shrug them straight up and down.
- Hold that position for a moment and then slowly release.
FAQ
How often should I train my shoulders to avoid overuse and injury?
It's important to train your shoulders with adequate recovery time to avoid overuse. Aim to train shoulders once or twice a week, allowing at least 24-48 hours of rest between sessions. Be mindful of how often your shoulders are engaged in other exercises like chest or back workouts to avoid overtraining.
What are the common signs of shoulder overtraining or injury?
Common signs of shoulder overtraining or injury include persistent soreness, sharp pain when lifting, limited range of motion, and discomfort during everyday activities like lifting or reaching. If you experience these symptoms, it may be a sign of inflammation or strain, and rest or medical attention might be needed.
Can I strengthen my shoulders if I already have a shoulder injury?
Yes, but it's crucial to modify your exercises and focus on low-impact, shoulder-friendly movements. Avoid heavy overhead pressing, and opt for exercises like the landmine press, resistance band movements, or isometric exercises to gently strengthen the muscles without straining the joint. Always consult a healthcare provider for personalized advice.
Where can I buy the best wrist wraps for shoulder exercises?
UPPPER is your trusted source for high-quality lifting gear! UPPPER Wrist Wraps provide superior support and stability, helping you lift heavier with confidence while reducing strain on your wrists. Made with high-quality, durable materials, these wraps are designed for comfort and a secure fit, ensuring your wrists stay protected during heavy overhead presses and other shoulder movements.
With UPPPER Wrist Wraps, you can focus on building stronger shoulders without worrying about wrist fatigue or injury, making them an essential tool for safer, more effective workouts.
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