Shoulder Workout ~ #1

You know when you see that woman...or man...that has nicely rounded shoulders? We call that toned and rounded part of your shoulder, the cap, or shoulder cap.

You can tell when someone has been working on their shoulders. It shows! Shoulders are an important part of your training. Here are some of our favorite shoulder exercises that will get you on your way to a nice, tight shoulder cap!

*Side note: This shoulder workout is just one of the different variations of shoulder workouts that we do. For each exercise, click the bold name to see a video on how to perform the exercise. Correct form is VITAL to not hurting yourself and for performing the exercise as intended. Watch the videos!

Shoulder Workout ~ #1

1. Seated Arnold Press: Sit on a bench (with a short back) with your feet planted shoulder length apart, firmly on the ground. Hold a dumbell in each hand in front of your chest. Your palms should be facing your body. Twist and raise your arms outward into a "goal post" position. Palms should be facing out now. From the "goal post" position, press the dumbells upward until your hands are straight up. Bring the dumbells down into the "goal past" position, then rotate them in towards your chest so that you are in the starting position. This should be one, fluid motion. Repeat this 12 times (reps) for 3 sets.
2. Front and Lateral Raise: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your arms extended towards the floor and palms facing the fronts of your thighs. Raise the dumbbells in front of you until they are at shoulder height, then lower back down to the start. Next, lift both dumbbells up and out to the sides to form a “T” with your body. A front and lateral raise =1 count. Do this 10 reps for 3 sets.
3. Bent-over Rear-Delt Row:
   Stand with your feet together and hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your palms facing your thighs. Bend your knees slightly and lean forward from your hips to bring your torso 45 degrees to the ground. Keep your back straight and your chin up as you bend at the elbows to bring your arms up – at the top of the move your upper arms should form a straight line with your shoulders. Reverse to return to the start. Repeat this 12 reps for 3 sets.
4. Seated Barbell Press: Sit on a bench (with a back) with your feet shoulder length apart on the floor. Hold a barbell in your hands with a wide grip. Raise the barbell to your chest. From that position, raise the barbell straight up, then back down to your chest. Repeat this 12 reps for 3 sets.

Get those "boulder shoulders!"