Shoulder exercises at home: for pumping up and with dumbbells

Pumping up your shoulders at home is a completely doable task. But to do this, you need to be as focused as possible on your goal. Today there are a million exercises to strengthen the shoulder muscles. But, despite this, only a few out of hundreds of thousands of people who want to reach the finish line in the process of their training.

It’s not a matter of difficulty in performing it or poor physical fitness, it’s a matter of determination, patience and the desire to get a beautiful body and strong, pumped-up shoulders.

Anatomy

The anatomy of the shoulder girdle is very extensive and includes many muscles that must be pumped in order to achieve the initial goal. But in addition to muscles, there are other anatomical components, without which the functionality of the shoulder would be impossible.

The golden three include:

Brachial bone.
Spatula.
Collarbone.

An equally important role is played by:

Deltoid.
Shoulder joint.
Sternoclavicular joint.
Acromioclavicular joint.

Additional anatomical components include:

Tendons.
Ligaments.
Nerves.
Skin covering.

Preparation for training

Before you start performing a set of shoulder training exercises, you need to do the best possible warm-up.

The shoulder is a very vulnerable place during the training process, which means that in case of poor warm-up (poor warm-up), the risk of injury increases greatly. Therefore, the warm-up is more important than the workout itself.

To avoid confusion and do everything correctly, the warm-up can be divided into three main parts:

Preparatory part. In this part you need to perform simple movements, such as: stretching, circular movements, raising your arms up and raising your arms to the sides, general exercises.
The main part of the warm-up. In the main part, you need to focus on warming up the body. To do this, you need to perform exercises that will maximize blood circulation and increase your heart rate. This can be arm swings, shoulder circles, rubbing the shoulder girdle (massage) and even jumping. The goal is one - to do everything to warm up.
The final part of the preparation. Smooth transition from warm-up to training process. In this part, you need to perform simple basic exercises that do not require serious physical effort, and also prepare the shoulder part to increase the load on the muscles and joints.

Deltoids

The shoulders are formed by the deltoid muscles, which consist of three main bundles: anterior, middle and posterior. It is important to develop all three muscle groups, because if one of them is less developed, it will be very noticeable.

In most cases, the middle and rear delts need work the most because the front delts receive some of the workload when training the pectoral muscles and doing some compound exercises.

The anterior deltoid muscle is responsible for shoulder flexion and axial rotation of the arm.
The middle delta is responsible for moving the arm to the side.
The back beam works by raising the arms back and lateral rotation.

Each muscle must receive adequate load for uniform development; an imbalance of these three bundles can lead to injury.

Basic recommendations

Shoulder exercises at home can be just as effective as training in the gym under the supervision of a trainer.

But for this you must:

Do a good warm-up.
Stick to a healthy diet.
Do the exercise clearly, from the point of view of the technical component.
Do not stop training under the pretext of laziness or poor health. If this happens, it is better to do a light workout than not do anything at all.
Pay attention to your general well-being, sleep at least 8 hours a day and do not overtrain. The big problem for beginning athletes is overtraining, which immediately throws them off track and prolongs the process of achieving results.

What to consider to effectively pump up the deltoid muscles at home for a man

To know how men's shoulder exercises performed at home affect the muscles, you need to study the basic anatomy of the deltoid muscles. They cover the shoulder joints.

This muscle group got its name due to its visual resemblance to the Greek letter “delta,” which resembles a triangle. This muscle is responsible for the movements of the upper limbs.

Why is it important to work on the shoulder muscle tissue:

the proportions of the figure are harmonized;
physical endurance increases;
the muscles of the thoracic spine are strengthened;
heart function is normalized.

A special feature of training for the deltoid muscles is a limited list of exercises, during which the emphasis is on lifting weights, as well as working with your own weight. To organize a high-quality training program at home for men, you will need loads such as dumbbells weighing 1 kg or more. The greater the external force, the stronger the muscle fibers will contract.

Despite the limited number of fitness techniques for training the delta, do not forget about safety during exercise.

Important! The human shoulder is an area of the body that, due to the large number of tendons, muscles and bones, is susceptible to injury. Bone fractures, sprains and torn ligaments are a consequence of working with too large loads that do not correspond to the general level of physical fitness. The likelihood of injury is also increased by sudden movements, which place a strong load on the ligamentous apparatus.

If a man has thick arms, sloping shoulders and folds of fat on his chest, then exercise alone will not be enough. First you need to get rid of excess fatty tissue in the area that you will have to work with. It will not be possible to lose weight locally in the shoulders and chest, since dietary restrictions and physical activity help burn fat in all parts of the body.

Men who are overweight need to go on a calorie-restricted diet before building their shoulders. The weight loss program is supplemented with dynamic exercises: cycling, running, walking at a fast pace, swimming.

Intense daily training is not an effective method of achieving delta steel. Excessive exercise is not only ineffective, but also dangerous to health.

Intense exercise leads to depletion of the cartilage tissue of the shoulder area and also harms the health of the spine. It is optimal to organize trainings at home so that there is a daily interval between them.

Be sure to check out:

Pumping up the muscles of the shoulders and arms: effective exercises and tips Effective shoulder exercises with dumbbells for women and men Push-ups + dumbbells: how to pump up your shoulders at home

How to swing your shoulders correctly?

Start with light weights and do not immediately grab heavy ones , believing that this way the result will come faster.
Use in training not only the number of repetitions, but also the number of approaches. It is the correct number of approaches performed that determines the quality of the workout.
Alternate muscles. One day do exercises for one muscle, another day for another. This way you give your muscles time to recover and strengthen.
Decide which exercises will be used throughout the training process . Do everything clearly and consistently. You should not jump from one type of exercise to another in the hope of getting results.
Perform the exercises as efficiently as possible without thinking about your own, as this can negatively affect the training process.

How to pump up your shoulders quickly at home?

Eat properly. Proper nutrition is the key to any workout. Eliminate fatty, sweet and spicy foods from your diet. Add more protein foods. During training, a lot of energy will be consumed; foods rich in carbohydrates will help replenish its reserves. These include various types of porridges: buckwheat, oatmeal and others. It is also worth drinking a lot of water. When exercising, a person loses a lot of fluid and to make up for these losses, you need to drink one and a half times more than usual.
Perform sets with a break of 1-2 minutes. During this time, the body has time to rest and prepare for the next approaches. Do 3-4 approaches at a time. What does it mean? For example, we did exercises with dumbbells 10 times and rested for a minute. We did it again 10 times and rested again. And again they did it 10 times - this will be the third approach.
Use exercises such as push-ups in your workout. The peculiarity of this exercise is that it has many types, with which you can train different muscles of the body, including the shoulders.
If you don't have dumbbells and barbells, use improvised means. What matters is not what you load your muscles with, what matters is how you load them. In addition, you can train your shoulders simply on the floor, performing various gymnastic exercises. But it’s better to go out into the yard and do a workout on the horizontal bar.

How to pump up your shoulders at home with a barbell?

Starting position: standing, feet shoulder-width apart, holding the barbell with both hands. The distance between the hands is 60-70 centimeters, keep your back straight. Raise the bar parallel to the body upward (towards the chin) until the angle at the elbow joint is 90 degrees. Do 3 sets of 7-10 repetitions.
Starting position: standing. Take the barbell and place it behind your head, then push it up. Do 10 repetitions of 3-4 sets. It is also important to remember that your back should be straight and your feet shoulder-width apart.
Take the barbell so that it is behind you and stand up. Then lift it up, using the shoulder muscles. It won’t be possible to lift the barbell very high, but this is not the main thing in this exercise. The main thing is to use the muscles of the shoulder girdle when lifting.

Shoulder exercises

Basic shoulder exercises are performed with free weights or machines.

The barbell is most effective for pushing the maximum with a heavy load.

Dumbbells require more coordination, but will help avoid imbalances in shoulder muscle development.

Training the deltoid muscles involves multi-joint exercises. Avoid isolation exercises for the anterior and middle bands, as these groups receive enough load from basic training.

Standing barbell press

The standing barbell chest press is the most effective way to develop the shoulders because it focuses on the anterior head of the deltoid while also engaging the middle and part of the posterior deltoids.

The elbows brought forward emphasize the exercise on the front beam, the elbows spread to the sides use the middle deltoids more.

It is allowed to use dumbbells instead of a barbell and do bench presses alternately.

With a grip wider than the shoulders, the deltoids are loaded more, while a narrow grip shifts the load to the triceps.

Stand shoulder width apart. Raise the barbell to your chest, keeping your back straight.
Squeeze the barbell upward with one push, without tilting your body.
Lower the barbell slowly to your chest.

Military press sitting or standing

Performing a standing military press is much more difficult than a sitting one, since the shoulder muscles are activated a little more in an upright position.

The standing press puts much more stress on the lower back and core. This means you won't be able to lift your maximum weight and have a higher risk of injury. If you want to put maximum stress on your shoulders, then the seated military press technique allows you to work your shoulder muscles with heavier weights. This exercise involves the front and middle deltoids.

If you have back problems, do the seated press with a vertical back support.

Place the barbell in a power rack or squat rack before beginning the exercise. Make an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder width.
The initial position of the bar is at the level of the upper chest and shoulders. Press the barbell up while inhaling and moving your elbows out to the sides.
As you exhale, return the bar to its original position to complete the exercise. Don't touch the barbell to your chest or use your legs for this exercise, otherwise you'll end up with a push-and-press movement that only needs to work your shoulders.

Raising dumbbells in front of you

This exercise is for effectively developing the anterior deltoid; the middle fascicle is also partially involved.

You can use an overhand grip on the dumbbells or turn your palms towards each other - this neutral grip will increase the load on the target muscles.

Stand straight, holding dumbbells in front of your hips, with your elbows slightly bent.
As you inhale, raise your arms using force in the shoulder joint. Maintain a constant distance between your hands.
At the top point, when your arms are parallel to the floor or slightly higher, exhale and slowly lower your arms.

To isolate the deltoid muscle, lifting dumbbells in front of you can be done while lying on a bench inclined at 45 degrees. Choose a comfortable position so that your hips do not interfere with the movement of the dumbbells.

Standing dumbbell raises

To form beautiful three-dimensional shoulders, you need to train the rear deltoid - this is the smallest and weakest of the shoulder muscles.

For detailed work, use an isolating exercise such as dumbbell lateral raises.

Start in a standing position with dumbbells hanging at your sides.
Raise your arms to the side until they are parallel to the floor while exhaling. Bend your elbows slightly and turn your hands out as if you were pouring a drink from a glass. Stay in this position.
Inhale slowly and lower your arms back to the starting position. Maintain a slight bend in your elbow throughout the exercise.

Bent-over dumbbell raises

To develop the rear delt, an exercise similar to standard lateral raises is suitable, except that the body should be tilted forward.

The procedure is performed standing or sitting, bending to the knees. For stability, you can rest your forehead against the back of the bench. Use light weight and precise technique.

Get into a standing or sitting position with a dumbbell in each hand. Keep your chest lifted and your back flat. If you are doing the exercise while seated, bend over your knees until your forehead almost touches the bench. If standing, bend at the hips and keep your chest parallel to the floor. Dumbbells hang under your chest, elbows slightly bent, palms facing each other.
Raise the dumbbells up so that your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Positioning your elbows higher than your back will put more stress on your deltoids. Make sure that the arches created by hands are symmetrical.
Hold the weight for a moment at the top of the arc and slowly lower it to the sides.
Begin the next repetition immediately before your arms reach a position perpendicular to the floor.

Flying dumbbells back while lying on your stomach on a bench will relieve excess stress on the lower back, but this position will block the chest, which may be uncomfortable.

Barbell row to the chin

This is a basic exercise for working out the middle beam. Watch the location of your elbows; they should be in the plane of your body.

An overly narrow grip redistributes the load on the front deltoid and changes the amplitude of movement; you can use a grip similar to a military press.

Using an overhand grip, grab the barbell slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart. The bar is on the hips, the shoulders are straightened, there is a normal deflection in the lower back.
As you inhale, pull the bar up and spread your elbows to the sides. The bar moves in a vertical plane, maintain a level body position.
The elbows at the top point are higher than the shoulders. Hold as you exhale and slowly lower the bar down.

Shoulder training equipment

Many shoulder exercises with free weights can be replaced with a suitable machine. For example, a seated military press can be conveniently performed in a Smith machine using a bench at an incline of about 80 degrees. Arm raises can be done in a pulley machine while pulling the lower block.

The dumbbell press is replaced by performing exercises with harnesses in a crossover. However, in this case, the elbows cannot be raised above the shoulder line, and you will have to work one arm at a time. This exercise can also be performed while sitting in a machine - this eliminates the risk of lower back injury.

The barbell row to the chin is replaced by an exercise in the Smith machine, while the row is done with one hand. This simulates a wide grip, which is inconvenient to perform directly in an exercise with a barbell.

The working weight on each hand in the Smith machine can be increased by 10–15%, since there is no need to monitor the balance of the body.

How to pump up your shoulders with kettlebells?

With both hands, grasp the weight and lift it. Then place your feet shoulder-width apart and straighten your back. Then, with a sweeping movement, try to throw the weight up until a right angle is formed between the body line and the arms. Do 10-15 times 2-3 approaches. Choose the weight of the kettlebell depending on your physical fitness.
Take the weight in one hand and lift the top (as if placing it on your shoulder). Then calmly (without jerking) push the weight higher and lower it back. You can alternate hands. 5 times with one hand, 5 times with the other. Perform at least 2 sets of 5 times on one arm.
Take the weight in one hand and throw it up to chest level, then lift the weight up with the same hand (as in the previous exercise). Do it 5 times and change the training arm.

Sample delta pumping program

A home program for working on the shoulder muscles always begins with a five-minute warm-up. The following exercises are included in the lesson:

classic push-ups (15 repetitions in 2 sets);
complicated push-ups (similar);
bench press in a seated position (20 repetitions in 3 sets);
swing your arms to the sides (similar);
reverse raise (15 repetitions in 3 sets);
pull-ups on the bar or shoulder raises with dumbbells.

After each training session, a one-day rest is organized.

How to build broad shoulders with dumbbells?

Raising your arms to the sides. Hold dumbbells in both hands. Choose weight individually, taking into account personal physical fitness. At the same time, spread the dumbbells to the sides and slowly lower them down. Perform the exercise 4 sets of 5-8 times. As your physical condition improves, you can remain in a static position for some time, with your arms outstretched at an angle of 90 degrees.
Starting position: sitting on a stool or bed. Dumbbells in hands. Simultaneously lift the dumbbells up and then lower them to shoulder level. It is important that the movements are as smooth as possible without jerking. Do at least three approaches 5-10 times.
Variable lifting of dumbbells in the starting position while sitting. Do the same as in the previous exercise, but alternately. First, lift the dumbbell in your right hand, then, when it comes down, lift the dumbbell in your left hand. Continue doing the exercise until fatigue sets in or mild muscle pain appears. It is important not to bring yourself to a state where it is impossible to endure pain and stop in time. On average, this will be 4 sets of 15 times on each arm. You need to determine the weight yourself, but on average it is 5-10 kilograms, perhaps less.

Bodymaster.ru recommends Training Plans:

At the top of the exercise, keep your hands motionless so as not to injure the shoulder joint. An excellent alternative is the seated barbell press on a Smith machine. This machine allows you to use more weight by contracting the supporting muscles that will be used in the exercise.

Breedings

Here are some exercises for raising dumbbells and arms in a block. Include them in your training program if you want to effectively pump up your shoulders. To engage the lateral head of the deltoid, when doing dumbbell lateral raises (seated or standing), start with the dumbbells slightly in front of your hips and your elbows slightly bent. Raise your arms out to your sides to shoulder level. Hands are parallel to the floor, little fingers pointing up.

Technique tip. Point your thumb downwards while doing this without twisting. This isolates the lateral deltoid as much as possible, so use a light weight to perform the exercise correctly.

To raise your arms to the sides on a pulley, stand next to the machine and attach a D-shaped handle. Cross your arms in front of you, elbows slightly bent. Raise your arms out to your sides to shoulder level, they should be parallel to the floor, with your little fingers pointing up.

To change up the pace, try standing dumbbell lateral raises (one arm). Raise the dumbbell in the same way as when performing the exercise with both hands until your arm is parallel to the floor. In fact, it will go slightly higher than shoulder level compared to the usual version. This method activates more deltoid fibers and isolates one side, allowing you to use more weight and build wider shoulders faster.

To pump the posterior head of the deltoid muscle, you can perform dumbbell raises to the sides while sitting or dumbbell raises to the sides while standing. When bent over, your thighs should be parallel to the floor, as if you were doing a Romanian deadlift. Don't arch at the waist. Try not to move the dumbbells too far to the sides and back, as this will create additional stress on your back.

As a small change to better pump up the broad shoulders, namely the rear deltoid, try lateral raises on the lower block.

Vertical barbell row and vertical row on the block

How to pump up your shoulders with push-ups?

Non-standard push-up "house". This push-up differs from the standard one in that you need to keep your butt as high as possible. Your feet should be closer to your hands. Because of its starting position, the exercise is called a “house”. Next, you need to do everything the same as in a regular push-up - rise and fall, applying the efforts of your arms and shoulders.
Push-ups while standing on your hands. The most effective type of push-up for training your shoulders. But this method is suitable only for those who are good at doing push-ups in the usual way, since the load on the muscles in a standing position increases several times. Thanks to this, the effect of hand push-ups becomes much more noticeable. In order to perform this type of push-up, it is not necessary to devote a lot of time just to learn how to stand on your hands. All you have to do is go to the wall and use it as a support.
Narrow push-ups. In order to increase the load on your shoulders, you just need to change the position of your hands. Place your palms as close to each other as possible and begin doing regular push-ups.

Presses for developing shoulder muscles

Performing overhead presses to pump up the shoulder muscles

Benching the barbell from behind the head allows you to develop the front and side deltoids and triceps. If there is no barbell, we pump our shoulders with dumbbells, performing the same actions.

Advice! Since presses can cause joint injuries, it is best not to perform such exercises first. They should be done when your muscles are properly warmed up.

Performance:

In a standing or sitting position, grab a barbell (dumbbells) with an overhand grip.
Your forearms should be parallel to each other.
Now you need to lower the bar along the trapezoid and linger for a few seconds at the lowest point.
Slowly lift the barbell up, thereby returning to the starting position.

Advice! When using dumbbells, try to lower them as low as possible.

The lateral and anterior shoulder muscles allow you to develop the military press. This exercise can also be performed either sitting or standing.

Performing a standing military press

Let's look at how to properly perform a military press:

While standing or sitting, grab a barbell with an overhand grip.
In the starting position, your elbows should be down and the bar should be at chest level.
Now we fully straighten our arms, lifting the barbell above our heads. Stay in this position for one second.
Slowly lower the barbell to the starting position.

This material will be perfectly complemented by the following publications:

How to pump up your shoulders on the horizontal bar?

Pull-up by the head with a wide grip. To perform this type of exercise, you will need to take the bar with the widest grip possible. Then begin the process of pulling up, but not as in the classic style (when the chin goes over the bar). Here you need the bar to touch your neck and go behind your head, and your legs to be straight and not intertwined, as many athletes often do.
Close grip pull-up. It is performed like a regular pull-up on a horizontal bar, but the grip is made as narrow as possible. The legs should remain straight. Close-grip pull-ups are best done slowly without jerking.
Performing “exit” on one and two hands. The exercise is not easy, but it helps to pump up your shoulders well. Success in this exercise largely depends on muscle strength and general physical condition. But it is also important to know the technique of execution, thanks to which the exercise will bring maximum effect.
You need to grab the bar with an overhand grip. The distance between the hands is slightly more than shoulder width. Do a pull-up. But in this case, the pull-up should be very sharp, with a jerk: this will help to overcome the obstacle (crossbar) and rise higher. Using maximum effort, push yourself up (do it with a jerk).

How to pump up your shoulders in the gym?

A large number of sports equipment, which are present in any gym, provides additional opportunities for pumping up not only the shoulders, but also other muscles.

The main thing in these huge opportunities is to make the right choice and create the right training plan. And a trainer, who is also in the gym, can help with this. In addition, you can pump up your shoulders in the gym with simple basic exercises that can be performed at home.

The advantage of the gym is increased motivation. If at home you can be lazy somewhere, somewhere you don’t want to do it, then in the gym people are looking at you, the trainer is watching, and it will simply be a shame not to complete the required exercise.

Dietary recommendations

To train your shoulders, you need not only to do exercises, but also to eat right:

In addition to cereals, vegetables, fruits and foods rich in protein, the diet should contain meat. It is best to use lean varieties such as chicken. But special attention should be paid to preparation.
Under no circumstances should you eat fried food, which not only loses its beneficial properties, but also acquires many harmful properties. Therefore, it is best to cook either steamed or boiled. In this case, neither meat nor other food will become “harmful”, but the beneficial properties will remain.
As for liquid, you need to drink at least two liters per day. And if the training process is quite labor-intensive, then the amount of water you drink needs to be increased in order to replenish the body’s water reserves. If you limit yourself to water, your health will begin to deteriorate, fatigue will appear, and the training process will become ineffective.

Alexandrova Anastasia

Nutrition and healthy lifestyle specialist and author of myfitnesblog.com. For many years, she has successfully helped women and men lose weight and maintain a beautiful figure.

Why do you need trained, broad shoulders?

Protects from injury

There is not a single person in this world who does not need shoulder strengthening. Your shoulder is the most mobile joint in your body. And it is also the joint most susceptible to injury. Therefore, it is important that they are strong and stable.

Weak shoulders can lead to all types of muscle and joint injuries. If your shoulders lose strength, other joints can also become injured. This is a kinetic chain effect.

Change your body shape for the better

Well-defined shoulders look great. And broad shoulders are not just for men. They are also important for women. Broad shoulders make a person's figure more athletic. In addition, they are able to highlight some figure flaws.

Help in everyday life

Despite their relatively small size (compared to other muscle groups), they play a huge role. The shoulders are used in every upper body movement. Think about how you use your arms throughout the day, your shoulders act, support and dictate it all.

Therefore, they must be strong and agile, otherwise you will severely limit your movement and ability in any activity involving the upper body.

You use your shoulders every day, almost all day. Any pushing or pulling movement you do with your upper body involves your shoulders. Strengthening them will only make life easier.

Self confidence

This doesn't need any explanation. Everyone is attracted to well-defined shoulders.