Develop muscle and confidence with 5 best shoulder exercises designed to boost performance in the gym and on the field. Add these shoulder workouts as part of your regular strength training regime as an adjunct to more intensive lifts like squats, deadlifts and bench presses.
Face pulls are designed to target rotator cuff and shoulder internal rotation muscles and assist with injury prevention by augmenting natural internal rotation movement of the shoulder.
5 Best Shoulder Exercises For Athletes
1. Lateral Raise
One of the most widely performed shoulder isolation exercises, lateral raises help strengthen your lateral (middle) deltoid muscle. This triangular-shaped structure supports your shoulder joint while giving your frame its characteristic muscular appearance.
When performing lateral raises, it’s essential that the movement be performed properly. Too much internal rotation could put your tendons and connective tissue at risk of friction or pinching between bones; additionally, this could make your shoulders sore.
Beginner lifters often make mistakes with this movement, such as shrugging the weight up using their traps instead of their deltoids. To prevent this mistake, perform lateral raises correctly while training with other shoulder strengthening exercises in order to promote balanced growth and function in your shoulder area. Also consider training with a spotter when first starting out learning this move.
2. Cable Front Raise
This isolation movement primarily targets your front deltoid muscle; however, it also activates other supporting muscles of the shoulder joint to improve movement range and help avoid injuries.
Exercise using either a cable machine or dumbbells. For optimal results, start in an athletic shoulder-width stance with both cables in hand, bringing them up toward your chest before pausing at each rep’s peak before slowly returning back down towards starting point.
As your front deltoids receive ample stimulation through pressing movements, this movement should only be performed in moderate repetition ranges. Shoulder isolation work should also be reduced if you have had shoulder injuries in the past or are recovering from surgery.
3. Dumbbell Lateral Raise
The lateral raise is an accessible shoulder isolation exercise for anyone, regardless of experience level or training background. It has proven especially effective for increasing deltoid hypertrophy and improving joint stability in shoulders.
This exercise primarily targets the lateral head of the deltoids (side shoulders), while simultaneously working the front deltoids – an effect many lifters strive for to attain that classic boulder look. When performed correctly, this movement helps create fullness in shoulders that many lifters desire and is also an excellent way of improving muscular endurance.
4. Towel Roll
Towel roll stretching is an effective and effortless exercise designed to improve neck/upper back posture, reduce back pain, and build pelvic floor muscle strength. Furthermore, towel rolling stretching serves as an excellent stress reliever. To make the towel roll, all that’s required is any-sized towel and a flat surface to lie on. Spread out your towel on this surface, fold one corner diagonally to align short sides with long sides at one corner point, and roll tightly starting from this end point – repeat as necessary.
Test out various sizes of towels until you find what best fits your body. A rolled up towel encourages the natural lordotic curve of your neck while loosening any stiff facet joints which might otherwise cause or worsen neck/upper back discomfort.
5. Face Pull
The Face Pull exercises target the rear deltoids, rhomboids (which squeeze shoulder blades together), and middle trapezius muscles of your shoulders for effective back improvement. It’s an extremely beneficial movement for strengthening posterior shoulders.
Strengthening posterior shoulders is key to improving posture and avoiding shoulder rounding during heavy pressing movements or athletic performance. They are also crucial components in creating front to back equilibrium essential for optimal upper body development.
Movement is straightforward and can be performed by almost anyone, although those with shoulder problems should start slowly with light weights to focus on proper form and increase strength and range of motion over time. Resistance bands provide an ideal alternative; wall and door anchors make setup simple!