Shoulder exercises should be selected careful as they are responsible for scores of trainees getting injured. Know which exercises to avoid and which are safe.
The shoulder girdle is an area that can be fragile if not cared for properly and also an area that receives a lot of work during other movements like bench presses.
Knowing how to care for your shoulders and how to safely perform the exercises is key to longevity in the gym.
No one wants to get injured so preventing injury is key, but even if you’ve got an existing injury there are ways to strength your shoulders to get you back to full health.
You don’t need to blast your shoulders with hundreds of shoulder exercises, you just need to focus on a handful of exercise and work them HARD.
Exercise Guides
Which Exercises Are You Looking For?
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press
- Barbell Shoulder Press
- Dumbbell Front Raise
- Dumbbell Side Lateral
- Cable Side Lateral Raise
- Leaning Side Lateral Raise
- Cable Front Raise
- L-Fly
Why Training Shoulders is Important & How To Avoid Injury
Improving your shoulder strength will also benefit every other movement you do, most notably; your bench press will rocket as your front delts are able to handle a heavier load.
Ironically the
barbell bench press
is the biggest contributor to shoulder injuries with the rotator cuff muscle being the weak link.
Strengthen your rotator cuff using specific light work such as the L-Fly and you’ll steer clear of most shoulder impingements.
Another quick tip to keep your shoulders healthy, do not do any pressing movements where the barbell travels behind your head.
These movements place your shoulders at an unnatural angle and when you add weight (from a barbell/lat pulldown machine etc) it increases the pressure on this fragile joint.
Also, avoid shoulder presses machines as these lock you into a range of motion which may not be appropriate for everybody.
Keep these tips in mind and learn how to do the exercises listed above is good form and you maintain stronger, healthier shoulders that support your training efforts!
Return to Weightlifting Exercises
Return from Shoulder Exercises to Free Workout Plans For Busy People