Build Boulder Shoulders With These 6 Exercises
Most fitness-oriented people simply don’t understand how their
shoulders function. What they do know, however, is that the shoulder
complex is incredibly vulnerable and prone to injury if trained without
extra caution, so they stick to exercises that ‘feel’ the safest or are
generally approved and advocated by internet bodybuilding gurus.
Unfortunately, that fearful approach also prevents them from adding mass
to their shoulders and improving their functional strength
Don’t forget: you are supposed to train your shoulders with plenty of
volume and intensity, as long as you mind your form and technique. One
of the most underused yet highly effective ways to overload your
shoulders and encourage their development is the inclusion of shoulder
supersets – sets which include two exercises performed one after the
other without any rest in between
Step out of the box and blow your shoulders up with these 3 shoulder
supersets
Warm-Up Routine
Never skip the warm-up; it will greatly reduce your chance of hurting
yourself. These exercises will increase circulation and warm up your
muscles, as well as improve their flexibility, coordination and reaction
time
Cardio: 5-10 minutes
Any type of LISS (Low Intensity Steady State Cardio) activity, such as
walking, jogging or running is ideal for waking up the entire body and
getting you into the right mindset
Windmills: 30-60 seconds
Warm up your shoulders by performing windmills – stand with arms out
straight and parallel to the ground and start rotating them in an
arc-like motion. Start from small rotations and gradually increase the
size. Perform in both directions
Shoulder dislocations: 10 reps
Don’t worry about the name of this one – it’s actually an amazing
exercise that promotes shoulder flexibility. To perform it, stand with a
long stick in front of you and position your hands wide at either end,
then raise the stick over your head without bending your elbows
SUPERSET #1
DUMBBELL LATERAL RAISE: 4 sets
x 8-12 reps
As you stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, take a dumbbell in
each hand and slightly bend the elbows as the weights hang by your
sides, palms facing one another. Bend your upper body forward and allow
your hips and knees to bend slightly as well. Raise your arms out to the
sides until they are parallel to the ground, maintaining the torso
straight and stabile. Lower the weights down and repeat
UPRIGHT BARBELL ROW : 4 sets x
8-12 reps
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Pick up a barbell with a
narrow grip and row it vertically up until it reaches the top of your
chest. Stop when it reaches just below your chin and your forearms and
upper arms are squeezed into each other, parallel to the ground. Lower
the weight down and repeat
SUPERSET #2
DUMBBELL SHOULDER PRESS : 4
sets x 8-12 reps
Holding a dumbbell in each hand, sit on a bench that has back support
and place the dumbbells on the top of your thighs. Raise the weights to
shoulder height, then rotate your wrists so that the palms of your hands
are facing forward and push the dumbbells upward, straightening your
elbows. Instead of locking out as you reach the top, keep a slight bend
at the elbows all through the movement. Pause for a moment at the top
contracted position, then lower the weights down and repeat
FRONT DUMBBELL RAISE : 4 sets x 8-12
reps
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each
hand with the palms of the hands facing towards your body. Keeping your
torso stationary and maintaining a slight bend at the elbows, raise the
weights in front of you until they are parallel to the floor. Pause for
a second at the top, then slowly lower the weights down and repeat.
Perform the movement in a maximally controlled manner to avoid using
momentum
SUPERSET #3
FACE PULL: 4 sets x 8-12
reps
Set up a cable with a rope attachment so that it is in line with your
head and grab each end of the rope. Take a couple of steps back from the
machine and pull the weight directly towards your face, separating the
hands as you do so. As you bring the rope all the way to your face,
flare your elbows out but keep your upper arms parallel to the floor.
Pause, return to the starting position and repeat
FRONT BARBELL SHRUG: 4 sets x
8-12 reps
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart as you hold a barbell with
both hands in front of you, using a neutral grip. Without rolling your
shoulders, shrug them while bringing your arms up and keeping them
straight. Avoid lifting the barbell using your biceps and try to touch
your shoulders with your ears. Slowly return to the starting position
and repeat
Take Home Message
Don’t be too easy on your shoulders – they are not delicate flowers,
they are muscles designed to work 24/7 and you need to overload them to
produce growth. This workout will allow you to reach optimal shoulder
hypertrophy without increasing the risk of injury, so don’t hesitate to
challenge your shoulders with supersets at the next gym session.
Don’t forget that even the best exercise can be a waste of time if you
don’t use it right, so focus on utilizing proper form and achieving
hypertrophy. Try the prescribed sets and reps and see how it feels. If
your shoulders don’t burn as much as you’d like them to – increase either
the weight or the volume
