It is every woman’s inner feeling to have a healthy as well as a good looking body. Having said, did you ever see yourself having strong and well-formed shoulders like Shasha Banks or did you ever wish to have firm and well-built shoulders like that of a man? Hold on with these thoughts because there are several shoulder exercises for women.
Every woman should focus on improving strength in the shoulders because that gives better strength in and around the shoulder muscles, arms, gives your body a good posture and makes your bones stronger and flexible. If your shoulders are strong you will be capable of carrying weights and you will feel firm and confident on your shoulder area as your biceps, triceps and deltoids would build up.
This article aims at illustrating as well as guiding you through the best shoulder exercises every woman must try. Follow all the instructions and do it the right way in order to derive maximum benefits and see an improvement in your shoulders. Look at all the shoulder exercises.
Types Of Shoulder Strengthening Exercises For Women – Be Fit!
If all you are looking for is strength and appearance in your shoulders then you should learn about the details of a workout and the steps on how to do a particular exercise. Here are some of the best shoulder exercises to try!
Exercise No 1 – Basic Front Stretch Exercise
Why is it useful?
This exercise aims at building and making your anterior deltoids firm.
What do you need?
You will need two dumbbells that weigh between 2-4 kgs
Steps to do the exercise
Step 1: Stand straight holding two dumbbells in your hand
Step 2: Spread your legs as much as the width of your shoulders
Step 3: Look straight and slowly stretch your hands forward as much as the width of your shoulders and bring it down at the same pace.
Do this stretch at least 30 times in 3 sets.
Summary
This is a simple front stretch, you should keep your posture right and take maximum benefit of this exercise by performing it as slow as you can. Make sure that you do not raise the dumbbells above your shoulders. Breathe in when you stretch your hands forward and breathe out when you bring it down.
Read: 15 Boosting Body Toning Exercises For Women
Exercise No 2 – Sideways Shoulder Stretching or Reverse Fly
Why is it useful?
This stretching exercise is useful to ease your back, neck and shoulder from all the pressure and it works great for your posterior deltoids. When you stretch sideways you are also increasing the flexibility around your shoulders.
What do you need?
You need two dumbbells that weigh between 2-4 kgs.
Steps to do the exercise
Step 1: Stand straight with your legs slightly apart, hold the dumbbells close to your thighs
Step 2: Slightly bend forward bringing down your hands.
Step 3: Breathe out and slowly stretch your hands sideways in a way that your shoulders come in one line. Breathe in when you bring your hands back to the same position.
Do this stretch at least 20 times in two sets each.
Summary
You would need to slightly bend and while you are stretching sideways see to it that your hands do not stretch in the front, let them stay stretched sideways only.
Read: Top 10 Exercises Working Out Pecs For Women
Exercise No 3 – Side Lying External Rotation
Why is it useful?
In case there are any risk of shoulder injuries it will all go away if you try this workout. This workout helps in smooth rotation of the arm and it focuses on strengthening the shoulder muscles.
What do you need?
You need a mat, a napkin and one dumbbell weighing 2kgs.
Steps to do the exercise
Step 1: Spread the mat and lie down on one of your sides in a position wherein your knees are slightly bent and joined together and one of your hands stretched out. Get comfortable in this position.
Step 2: Hold the dumbbell in your other hand, stick your arm on the side with a towel under your elbow.
Step 3: Stay in this position and move the dumbbell up facing the ceiling and then bring it down until your side.
Summary
Do this stretch slowly on your side in such a way wherein you feel your shoulder muscles expand and contract. Your entire body must have no movement it should stay still, there should be a movement only in one of your arms and shoulder. Do this stretching slowly in order to gain all the benefit.
Exercise No 4 – “Y” Stability Ball Stretch
Why is it useful?
This workout is no doubt going to be fun because you are relaxing on a stability ball and you are doing a good “Y” shape side stretch for your shoulder and arms. The benefit here is that you are putting in more energy to stretch your arms sideways because your body is stiff lying down on a stability ball and this, in turn, stabilizes the muscles.
What do you need?
You will need a mat, stability ball and two dumbbells. Each dumbbell weighing 2kgs each.
Steps to do the exercise
Step 1: Spread the mat, place the stability ball on the mat, come on your knees and then cling to the ball with your abs touching the stability ball. Now, stretch your legs straight behind and your hands forward holding the dumbbells in both your hands.
Step 2: As you are holding the dumbbells, stretch your hands upwards in a Y shaped position and bring it down. See to it that your hands are neither too high nor too low.
Repeat this procedure of stretching at least 20 times in two sets each.
Summary
You must see to it that you comfortably lie down on the stability ball because your body weight is on your ribs and at the same time you will be lifting weights and stretching your hands sideways. See to it that you breathe out when you lift weights and breathe in when you bring your hands down.
Read 25 Vigorous Stability Ball Workouts
Exercise No 5 – Stretch And Shrug Workout
Why is it useful?
This workout is good in order to give good support to the joints on your shoulders in order to enable better flexibility. It gives a good posture to your shoulders as well.
What do you need?
You just need two dumbbells weighing about 2.5kgs.
Steps to do the exercise
Step 1: Stand straight holding both the dumbbells in your hand with your feet apart just as much as the width of the shoulders.
Step 2: Lift your hands forward just as much as the width of your shoulders, shrug your shoulders for a few seconds, stretch your hands sideways and then bring it down
Repeat this procedure of lifting, shrugging and stretching your shoulders. Do it at least 20 times in two sets.
Summary
Do this entire workout as slow as you can. Do not bend your elbows while you shrug or stretch, keep your hands straight.
Exercise No 6 – Push Ups
Why is it useful?
Push-ups have lower as well as upper body benefits. Talking of the upper body, it strengthens the shoulders, arms and chest muscles which includes triceps, biceps and deltoids. When you get into the habit of doing push-ups you are inducing immense stamina in your body. Tone your muscles and shoulders with push-ups.
What do you need?
You will need a mat to do push-ups.
Steps to do the exercise
Step 1: Lie flat on your stomach by spreading your legs apart and placing your palms on the ground.
Step 2: Inhaling slowly lift your body up with the help of your palms, see to it that the distance between your palms and feet is as much as the width of the shoulders.
Step 3: Position your body in such a way that it is in a straight horizontal line. Stay here for about 4-5 seconds
Step 4: Remain in the same position and bring your body down without touching your knees on the ground.
Repeat this process of pushing your body up and bringing it down for about 20 times in two sets
Summary
Push Ups may seem like a cake walk but it requires a lot of your effort to maintain a straight line posture while pushing the body up and bringing it down. You should make sure that you do not bend your knees and you should keep your head straight by looking at the first thing that you see in front of you. Your head should not bend while you bend your body down.
Exercise No 7 – Planking
Why is it useful?
You can do about three variations of planks to increase the strength in your shoulders. Try side planks, high planks and a forearm plank. It is usually one of the best to improve stamina in your butts, hamstrings, shoulders and arms. It aims at streamlining your waist and giving your body the right posture.
What do you need?
You will just need a mat to plank on
Steps to do the exercise
Side Planking
Spread a mat and lie down on your stomach, then move onto your side by placing your elbow and wrist on the ground, place one of your hands on your waist and lift your body up with the help of your elbow and wrist. Remain in this posture for about a minute and repeat the same procedure on the other side.
Forearm Planking
Spread a mat and lie down on your stomach, then place your palms and elbow on the ground and left your body up. Position yourself in such a way that your body is like a straight line. Stay in this position for about a minute.
High Planking
Spread a mat and lie down on your stomach, close your fist, keep your closed fist facing each other, lift your body up by balancing your body on your elbow and wrist. Keep in mind that when you lift yourself up, your butt should be raised up in the air.
Summary
Irrespective of the variation in planking you should always ensure to keep your posture straight no matter how much your body shivers, initially when you begin your body might shiver. As and when you keep practising even your tendency to plank.
Read: How To Reach Fitness Goals
Exercise No 8 – Squat With An Overhead Press
Why is it useful?
Squatting with dumbbells has no direct link with strengthening your shoulders. However, when you squat and lift weights, you are improving the strength in your legs while improving the movement in your shoulders as well.
What do you need?
You will need two dumbbells weighing around 2 kgs.
Steps to do the exercise
Step 1: Stand straight with your feet apart and as wide as the width of your shoulders.
Step 2: Take two dumbbells in your hand and place it close to your shoulders.
Step 3: Keep your back straight, exhale and push your body down in a way that you are sitting on a chair.
Step 4: Inhaling, lift your body up while stretching your hands up in the air.
Repeat this process of going down and coming up while holding the dumbbells in your hand.
Summary
See to it that you feel the stretch on your shoulders and arms when you bring the dumbbells down and raise it up. You should bring your dumbbells only until your shoulders and lift it up in the air, see to it that you do not bring it below your shoulders as you will lose on the effectiveness of the workout.
Exercise No 9 – Half Kneeling Windmill Press
Why is it useful?
This workout is good to keep the arms, shoulders and hips strong and in place. That being said, you should try this workout as it is rare and good in shooting up the strength in your shoulders.
What do you need?
You will need one dumbbell weighing around 2 kgs to begin with and then you can extend it to be about 5 kgs.
Steps to do the exercise
Step 1: Keep your left knee on the floor and right leg up
Step 2: Lift the dumbbell with your right hand straight up and let your hand remain up there.
Step 3: Bend on your left by touching your left hand on the ground and come up.
Repeat this process on the other side as well, do this at least 20 times in two sets each.
Summary
In this workout, you have to take care of two things, stretch well on your side and see to it that you do not bend or bring down your hand that is holding the dumbbell.
Exercise No 10 – Swaying Stretch Shoulder Exercise
Why is it useful?
This stretch does not include holding any dumbbells, it is all about focusing on making the front shoulder, middle shoulder and back shoulder flexible and strong, it even stresses upon tightening the muscles.
What do you need?
You do not need dumbbells if you wish to you can place a mat on the floor
Steps to do the exercise
Step 1: Stand straight with your feet wide apart, point your toes outwards with your heels facing each other.
Step 2: Stretch both your hands inwards, squat and stay in that position, then stretch both your hands upwards when you come up.
Repeat this process of swaying your hands inwards and outwards effortlessly and stretch out as much as you can.
Summary
This is light stretching shoulder exercise, see to it that you sway your hands well so that it does good to your shoulders and arms.
Now you have an idea and 10 of the best shoulder exercises to try. Start working out. In case you have pain or any kind of problems with your shoulder, see to it that you consult a doctor and then take a decision of whether or not to lift weights.
If you are not sure of the method of practising the shoulder exercises, you can always seek guidance and assistance from a trainer. Remember to do a warm-up before you begin exercising and ensure to do light exercises after you are done with the entire workout. Stay fit and safe by toning up the muscles in and around your arms and shoulders.
