It has been said that the size of the shoulders especially from a male perspective are a measure of our strength..Large broad shoulders give a look of power and are probably one of the first areas to noticed..Therefore shoulder exercises tend to get a lot of focus in the gym and hence expose the area to injury.. Because of the risk of injury it is extremely important to get the shoulders fully warmed up before any workout and to limit the use of overhead presses. As I have found out on few occasions an injury to the shoulders is easy to get but not so easy to cure and can severely limit any upper body workouts.

So with that in mind if your looking to build a big pair of cannon ball shoulders then here are what I consider the 4 best exercises :

Standing Dumbbell Overhead Press – This is one of the most frequently practiced exercises for shoulders. To begin, you will need to stand with your feet again set at hip length. As you ensure that your elbows are crooked, gently lift your arms until the dumbbells are at your ear . Breathe in when the weight is over your head and then breathe out as you slowly lower them.Above all ensure that your posture is kept firm and straight during the exercise.

Lateral Raise – For the best results ensure that you are standing with your hips set at width length. Whilst holding a dumbell in your hands , gently raise the dumbbell out to your sides. Pay attention to your arms and elbows—the latter should be slightly bent. Lower your arms just as gently, pause and the repeat the process again.
 
Front Raise – Lighter weights are a prefffered choice whilst performing this exercise because of the muscle strain that it places on the shoulder. With your dumbbells held in each hand, stand with your feet placed at your hips width. Whilst still maintaining a grip on your dumbbells, raise your arms until your shoulder level is reached and then do a one count. Gently drop your arms whilst inhaling.

 Reverse Fly –  The reverse fly works the rear head of the deltoid but again should be performed with caution. I prefer to perform this on a adjustable bench set to a 60-degree incline position..Get a pair of light dumbbells and lie chest down on the bench.. With your chest supported by the bench, raise the DB’s up and out to your sides.. From an elevated position your body should form a letter Y pattern. Looking from above your position your arms and body should form a Y shape. As the weights are raised you should feel your shoulder blades coming together.. This exercise is also effective for working the middle section of your traps and the rhomboids.  

A shoulder workout should include exercises for all 3 muscles in the deltoid to get a balanced look and decrease the risk of injury. With regard to reps and sets stick with a routine that you can perform safely with proper technique. If good form cannot be maintained then lighten the weight.

Tags: exercises for big shoulders, exercises for shoulders, Shoulder exercises, workout for shoulders
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