Two Great Exercises To Develop Strong Sexy Shoulders

Arnold Press- Middle

Arnold Press - Start

Whether you are male or female you always look sexier with strong sculpted shoulders.  Here are two basic exercises that will strengthen and develop your shoulders.

Arnold Presses

Arnold Presses made famous by Arnold Schwarzenegger strengthens and develops your shoulders.  This is one of my favorite exercises.  Use a bench that has a back support to do this exercise.  Sit upright, hold a dumbbell in each hand close together at nose height with your palms facing in.  This is your start position.  Rotate your palms forward while bringing the dumbbells back to your ears and press the dumbbells overhead until your arms are fully extended.  Now, bring the dumbbells back down to ear level and return to your start position.  Exhale as you rotate the dumbbells forward and press up and inhale as you bring them back to the start position.

Arnold Press - Finish

Lateral Dumbbell Raises

Following Arnold Presses, I do lateral dumbbell raises to sculpt my shoulders.  Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of you.  Position your feet shoulder width, slightly bend your knees, and hold your chest high.  This is your starting position.  Bend your elbows slightly and raise your hands out to your sides about shoulder height with your palms facing down then return to your starting position.  Be careful to that your forearm and your elbow at the same level at the finish of this movement.  Your breathing pattern is to exhale as you raise your arms up and inhale as you return to start.

Lateral Raise - Finish

Lateral Raise - Start

I recommend beginners do 2 sets of 10 repetitions of each exercise and those more advanced do 3 sets of 10 repetitions of each.  Remember to use a resistance with which the last 3 repetitions are difficult to complete.  Add these two movements to your fitness routine for strong and sexy looking shoulders.

Exercise of the Week; The Dumbbell Row

The dumbbell row is a good alternative to the seated row that I mentioned in one of my earlier posts. It it is a great exercise to strengthen and develop the muscles of the upper back.

Hold a dumbbell in one hand, and place the opposite knee on a bench. Lean forward, and place your other hand on the bench. Step to your side with the other leg bending your knee slightly. Proper form is very important on this exercise, so be careful that your lower back is not rounded. Hold the dumbbell fully extended beneath your shoulder. This is your starting position. Now, slowly pull the dumbbell to underarm height, squeeze your shoulder blade toward your spine and return slowly to the start position. The breathing pattern is to exhale as you pull the dumbbell toward you and inhale as you return to start.

I recommend that beginners do 2 sets of 10 repetitions of this exercise and those who are more experienced do 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Exercise of the Week; Lateral Dumbbell Raise

The lateral dumbbell raise develops and strengthens your shoulders. Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of you. Position your feet shoulder width, slightly bend your knees, and hold your chest high. This is your starting position. Bend your elbows slightly and raise your hands out to your sides about shoulder height with your palms facing down then return to your starting position. Be careful to keep your forearm and your elbow at the same level at the finish of this movement. Your breathing pattern is to exhale as you raise your arms up and inhale as you return to start.

Combine this exercise with the 3 previous (lat pulldown, seated low row, and dumbbell chest press) exercises for a routine that works all the major muscle groups of your upper body. Do this routine 2 times each week to keep your upper body tone and strong.

If you are new to weight lifting do 1 to 2 sets of 10 repetitions of each exercise. If you have some experience with strength training do 3 to 4 sets of 10 repetitions of each exercise.