The Shoulder Muscles
Intrinsic Muscles
DELTOIDS
These muscles form the round shape of your shoulder muscles. Deltoids are made of three major muscle fibres: anterior, lateral and posterior. The deltoid muscles are mainly responsible for your arm rotation.
Rotator Cuff
Rotator cuff are the group of muscles which helps in movement and in maintaining stability of your shoulder joint. These muscles originates from scapula and attach to the head of humerus surrounding the shoulder joint.
Teres Major
The teres major are small group of muscles located above the latissimus dorsi muscle. Teres major muscle assists the lat muscle in extension, and helps in rotation of the humerus.
Extrinsic Muscles
Latissimus Dorsi
Latissimus dorsi muscles are the largest muscles present in your upper body and are partially covered by the trapezius. Lat muscles plays an important role in extension of your shoulder joints.
Rhomboids
Rhomboid muscles are rhombus shaped muscles present in your upper back. Rhomboids help in the movement of the scapulae and in the contraction of your shoulder blades.
Trapezius
Trapezius are large paired diamond shaped muscles which are present along your spine and over your shoulder blades. The function of Trapezius muscles is to support your arm and it helps in movement of both scapula and spine.
Levator Scapulae
Levator scapulae muscles are skeletal muscles which are located near the back of your neck. The main job of these muscles is to elevate the triangle shaped bone know as scapula.
The 10 Best Shoulder Muscle Building Exercises
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Seated dumbbell shoulder press is an effective weight training exercise which train’s your anterior deltoids, lateral deltoids and posterior deltoids.
How To Perform:
Seated dumbbell shoulder press is performed by sitting on a flat bench and holding the dumbbells in each of your hands at the shoulder level. Keeping your back and head straight, lift both the dumbbells together overhead, stop the movement before the dumbbells touch. Hold the position, then slowly return back to the starting position. This is one repetition of seated dumbbell shoulder press exercise.
DUMBBELL FRONT RAISE
Dumbbell front raise is a weight training exercise which is performed by forward flexion of your shoulder muscles. The muscles involved in this exercise are anterior deltoids, lateral deltoids, upper and lower part of trapezius.
How To Perform:
Dumbbell front raise is performed by standing with your back and head straight and holding dumbbells in each of your hands. Lift the dumbbells to your shoulder level, hold the movement and return back to the starting position. This is one repetition of dumbbell front raise exercise.
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Dumbbell lateral raise is a weight training exercise which is performed by side flexion of your shoulder muscles. The muscles being trained in this exercise are anterior deltoids, lateral deltoids and rotator cuff.
How To Perform:
Dumbbell lateral raise is performed by standing with straight spine, head looking forward and holding dumbbells in each hands. Lift the dumbbells out to the side till your arms are parallel to the floor with your elbows slightly bent. Hold and return back to the starting position. This is one repetition of dumbbell lateral raise exercise.
Arnold Press
Arnold press is a weight training exercise named after the famous bodybuilder “ Arnold Schwarzenegger”, This exercise trains all the deltoid muscles and the rotator cuff muscles.
How To Perform
Arnold press is performed by sitting on a 85 degree incline bench with head and back straight, holding dumbbell in each hand facing towards your chest. Lift the dumbbells and rotate the palms of your hands facing in forward direction, Raise until your arms are extended straight. Hold the motion and then reverse the same procedure. This is one repetition of the arnold press exercise.
Upright Row
Upright row is a weight training exercise performed by lifting of a overhand grip to your collarbone. The muscles involved in this exercise are trapezius, rhomboids, anterior deltoids and lateral deltoids.
How To Perform
To perform this exercise stand up with your back straight, hold a barbell in front, with your palms facing towards your body. Lift the barbell not higher than your shoulders, hold and return to the starting position. This is one repetition of upright row exercise.
SEATED DUMBBELL REAR-DELT FLY
The Seated dumbbell rear-delt fly is a upper body shoulder training exercise which target’s your rhomboids, trapezius, lateral deltoids and teres minor muscles.
How To Perform:
To perform this exercise sit on a flat bench, lean forward with dumbbells in each of your hands. Raise the dumbbells to your side till they align with your shoulders, hold and return back to the starting position. This is one repetition of seated dumbbell rear-delft fly exercise.
Overhead Press
The overhead press is a weight training exercise which train’s your deltoids (anterior, lateral) and trapezius muscles.
How To Perform
Overhead press is performed by standing with your body straight, holding the barbell on your front shoulder with your hands wider than shoulder width. Lift the barbell over your head until your arms are extended, hold and return back to the starting position. This is one repetition of overhead press exercise.
Military Press
Military press is one of the hardest shoulder muscle training exercise. This exercise is performed by standing in attention position like a soldier( legs together), hence called military press. The muscles involved in this exercise are the deltoids ( anterior, lateral), trapezius and core.
How To Perform:
Military press is lot similar to the overhead press the difference between both the exercises is that in overhead press your legs are shoulder width apart, but in military press there is no gap between your legs. The advantage of bringing your legs closer is that, it puts more stress on your core muscles. Rest of the procedure is similar as that of the overhead press exercise.
Dumbbell Shrugs
Dumbbell shrugs is a weight training exercise which is performed mainly to train the upper and lower trapezius muscles.
How To Perform:
To perform dumbbell shrugs, stand erect having dumbbells in each hands with shoulder width apart. Raise your shoulders as high as you can without moving your body or bending your elbows. Stop the movement, slowly lower your shoulders back to the starting position. This is one repetition of dumbbell shrugs exercise.
Kettlebell Single Arm Press
The kettlebell single arm press is a weight training exercise which is performed with help of a kettlebell. The muscles involved in this exercise are the deltoids, trapezius and the latissimus dorsi.
How To Perform:
Kettlebell single arm press is performed by lifting the kettlebell off the ground to level of your shoulders, with help from your lower body. This is the starting position, now raise the kettlebell above your head till your arms extend. Stop and slowly return back to the starting position. This is one repetition of the kettlebell single arm press exercise.