Boulder Shoulder Workout!

     Shoulders are the one body part that can be spotted a mile away. If you have big shoulders, they are noticeable with or without a shirt. Moving away from the aesthetic aspect of the shoulders, they are also the most vulnerable body part. Shoulders are involved in almost every upper body movement and in some cases the lower body as well. So it would be necessary that the shoulders must be built up very strong in order to handle such a load.

     Training shoulders shouldn't be a complicated task considering the variety of machines that accomplish the same task as free-weights would. Using some dumbbells and a barbell can accomplish the goal quite well if not better to its machine counterpart. Here is a shoulder workout doing just that.

    I generally have people start out with dumbbell lateral raises first when they have lots of energy at the beginning of the workout. Warm-up for about 2 sets with light weight. Now when I say light weight, that would be an arbitrary number since each person's "light" weight would be heavier or lighter then the next person. Generally a weight where you can get 15-20 repetitions would be a good light weight to warm-up with. Complete your last warm-up set and move right into the exercise with some heavier weight. One that will allow you to get 8 reps. Complete 3 more sets then rest for a minute or so between sets.

     Next exercise is the barbell upright row. Choose a weight that you can handle for 12-15 reps. Complete a total of four working sets. On each set, vary the position of your grip. For example on the first set, place your hands close together about 2 feet apart. On the next set, place yours hands at around shoulder width. For the last two, you can position your hands slightly wider then shoulder width. By varying the position, you are able to target a different area on the shoulder rather then one part of the shoulder muscle. Take a minute or more of a break in between these sets as well. Once finished with the last set, move on into seated overhead presses.

     For overhead shoulder presses, you can use two options: dumbbells or a barbell. You can use much more weight when you use a barbell then you can with a pair of dumbbells; however, it is best to use a spotter when attempting to go heavier on the barbell due to greater chance of injury. If you don't have a spotter or prefer to train alone, you can always use the smith machine for more safety precaution. Dumbbells offer greater range of motion and muscle fiber recruitment compared to the barbell. This is due to each arm working independently to support the weight. This is entirely up to you on which route you think is best for you. Complete 4 sets with the reps in the 8 range while also taking breaks in between when needed.

     Last movement to finish off this shoulder workout is, barbell shrugs. Good exercise to add more size to your traps. Choose a weight that will allow you to get 8 reps. Complete the first set, then take a 2 minute break. Complete 2 more sets with the added break in between to complete the workout.

     Do this once a week along with training your other body parts once a week. This is a great routine if your looking to add variety to your workouts. Remember to add rest days when needed in order to get the most out of each of your workouts. One more important piece, remember to stretch afterwards. Stretching helps draw more blood into muscle which will help lessen the soreness and prevent injury in the long run. Next topic I will cover the benefits of stretching and why it is important to do it!