SPORT & FITNESS – 5 Tips for Building Stronger Shoulders

, I couldn’t be happier that I am the one that gets to talk to you about this subject. Two years ago I destroyed my [right] shoulder. When I say destroyed, I mean, I tore my arm out of the shoulder socket through the reverse angle while holding 40kg. This came down to two things. One, I was spotted so poorly I partially tore my shoulder. Two, I had never given proper attention to the development of all my supporting muscle groups, as they are the workouts that have little affect on your aesthetics.

Since this traumatic injury I have devoted a great deal of time and attention to understanding shoulder mobility, development, rehabilitation and strength. So, after many hours of learning, here it is, my 5 tips for stronger shoulders….

TIP 1: TRAIN YOUR SUPPORTING MUSCLE GROUPS, MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE ROTATOR CUFF GROUP

Grab some resistance bands and do your rotator cuff exercises with light resistance. Whether you’re rehabbing an existing injury or working to prevent one, these are crucial exercises for injury rehab, injury prevention and developing that extra density for the elusive ‘boulder shoulder’. My last thought on this point is that if you think this is a waste of time and that you’d rather focus on your bench press, dead lifts and chin ups, then think again. Without strength in your rotator cuff group you’ll be stuck lifting baby weights for years!

TIP 2: ON DAYS WHEN YOUR SHOULDERS ARE FRESH, DO THE MILITARY PRESS AND GO HEAVY FOR 4 DROP SETS

This piece of equipment is great for building huge pressing strength in a safe and restricted range. This means you can go heavier than you normally could if the weight was unsecured. Perform drop sets, increasing your reps as you lower the weight.

TIP 3: RETHINK THE CLASSICS

What I mean by this is, change the way you think about building big muscles. You don’t just have to lift heavy using the classic moves. Instead, to build that boulder shoulder look, try including the lateral raise earlier into your workout.

Overload the muscles with heavy weight in this motion by holding onto a stable piece of equipment so that you can lean laterally away from the machine. Allow one arm to hang down at an angle and grab a heavy dumbbell. Use your whole body to help get the weight raised up to shoulder height and then aim to decelerate the weight on the way down. Complete 6-8 reps per set.

TIP 4: STOP CHEATING!!

Whether you call it sloppy technique, ignorance, laziness or ego, so often I see people cheating to move a weight through their intended range. They know that a shoulder raise should move the weight from hips to just above the shoulder, however they complete this motion by swinging the arms or leaning back. To really build strong shoulders (or for that matter any body part), reduce the weight and focus on correct form and tempo while completing an exercise. I promise you, no one cares if you can lift 40s on a front raise, unless you can do it with textbook form!

TIP 5: DON’T FORGET THE BITS YOU CAN’T SEE

The shoulder is one of the most complex and mobile joints in the body. It moves through many ranges of motion and can be activated from many angles. While you train your shoulders, think about how you move, think about the ranges you use most and about the angles that you many find awkward. As an example, using your shoulder to reach for your seat belt is a range with little strength. Try using a cable machine in the gym to add resistance to pull over and rear rotational exercises. The strongest shoulders come from workouts that train this joint through every angle. Don’t stagnate in your workouts, as keeping the same exercises on a loop will often lead to neglecting ranges of motion.

My final thought for you today is something I tell all my clients looking to build the perfect physique…

Shoulders are the foundation of your arm and will be the key to unlocking your lifting potential through all major muscle group motions (both push and pull). If you want the perfect arms, start at the foundation and the aesthetics take care of themselves.

By Vicky Smith at mattroberts.co.uk