Shoulder exercises: establish strength, definition and stability

Shoulder exercises are often overlooked when working out. Your shoulders are the frame of your body; they establish your posture and anchor your upper body when working your core. A common issue is not anchoring the shoulder blades back and down to the spine when using pulling motions. This can overstress your back muscles and lead to neck pain and inefficient patterns of exercise.

Shoulder exercises: the foundations

The number one exercise to perfect is the push up with perfect shoulder engagement. This means engaging your shoulder blades back and down, locking them in with your back muscles. From here you can press your chest to touch the ground for maximum depth. Begin with up to 5 reps with precise technique. You can go all the way to the ground and rest, then push to straight (not locked) arms from the ground if that helps. Your focus is on your form- record yourself to see where you need to correct your body.

Exploring the shoulders from a solid base

Once you understand how your shoulders feel when in the correct position, you can explore other exercises. Some of our favourites are:

• Barbell Overhead Press

• Half-Kneeling Landmine Press

• Wide-Grip Seated Row

Use a friend or personal trainer to watch you closely. They can spot micro-adjustments you can make to ensure the shoulders are developing in harmony with your effort. Once you establish the body feedback and muscle memory of correct technique you will appreciate the difference good form can make!

Start as you wish to continue

Effective workouts all follow the same formula:

• an appropriate warm up,

• perfect technique and

• stretching

Investing in the proper form at the beginning saves you from injury, ineffective activity and frustration when the gains don’t appear. To fast-track your success, use a personal trainer to design a routine of complementary exercises to work your entire body. Cardiovascular activity works in tandem with strength training to balance stamina and strength. Book in with Recharged Training for a high impact, exciting routine tailored to your strengths and weaknesses.

The first shoulder exercise is to give us a call!