The importance of compound shoulder exercises (and workout)

A strong upper body begins with strong shoulders. Strong shoulders play a pivotal role in a fit and active lifestyle. They are essential for everyday activities.

Compound shoulder exercises are a great way to help build muscle mass and overall strength.

From lifting groceries to reaching high shelves, your shoulders are the unsung heroes that make it all possible. But it doesn’t stop there. Strong shoulders are your partners in sports, adventures, and maintaining overall well-being.

Strong shoulders help with everyday exercises

Imagine a day without your shoulders. You wouldn’t be able to:

• Lift: You use your shoulders when picking up a backpack, a bag of groceries, or your school books. Strong shoulders make these tasks a breeze.
• Carry: Carrying a heavy laundry basket or helping your family move furniture is all thanks to your shoulder strength.
• Reach: When you want to grab a book from a high shelf or toss a ball to a friend, your shoulders step in to help.

Strong shoulders help you stay active and healthy

Strong and balanced shoulders aren’t just about making life easier; they’re also about keeping you healthy and active.

• Playing sports: Whether you enjoy soccer, basketball, or swimming, your shoulders are essential for making those awesome moves.
• Avoiding injuries: When your shoulders are strong and balanced, they help protect you from injuries like falls or strains.
• Daily adventures: From climbing trees to giving big hugs, your shoulders are always there to support your adventures.

Compound exercises vs isolation exercises

Exercise is like building with LEGO blocks. You can use big pieces or small ones, depending on what you want to create. Compound and isolation exercises are like those LEGO blocks – each has its own job and purpose.

Compound Exercises:

Think of compound exercises as the big LEGO blocks. These exercises work on multiple parts of your body at the same time. It’s like doing more than one thing with a single move.

For example, a push-up is a compound exercise because it works your chest, shoulders, and arms all at once. Compound exercises are excellent for building strength, saving time, and making your body work together as a team.

Isolation Exercises:

Now, think of isolation exercises as the small LEGO pieces. These exercises focus on one specific muscle at a time. They let you zoom in on a particular muscle group and make it stronger.

For instance, a bicep curl is an isolation exercise because it targets only your biceps. Isolation movements are great for giving special attention to specific muscles or fixing muscle imbalances.

Why compound exercises are good for shoulders

Compound exercises are like the managers who make sure everyone is working together smoothly. Here’s why they are so effective for your shoulders:

1. Works multiple muscles: Compound movements involve more than one muscle group at the same time. For instance, when you do a bench press, your chest, shoulders, and triceps all pitch in to lift the weight. This means your shoulders get a full-body workout, making them stronger and more versatile.
2. Builds functional strength: Your shoulders are not just for show; they are essential for daily activities like lifting, pushing, and pulling. Compound exercises mimic these real-life movements, so when you strengthen your shoulders with these exercises, you’re preparing them for the tasks you do every day.
3. Promotes balance: Strong shoulders don’t just mean big muscles; they also mean balanced muscles. Compound exercises help ensure that all parts of your shoulders get attention, preventing muscle imbalances that can lead to injuries.

Muscle group worked in compound shoulder exercises

Compound exercises work all three heads of the deltoid (shoulder): 

• Anterior deltoid: commonly called the front delts. The main purpose is to main function is to move your arm up, forward, and to your center.
• Lateral deltoid: The side delts help move your arm out to the side and up and down. When developed will give you a more “capped” shoulders appearance. 
• Posterior deltoid: commonly called the rear delts. The main function is moving the arm outward and backward.

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Compound shoulder exercises

Arnold press

• Set the back support of a gym bench in an upright position.
• Grab a pair of dumbbells. Position your back against the support and rest the weights on top of your thighs.
• Hold both dumbbells with an underhand grip (palms facing you), elbows at shoulder height in front of your body and dumbbells at about eye level.
• Press both dumbbells up as you simultaneously rotate your wrists out.
• As you’re halfway up, spread your elbows to your sides and make sure your wrists are now facing forward.
• Press up until your elbows are locked out
• Reverse the motion, rotating your wrists inward (ending with palms facing you) as you lower down to the starting position. Aim to keep your elbows at shoulder height rather than letting them drop down.
• Repeat

Front raises

• Set up an incline bench to a 45-degree angle.
• Set yourself up on the bench – Chest on the upper portion of the back rest, legs placed comfortably, head above the backrest
• Hold a set of dumbbells with an overhand grip.
• Lift the dumbbells in front of you while keeping the core tight.
• When the dumbbells reach shoulder height, pause and slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position. 

Overhead presses/ Dumbbell shoulder press

• From a seated or standing position, hold a heavy dumbbell in each hand by your side.
• Press the dumbbells straight overhead, keeping elbows narrow. At the top of the dumbbell press, rotate the dumbbells so your palms face out (away from you).
• As you lower the dumbbells, elbows should go wide, arms bent at 90 degrees (like goal posts). Keep your elbows in line with your shoulders, rather than letting them drop down.
• Repeat.

Upright row

• Grab a pair of dumbbells and position them in front of your thighs with your arms straight and palms facing back.
• Row both dumbbells in a straight vertical line toward your chest.
• Lift the weights as much as your strength and shoulder mobility allow and hold the top position for a moment.
• Lower both weights to the starting position, exhaling on the way down.
• Repeat

Dumbbell lateral raise

• In a seated position or standing position, hold the dumbbells at either side in a neutral grip.
• Using just your shoulders and arms, raise the dumbbells out to your side until your arms are parallel to the ground.
• Keep your chest up and core engaged.
• Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position — with control.
• Repeat.

Shoulder workout

A well-rounded workout routine allows you to target the different heads of your shoulders.

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