5 Exercises To Build Shoulder Strength

The shoulder is one of the most sensitive joints in the body and can be easily injured, but a number of exercises can be used to strengthen the muscles around it. 

Proper form and a balanced approach to your programme are important to ensure you don’t create an imbalance that could lead to damage.

Here are five exercises that can be used to build shoulder strength in different ways.

Dumbbell Press

The dumbbell press is one of the most commonly used shoulder exercises as it isolates the muscle group efficiently. 

It can be performed seated or standing and using slightly lighter weights to perform a higher number of repetitions while maintaining a full range of motion could be just as effective as going for a bigger weight.

Lateral Dumbbell Raise

As already mentioned, it’s important to avoid imbalances when training the shoulders. Many athletes tend to disproportionally focus on the front of the muscle group so the posterior and medial muscles, therefore, get left behind. 

The lateral dumbbell raise will help address this issue by targeting the medial deltoid.

Kettlebell Shoulder Packing

A good way to train the back of the shoulder is to perform kettlebell shoulder packing. This is important because the rear of the shoulder is needed to slow the arm down when it is used in a sport that involves throwing or swinging a racquet.

So to avoid injury, don’t neglect the rear of your shoulder.

Single-Arm Landmine Press

Lifting the arm at an angle rather than straight upwards when performing a single-arm landmine press can be much safer for those with mobility issues.

The different movement also changes the stimulus, so a landmine press is certainly a useful exercise to incorporate into your shoulder routine.

Clean & Press

The clean and press will target a number of muscle groups and help athletes burn a large number of calories.

If looking to target the shoulders, a clean and press can be a good move to put in at the start of your workout as a key exercise to build leg and core strength too.