Growing and strengthening your shoulder muscles can provide numerous benefits, such as improving your posture, increasing your upper body strength, and enhancing your overall physical appearance.

Here are the top 5 workouts for growing shoulder muscles:

MilitaryPress

The military press, also known as the shoulder press, is an effective exercise for targeting the muscles of the shoulders, including the deltoids and rotator cuff. To perform the military press, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height. Press the dumbbells overhead until your arms are fully extended, then lower them back to the starting position.

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Lateral Raises

Lateral raises are a great exercise for targeting the lateral head of the deltoid muscle. To perform lateral raises, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Keeping your elbows slightly bent, lift the dumbbells out to the sides until they are at shoulder height, then lower them back to the starting position.

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Rear Delt Flyes

Rear delt flyes are an excellent exercise for strengthening the muscles in the back of the shoulders, known as the posterior deltoids. To perform rear delt flyes, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Keeping your elbows slightly bent, lift the dumbbells out to the sides and up to shoulder height, then lower them back to the starting position.

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Upright Rows

Upright rows are a great exercise for targeting the muscles of the shoulders, including the deltoids and the rotator cuff. To perform upright rows, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs. Keeping your elbows close to your body, lift the dumbbells up to your chest, then lower them back to the starting position.

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Arnold Press

The Arnold press is a variation of the military press that targets all three heads of the deltoid muscle. To perform the Arnold press, sit on a bench with a pair of dumbbells at shoulder level and palms facing inward. Slowly press the dumbbells overhead while rotating your palms outward, then lower them back down to the starting position while rotating your palms inward.

It’s important to use proper form and technique when performing these exercises, and to consult with a healthcare professional before starting a new workout routine.

 

Sources:

“The effectiveness of the shoulder press exercise on the muscle strength and size of the upper body in healthy men: a systematic review and meta-analysis” by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6848273/

“The effects of shoulder muscle strength training on shoulder muscle size and function: a systematic review and meta-analysis” by the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7535941/