Dumbbell Shoulder Workout

By Ehren Allen, DPT, COMT

Which Exercise is Best for the Shoulder?

This article will describe the best dumbbell shoulder workout by JOI Rehab Clinicians.  Sculpting the shoulders is something you can do from home or in the gym.  At home, all you need is some dumbbells.  The shoulder is actually a joint group that moves to allow you to lift and move your arms.  Strengthening the shoulders with dumbbells is a great way to work all of the components of the shoulder.

Dumbbell Shoulder Workout 

Sculpting the shoulders is something you can do from home or in the gym.  At home, all you need is some dumbbells.  The shoulder is actually a joint group that moves to allow you to lift and move your arms.  Strengthening the shoulders with dumbbells is a great way to work all of the components of the shoulder.  Some of the best exercises for a dumbbell shoulder workout are:

• Front Raises
• Lateral Raises
• Side-lying External Rotation
• Horizontal Abduction
• Dumbbell Rows
• Biceps Curls

• Triceps Extensions
• Overhead Presses
• Dumbbell Extensions

What Exercises are Bad for Shoulders?

Exercises that compress the rotator cuff muscles are not recommended for the shoulder. Using improper technique with shoulder exercise can be harmful to the shoulder, and the shoulder is avoided or adjusted.  Some examples of bad shoulder exercises include:

• Lat pulldown exercises behind the neck can be compromising to the shoulder and the neck. It is best to pull the bar to the chest, in front of the body.
• Military barbell press overhead behind the neck can also expose the shoulder and neck to problems. Bring the bar in front of the body.

To learn more about Bad Shoulder Exercises, Read this article on The 5 Worst Shoulder Exercises, 5 Best Rotator Cuff Exercises, Types of Shoulder Surgery, Rotator Cuff Repair, and Rotator Cuff Tears.

How Do I Build Muscles on My Shoulder?

In general, strength training is the key to better shoulder definition. Dumbbells are a great tool to use at home or in the gym. Choose a weight that allows you to perform the exercise properly for 8 to 12 repetitions.  It is also important to make sure the muscles around the shoulder blades are strong.  This can help place the shoulder in a better postural position and improve the mechanics of the shoulder.  It also may give the appearance of better muscle development.

At JOI Rehab, we recommend the following dumbbell exercises for your shoulder health.

Shoulder Workout with Dumbbells

Perform these exercises with 10 repetitions and try to do 2 to 3 sets.

Forward Raises

Lateral Raises

Side-lying External Rotation

Horizontal Abduction

Dumbbell Rows

Dumbbell Extensions

Biceps Curls

Triceps Curls

Dumbbell Overhead Press

What if I Have Pain With The Dumbbell Shoulder Workout?

These are basic dumbbell exercises to increase strength and stability in the shoulder muscles. If you have pain or irritation with any of these exercises, attempt lowering the weight. It may be worth seeing a physician and getting a referral to physical therapy to develop a safe and effective exercise program for the shoulders if the pain does not go away. To learn more, go to the best shoulder workouts reduce injury, Concentric vs Eccentric Exercises or the 3 top shoulder exercises

Book an Appointment with The Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute Today!

JOI Physicians continue to offer online new patient appointments. This is another option to make it more convenient to make new patient appointments with less phone hold times. Follow the link below to select your JOI MD and schedule online.

You can still call 904-JOI-2000 to make new patient JOI Physician Appointments if that is your preference.

To make appointments with JOI Rehab, please call 904-858-7045.