Shoulder Exercises with Dumbbells

The shoulders are composed of three muscle groups. These are the anterior deltoid, lateral deltoid and posterior deltoid muscles. To develop sculpted shoulders, targeting each of these muscle groups is necessary. Shoulder exercises can be performed two times per week and each should be completed until the muscles are fatigued. If you have had any shoulder injuries, speak with your physician before starting any of these exercises to ensure their safety.

  1. Anterior Deltoid--Arnold Press

    • This exercise works the anterior deltoid muscles, which are those located on the top of your shoulders. To perform this exercise, use a weight bench or sturdy chair and two dumbbells that will fatigue your muscles within 15 repetitions. When choosing the weights, be careful not to overextend yourself, which can lead to shoulder and back injuries.

      Sit on the edge of the weight bench or chair and place your feet firmly on the ground. Keep your back straight, never slump your shoulders or curve your back during the exercise. Grab the dumbbells and bring them to your chest as if you were at the top of a bicep curl. With the palms facing your body, raise the dumbbells and while doing so rotate the dumbbells so that your palms are facing away from your body and your thumbs facing each other. Carefully lower the dumbbells to the original position. The rotating movement of your arms will engage the anterior deltoids and effectively fatigue this muscle group. Repeat ten times and rest for one minute before doing two more sets of ten.

    Lateral Deltoid--Upright Row

    • Firmly place your feet on the ground and choose a weight that is challenging but not too heavy. Place one foot in front of the other and create a slight bend in the knees. Grab the dumbbells and with your palms facing toward your body and pull the dumbbells up toward your chest. Allow your elbows to fan out to the sides as you pull the weights toward your chin. At the top of the movement, your wrists should be on the same level of your shoulders. Slowly lower the weight and repeat fifteen times. Rest one minute between each set and perform a total of three sets of 15.

    Posterior Deltoid--Rear Lateral Raise

    • Grab both dumbbells and bend your upper body toward the ground through your hips. Keep your back straight, face forward and support your body by bending your knees. Slightly bend your elbows and keep your palms facing each other.
      Start the movement by raising your arms laterally, leading with your elbows. At the top of the motion your pinky fingers should be facing the ceiling. Slowly lower the arms to the original position and repeat. Perform a total of 10 repetitions before taking a one-minute rest and continuing with two more sets of 10.