When you think about building strength, many immediately think of a ripped core, powerful legs and toned arms. A lot of the time, the shoulders get neglected for girls, whereas they’re often the star of the show for dudes.

Well not today girl. We’re here to show you why it’s so important to focus on your shoulders and teach you how to grow those muscles for some serious strength.

Perfect a powerful upper-body with this guide to the best shoulder workouts for strength.

Why do you need to work shoulders?

You might not think it, but strong shoulders are a key player when it comes to your big lifts and they’re essential for building all-round strength. From powering through a huge deadlift, to bringing the groceries into the house, pretty much anything that uses your arms relies on strong, sturdy shoulders.

Aside from the benefits in the weights room, building strong shoulders is a good way to avoid injury. The shoulder is one of the most moveable joints in the body, giving your arms a huge range of motion. Because of this, it’s also one of the most unstable joints you have.

The ball of the upper arm doesn’t actually fit inside it’s socket, because it’s too large. Due to this and it’s huge range of movement, it can be vulnerable to injury.

To hold it in place and to protect you from any potential shoulder injuries, you need to reinforce the joint with strong muscles.

Whether you’re trying to protect your body from unexpected strains, or to bolster your big lifts, these are the best shoulder workouts for strengthening your body.

On top of that, strong shoulders are the undeniable sign of a girl who knows her sh*t in the weights room and it contributes to giving you that gorgeous hour glass figure.

What makes the best shoulder workouts?

It’s all good standing there and smashing out a few military presses, but if you want some real strong shoulders, you need to train smart. The shoulder is a very complex joint and you need to cover all three heads of your delts and the external rotator cuff. The best shoulder workouts will work all of these.

By working these separate muscle groups, you’ll have a strong, flexible joint you can rely on to smash out a killer set on the bench press.

Best shoulder workouts

To ensure you’re working every element of your shoulder, we’ve created a workout that addresses all the areas we mentioned earlier. Here’s how it works…

External rotator cuff exercises:

The rotator cuff is the muscle that keeps the head of your arm in place within the socket in your shoulder. It’s a pretty much essential to keeping the joint in place and providing you with a full range of movement.

These are small, delicate muscles, so we recommend taking a real light weight, somewhere between two and 10 pounds. Start with about six reps and as you grow stronger, you can build up to 12 reps. Perform three sets of each movement.

Lying dumbbell external rotation:

1. Lie on your side with a light dumbbell gripped in your upper hand
2. Tuck that elbow in to your body
3. Create an L-shape by bending the elbow so you’re holding the dumbbell directly outwards
4. Slowly, keep your elbow tight against your body, but move your arm out sideways in a smooth arcing motion
5. Stop when the dumbbell is vertical, or you can’t go any further. Don’t go past parallel, as you risk overextending the muscle
6. Return to the start position by moving in a controlled motion until your lower arm is point downwards again

Cable External Rotation:

1. Set the cable machine so it sits at around elbow height
2. Stand side on to the machine and choose a very light weight to start with
3. With the arm furthest away from the cable machine, take the handle and pull it across your body
4. Tuck the elbow into the side of the body and the cable out in front of you so your arm creates an L-shape
5. Keeping your elbow tight to your side, let the cable pull your arm in so your forearm is across your body
6. From there, externally rotate your shoulder by keeping your elbow still and pulling the cable across and away from your body until your arm is pointing to the side
7. Return to the start position with your forearm across your stomach in a smooth, controlled movement

Deltoid exercises

The shoulder joint is supported by three heads of the deltoid muscle. The anterior (front) head, the lateral head (side) and the posterior head (back) work in unison to give you the full range of movement in your shoulder. Here’s how to work your delts for a strong, stable shoulder.

Dumbbell shoulder press

This movement will work all three heads of your deltoids, developing strength in a well-rounded way. When your arms are fully extended, it’s the anterior or front head of the muscle that takes most of the strain.

1. Sit on a bench with a high back, like a chair
2. Pop the dumbbells up with the help of your knees and raise them up to just outside your shoulders. Your palms should be facing forward and your elbows directly below them
3. From this position, push the dumbbells directly up until your arms are extended
4. Return to the start position with the weights just outside of your shoulders

Perform 4 sets of 8 reps at a challenging weight.

Bent over reverse flyes

This movement really focusses in on the posterior head which sits at the back of your shoulder. You can build strength on this one with a relatively light weight, so don’t go for anything too big to start with – trust us, it’s a real burner.

1. Take a dumbbell in each hand
2. Break at the knees and hinge at the hips until you’re as horizontal as you can go. Don’t go past parallel to the ground and keep your weight on your heels to avoid tipping forward
3. Let your arms hang below you and bend at the elbows slightly
4. Raise both arms outwards until your elbows are aligned with your shoulders
5. Squeeze your scapulars together at the top to feel the burn in your back and delts
6. Return to the start position in a smooth, controlled motion, don’t let your arms drop quickly

Perform 3 sets of 8 reps.

Lateral raises

As the name suggests, this movement puts the main focus on the lateral head of your deltoids. For extra muscle building potential, lower the weights in a slow, controlled motion and you’ll really feel the burn.

1. Take a dumbbell in each hand
2. Stand in a neutral position with your arms hanging by your sides
3. Flex at the elbow slightly to create tension
4. Raise both arms up and out until they are level with your shoulders
5. Lower your arms back down to your sides

Perform 4 sets of 8 reps.

Bench press

This compound movement is fundamentally a staple of the chest workout. However, it recruits a huge number of upper body muscles, including the deltoids. Just as the shoulders are key to building a strong bench, the bench can help you achieve your goals, so it’s definitely worth including to get your shoulder muscles working in a functional way.

1. Lie on the bench with the bar directly above your face
2. Grip the bar at around shoulder-width apart
3. Push the bar up and out of the rack and hold it with your arms completely straight and the bar above your upper chest
4. Bend your arms and bring the bar down so it touches your chest, just at the nipple line
5. Push the bar back up until your arms are completely straight again

Perform 5 sets of 5 reps.

The final word

For a strong, injury resistant upper bod, the best shoulder workouts will really drill into those smaller muscles. Work these movements into your usual routine and watch the strength gains come rolling in.

What’s more, by drilling in to the smaller, stabilizing muscles, you’ll bring additional strength and power to your bigger lifts, like the bench and deadlift.

Building strength in your shoulders is an all-round win girl, so what are you waiting for? Get started on those powerful deltoids today.

Find more workout inspiration with these articles from SMG: 

• A Girls Guide to Muscle Hypertrophy – Building Shape and Size
• Get Shredded With the Best Cardio Workout for Fat Loss
• Fat Torching, Muscle Growing HIIT Leg Workouts

The best way to get that all round look is to have a killer chest and shoulder workout in your back pocket. If you’re bossing leg day but don’t quite know where to start with chest, don’t sweat it. That’s what we’re here for, girl.

Article preview: 

• Why you should do chest and shoulder workouts for women
• Chest and shoulder training program tips
• Goals: What do you want from your workout? 
• Chest and shoulder workouts for women

Why you should do chest and shoulder workouts for women

Whether you’re training for physique or to shift some serious weights, your chest can’t be neglected.

When it comes to lifts, your chest adds another level of strength to all your compound movements and working those pectoral muscles is key to achieving the coveted chest line for competition.

With that in mind, you really can’t skip chest day. Those large muscles need a smart workout that gets every fiber burning.

The chest is made up of two muscles, the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor, aka your ‘pecs’. Despite consisting of only two major primary muscles, they cover a pretty big space within your body and help your arms move forward and across your body. So they’re pretty much responsible for a lot of your upper body movement.

Your shoulders are also key to creating that shapely figure you’re dreaming of. For us girls, it’s all about curves and by adding a little toned muscle to your upper body, you’ll make your waist look thinner, creating that gorgeous hourglass figure. Goals.

To achieve this Instagram-worthy physique, you need to create a varied workout plan that hits all these muscles, through a variety of compound and isolated movements.

Chest and shoulders training program tips

Building your upper body takes a lot of work for women. Guys love chest and shoulders day, but for us, the muscles we’re building aren’t as obvious or as pronounced as theirs are. That’s why a fully developed training program is essential.

Your chest muscles are quite large, so it’s essential you have the right approach to training to achieve optimum gains.

You should aim to add two or three different compound movements into your chest and shoulder workouts for women. We’re talking bench press, shoulder press, flys – all of these will recruit more muscles and work your body in a more functional way.

Couple those with a few of isolation movements and you can really get your chest working to the max.

Goals: what do you want from your workout?

Before you start your chest and shoulder workout, think about what it is you’d like to achieve. Different types of training and rep and set patterns can change the way your body builds muscle. Follow these general rules to help you achieve the physique you’re looking for.

Maintenance

To keep up general fitness, you’ll really benefit from 12-15 reps at a challenging weight over the course of 2-3 sets. High volume reps and lower weights should keep your muscles in shape and working hard to maintain those you already have on your chest and shoulders.

Mass

If physique and competition is your bag, then you want to be looking for mass increasing exercises. This will sit in the 8-12 reps range, for 3-4 sets. Numbers like these will give you some serious pumps that last, perfect if you’re trying to perfect that superwoman body.

Strength

You might have your eyes on that next bench PB, in which case you need to craft your muscles to support strength. To achieve this you need to up the weight and reduce the reps for a heavy workout. Aim to complete between 6-10 reps over 3-4 sets for a strength building session.

When it comes to building muscle in the chest and shoulders, us ladies need to play it smart. Use these rep and set patterns to achieve your desired results. Include at least one dedicated chest and shoulders workout for women in your weekly routine to get the best possible results.

Chest and shoulder workouts for women

Once you’ve decided on your rep and set pattern, you can apply them to the following exercises. We’ve created a workout, focusing in on your chest and shoulders for maximum effect. It’s made up of a range of compound and isolated movements so you can feel the burn across your whole chest and feel incredible results.

Bench press.

Think of this as the foundation of your chest workout, so it’s best to hit it first so you can really max out. There’s a reason bench is the staple of an intense upper-body day. It recruits just about every muscle in your chest to set you up for a burning workout.

• Lie on the bench and grip the bar at just outside a shoulder width apart. You can adjust your grip to change the muscles you focus on
• Your legs should be firmly rooted on the floor and there should be a slight arch in your back, just enough to slide your hand under the small of your back
• Take the bar out of the rack and hold it straight up above the top of your chest
• Slowly bend your arms to lower the bar the middle of your chest, just over the nipples
• In a smooth, controlled motion push the bar back up until your arms are straight again

Strict shoulder press.

This core compound movement is key for building strength and muscle in your shoulders. It pulls in a range of muscles and gets them working together for a delt-defining workout.

• Stand straight up with your feet hip width apart
• Grip your bar about shoulder width apart bar and hold it with your arms bent and it resting against your chest, just at the base of your neck. Keep your elbows down with the weight of the bar in your palms.
• Moving your head out of the way, press the bar directly upwards and lock out your arms. As you perform this movement, keep your core strong and don’t arch your back
• Return the bar to your start position

Incline dumbbell bench press.

This slight variation on the bench press changes your angle of approach. With this on top of your usual bench you can alter the focus to really target the full muscle group. As a unilateral exercise, it will also help you target any imbalances you may be experiencing in your chest.

• Set your bench at around a 45-degree incline
• Take your dumbbells and lie on the bench
• Hold the dumbbells down on either side of your chest so you feel the strain across the muscles
• In a measured, controlled movement, push the dumbbells up until your arms are straight and they come together above your chest
• Return to your start position

Lateral raises.

This exercise isolates your deltoids for an absolute scorcher of a shoulder workout. It’s simple and quick to do, but the results are amazing.

• Stand straight up with your feet hip-width apart
• Take a dumbbell in each hand
• Slightly flex your arms
• Raise your dumbbells up to shoulder height before slowly returning them to your sides

Pec deck.

Most good gyms will have a pec deck machine, and it’s such a great way to target your pecs to really drill into those individual muscles. Maybe ask your workout partner to open your post-workout protein bar though… this one will hit you hard, girl.

• Sit at the pec deck with the handles adjusted so they’re in line with your shoulders
• Grip the handles and slightly flex your arms to reduce the strain on your biceps
• Sweep your arms in an arcing motion until they’re in front of you
• Move your arms back and out until they’re in line with your shoulders. Don’t go too far backward as you may lose the tension

Seated dumbbell press.

This is the queen finisher of the shoulder workouts. It works a range of muscles and you’ll feel every one of them as you work through your reps. If you want to take this one up a notch (and we know you do), consider performing these as a drop set. You’ll struggle washing your hair when you get home, but it’s totally worth it.

• Set your bench to an upright position
• Sit down and hold a dumbbell in each hand
• Lift them up so your arms are bent and they’re resting just in front and outside of your shoulders
• Push directly upwards until your arms are locked out and straight
• Return to the resting position

Cable crossover.

This is the ultimate chest workout finisher. The constant resistance of the cable machine will get your pecs feeling like fiyah. Bonus: it also looks awesome and flexes the muscles across your whole upper body so you look shredded while you work. You’ll feel like the queen of the gym.

• Stand between two cable machines with the heights adjusted to just above the shoulder
• Take a cable in each hand and pull them so you’re holding your hands together in front of you at just above hip height. Find the center of the machine and step out forward.
• In a strong lunge position, keep your arms slightly flexed and bring your arms up and out to open up your chest. Your hands should be sit in line with your shoulders and your elbows should be up and strong. It’s important that you don’t bring your arms too far back, otherwise, you won’t feel the stretch across your chest.
• Keeping your chest up and your back strong, squeeze through your pecs and bring your arms down in a smooth motion to your start position.

Good luck washing and drying your hair, cos this workout is a real burner. We’d say we’re sorry, but we know you’ll forgive us when you feel the benefits settling in. We’re talking amazing gains and increased strength girls.

If you feel like you could go harder, take your workout to the next level with a powerful pre-workout, designed to help you push yourself to the max. With this in your system, you’ll have the added energy to really fulfill your full potential.

Looking for more killer workouts from your favorite fitness sisters at SMG? Girl, you don’t have to ask us twice:

• The Benefits of HIIT Workouts for Women
• Barbell Legs Workouts for Women
• How Much Weight Should a Woman be Able to Lift?

Your shoulders can be a hard muscle group to train and develop. You need to have a balance between the compound (multiple joints) and isolation (single joint) exercise to ensure an overall shoulder growth and development.

Many people make the mistake of limiting their shoulder training by sticking to a single shoulder part. Your shoulders are made up of three heads – anterior, posterior and middle. You need to put equal attention to all the three parts for round and fuller shoulders.

If you’ve always struggled with training your shoulders, we have specifically designed this workout for you. Following this training routine will ensure your shoulder development, strength and conditioning are on point.

1. Arnold Press – 3 Sets 12 Reps

In this workout, we’re looking for an overall shoulder development keeping in mind all the three heads of the shoulders. This exercise was devised by the Governator to target the shoulders from all the angles.

In this exercise, start with the dumbbells in front of your shoulders with your hands supinated. Rotate your hands outwards as you complete a shoulder press so your hands are facing outwards at the top of the movement. Return to the starting position with your hands supinated.

2. Cable Lateral Raises – 3 Sets 12 Reps

Cable lateral raises is an incredibly useful exercise to target your middle deltoids. Using a cable ensures you have constant tension on your shoulders throughout the exercise. Using dumbbells takes off the tension at the bottom of the movement.

Hold the handlebar in front of your thighs and hold onto the cable machine for support. Complete a side lateral raise so your arm is parallel to the floor at the top of the movement. Maintain a full range of motion for optimal results.

 3. Front Raises – 3 Sets 12 Reps

Only a few other exercises target your front delts as this exercise does. The anterior delt development is necessary as it separates the shoulders from your chest and delivers the shredded look.

Hold the dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing inwards. Lift your right dumbbell until your arm is parallel to the floor, return to the starting position and repeat for the left arm. Lifting the dumbbells any higher will take away the tension from your shoulders.

4. Incline Bench Rear Delt Flyes – 3 Sets 12 Reps

The rear or posterior delts are a weak muscle group for most people. These people make it even harder by not training them often. Doing the rear delt raises on an incline bench turns the exercise into an isolation movement.

Lie on a bench inclined at 70-degree while holding the dumbbells with a supinated grip. Keep a slight bend in your elbows while you lift the dumbbells. Your rear delts should be filled with lactic acid at the end of this exercise.

5. Shrugs – 3 Sets 15 Reps

This is the exercise most people use to show off their manliness. They fill the barbell with plates and move their shoulders an inch. You need to have a full range of motion in this exercise to target your traps.

While performing this exercise, imagine lifting your shoulders up to your ears and squeeze your traps at the top of the movement. Leave your ego at the door and use moderate weights to make the most of this exercise.

When we look at the anatomy of a shoulder, it’s quite dynamic and amazing and you should keep it mobile, stable and strong as possibly can. Also, there must a proper balance of the extensive network of shoulder complex muscles to minimize the risk of an injury.

That all being said; here are 5 of the best and most effective exercises performed with a kettlebell to prevent shoulder pain, dysfunction and injury and ensure its optimal health for proper and flexible working.

1. Turkish GetUp

This is perhaps the most important exercises that enhance and optimizes the shoulder functions due to its broad range of motion.

Turkish GetUp How-To

• Cradle and grip the kettlebell. Do this by placing it next to your shoulder of working side. Then roll to your side and cradle it with both hands and while you do this, roll onto your back and place it on your stomach.
• Now press the kettlebell overhead while the non-working hand will be placed firmly on the floor.
• Next, roll up onto the elbow and hand and bench the knee on the side of working hand.
• Now lift your hips so that the knee is still bent while the other hand is supported to lift the body.
• Sweep your leg and perform a lunge.
• Stand up from the lunge position.
• Finally, descend and get down to your starting position.
• Switch side and repeat.

Do at least 5-7 reps on each side.

2. Windmill

This gives you a dynamic range of motion, stability, and mobility. Other than shoulders, it is great for your hip and spine.

Windmill How-To

• Place the kettlebell in front of the lead foot and clean and press it overhead using the opposite arm.
• Next, clean the kettlebell to your shoulder and extend it through your legs and hips as you pull it towards the shoulders.
• Rotate the wrist as you do and keep the palm face forward and extend it overhead with elbow extension.
• Ensure that kettlebell is locked out all the time, push your butt out in the direction of locked kettlebell and turn the feet out at forty-five-degree angle from the arm with locked out kettlebell.
• Now, bend the hip to one side, stick your butt out and gradually lean until you can touch the floor with the free hand.
• Keep your eyes on the kettlebell throughout.
• Pause for a second and gradually return to your starting position.

Do 3-5 reps on each side.

3. Military Press

The Military Press kettlebell exercise is perfect for total shoulder strength and you’ll be targeting the scapula of your shoulder for maximum mobility.

Military Press How-To

• Grab a slightly heavier kettlebell and clean it to your shoulder.
• Clean it by extending through legs and hips as you pull it towards your shoulder.
• Next, rotate the wrist as you do, this way your palms will be facing inward.
• Finally, look at the kettlebell and press it up and out until it is locked overhead.
• Lower it to your shoulder under control and repeat.
• Switch sides and repeat.

Do at least two sets of five reps each per side.

4. Swing

This is the traditional kettlebell exercise but very effective for shoulder joint stabilization and maintaining the health of its humeral head in glenoid.

Swing How-To

• Stand over the kettlebell with your feet hip-width apart. Keep the chest up and shoulders back and down.
• Make sure that the kettlebell is in line with the middle of your feet.
• Squat down and grip the kettlebell with the palms facing you and thumbs wrapped loosely around its handle.
• Now stand tall while gripping the kettlebell and keep the arms long and lose while you retract shoulders blades and engage the core.
• Also, soften the knees and shift your body weight on the heels by lowering your rear end back and down towards the wall behind you.
• Finally, drive through your heel and explode through the hips and send the weight swinging upwards from your quads.
• Swing it at chest height and keep the core contracted throughout.
• You’ll be lowering in a squat position and then standing upright while you swing the kettlebell.

Do three sets of 10-15 reps each.

5. Kettlebell Snatch

It’s a hardcore and high-level exercise and you’ll not only target the shoulders but your entire body. Nonetheless, it’s really powerful and dynamic exercise.

Kettlebell Snatch How-To

• Grab the kettlebell and press it overhead
• Next lockout your position. Keep the arms straight and stable before we finally execute the exercise. If you are unable to extend it straight, consider lowering the weight or practice more on the military press.
• Now punch thru drill or the horizontal snatch. Do it as it you were snapping someone with a towel. The movement has to be very quick. The first hinge would be at the hips and then hike the bell. As you snap, pull it closer to your body and keep the elbow attached to your rib cage.
• Next, you’ll be doing the high pull. The arms will be closer to the body and elbow high as if you were trying to elbow someone behind you.
• Once again, this will be done briskly.
• Try not to grip the kettlebell too tightly.
• So basically, it was a combination of Punch Thru and High Pull.

Do three sets of five reps each.