Shape Up! Be Head And Shoulders Above The Rest

Stay head and shoulders above the rest.

A great set of shoulders is quite the sight to see on a handsome lad. But far too often, we injure our shoulders by not warming them up properly and/or going too heavy with improper movements. Here are some tips to keep your deltoids safe while you build them up.

1. Warm It Up!

Start by grabbing a long stick. (That’s what he said!) I kid, I kid. I’m talking about a wooden stick or a PVC pipe but you can also use a band or a long towel. Grab the stick with your hands far apart in front of you and keeping your arms straight, lift the stick up, over, and behind your head, turning your palms up and bringing the stick to your butt. Then reverse the motion back to the front. Give it about ten full reps of this warm up in both directions to really open up the shoulders. If you do this everyday, you will start to be more flexible and mobile, and in time you will be able to perform this motion with your hands closer together.

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Another good warm up for the shoulders are W’s. Start with some light dumbbells in your hands with your arms making the shape of a football goal post. Keeping a 90 degree angle in your elbow and shoulder, rotate at the shoulder, bringing the dumbbells down so that your forearms are parallel to the floor. Then rotate the dumbbells back up to the original position. Do about twenty reps to warm up.

Now your shoulders are ready for a workout!

2. Press it Up!

First, we are going to want to start with a military press. I like to be seated with a heavy press for my first shoulder exercise. Three sets of ten reps with dumbbells on a chair with a back is a good start. Press the dumbbells above your head, bring them together and poke your head through your arms to target the full deltoids rather than just the front of them.

3. Raise it Up!

Three sets of ten reps of both standing front raises and abductions (lateral raises) should be part of your shoulder workout. These really help target the anterior deltoids with will give you a broader look. Be cautious not to hyperextend your lower back during these two exercises. If you find yourself putting pressure on your lower back, go with a lighter weight and focus on your form. Standing while doing these exercises engage your core. If you want to engage your abs more, try standing on only one leg.

Follow these tips and you are well on your way to getting yourself some nice, broad shoulders for some handsome head to rest upon. As always, thanks for reading and tell us what you think!   

The Phoenix Effect, a metabolic bootcamp that gets you in shape fast, is offered exclusively at Mansion Fitness, 7914 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood.