Strengthen your shoulders: The most mobile joints in your body

Your shoulders are one of the most important joints in your body because they are the most mobile joints in your body.

Shoulder movements include flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, rotation, and circumduction, which are all important for daily life. Your shoulders are involved in any movement that requires lifting, pushing, pulling, reaching overhead, or throwing.

Shoulders also play a role in your posture. Stronger shoulders promote good posture and provide necessary support for the neck and spine. Balanced shoulder muscles also help prevent injuries.

Target your shoulder muscles

Incorporating shoulder strengthening exercises into your regular routine will help prevent injuries, improve your performance in sports and exercise, stabilize the joints, help promote good posture, and improve aesthetics.

Shoulder exercises do not have to involve complicated equipment or heavy weights. In fact, because of the delicacy of the shoulder joint, heavy weights are often discouraged.

Here are some exercises for your shoulder that you can do from home:

• Forward Arm Raises
• Lateral Arm Raises
• Shoulder Press
• High Pulls
• Face Pulls
• WYTs
• Rear Delt Flies

Stretch your shoulder

While strengthening your shoulder is important, flexibility and mobility in your shoulder is critical too. Because of this, stretching the muscles around your shoulder should be included in any routine.

Using a doorway, rack, or even a wall, bend your arm to 90 degrees and place your hand flat against the surface. Rotate your torso away from your arm, feeling a stretch in the front of your shoulder and chest. Hold the stretch briefly, rotate back towards your arm, then rotate away. Repeat.

In the same stance with your arm at 90 degrees, slowly walk your hand up the rack, door frame, or wall. Then walk your hand back down and repeat.

Both of these movements will help increase the range of motion in your shoulder and prevent injuries as you work to strengthen those muscles.

Muscles of the shoulder

These exercises primarily target the deltoid muscle, which is the primary muscle of the shoulder.

The anterior deltoid (in the front of the shoulder) helps lift the arm forward. The lateral deltoid (which is in the middle) allows you to lift your arm to the side. The posterior deltoid (which is the back) moves the arm backward and is a primary muscle that allows for pulling motion and supports posture.

Your shoulder also includes a set of rotator cuff muscles, which help stabilize the shoulder. The supraspinatus helps with abduction, or moving your arms away from your body; the infraspinatus and teres minor are involved in external rotation; and the subscapularis helps with internal rotation.

Your shoulder is also assisted by other muscles nearby. The trapezius and rhomboid muscles help move and rotate the shoulder blades, while the serratus anterior is used in overhead movements. The pectoralis major and the latissimus dorsi are also involved in shoulder movement.

Need help with your shoulders?

Whether you’re recovering from a shoulder injury, want to prevent injury, or if you’re focused on your strength or aesthetic, a certified personal trainer at Uno’s Fitness can help you. We will create a personalized plan based on your goals, needs, and where you are in your fitness journey.

Contact Uno’s Fitness today to set up a free consultation.