Strong shoulders are what any gym-goer strives for, but is it so easy to build up this muscle group?
How to build broad shoulders?
Thick, broad shoulders for men is a girl’s fantasy and the secret dream of every man without exception. Some are endowed with them by nature, and some need to work hard to achieve the desired results. In any case it is possible – it would be a desire, and as for the choice of means to achieve the goal, they are enough. So the answer to the question of how to pump the shoulders is simple: dumbbells, a horizontal bar, a barbell, push-ups.
In this article we will consider two options for effective exercises to pump up your shoulders at home. First way: exercises only with your own body weight. The second way: exercises with dumbbells.
Training with own weight
How to pump up the shoulders at home without having at hand dumbbells and other sports assortment? It’s pretty simple. To pump up the muscles of the shoulder girdle, and in particular the delts, through which the volume of the shoulders is formed, most often perform pull-ups and push-ups.
Types of pull-ups:
1. Pull-ups with wide, narrow and medium grip. These work the upper part of the shoulder girdle well.
2. Reverse grip pull-ups. In this case, palms of the hands face towards you.
3. Headstand pull-ups work the back muscles as well as the lagging back delta.
Push-ups can be:
- Classical push-ups. This exercise mainly works pectoral muscles, but also the shoulder girdle. A narrow arm position will engage triceps and middle deltoid, and if you set your arms wider, in addition to the middle bundle, you can also engage the front delta bundle. In order to fully engage the muscles of the shoulder girdle, try to do push-ups not on the floor, but slightly higher, so that only the delts are engaged.
- Push-ups on uneven bars. The shoulder girdle will only work when you are going up. Therefore, go as low as possible and raise yourself up without straightening your arms. Then go back down again. This way you should feel your deltoid muscles working well.
- Push-ups on one arm are good for toning the shoulder girdle. The wider your feet, the easier it is to do this exercise, but the less the strain on your muscles. It is up to you to find the most suitable position.
- Push-ups in a handstand. This exercise may seem a little complicated for a beginner, but if you do it leaning against a wall, it is much easier. This way you can work your shoulder girdle muscles well.
Dumbbell workouts
If you want to diversify your training, read below how to pump up your shoulders with dumbbells. You will need a special set of exercises. Dumbbells help you work your entire shoulder girdle, in particular the rear, middle and front delts.
1. barb. This exercise works the trapezius muscle as well as the broadest muscle of back. And your posture after doing this exercise regularly will be the envy of you!
Stand up while keeping your body straight. Arms with dumbbells down. Do dumbbell raises, not with your arms, but with your trapezius muscles, raising your shoulders as high as possible.
2. Vertical pulling – works virtually the entire shoulder girdle: delts, trapezius and biceps.
Take dumbbells. Stand erect. Your back is straight. Bend your arms, bend your elbows out to the sides. Lift your arms to the middle of your chest. Keep your elbows up. Try to fix your body without rocking it. Next, lower your arms with dumbbells down.
3. The sit-up press maximally engages the shoulder girdle.
Sitting on a bench, keep your back straight. Lift the dumbbells up, but in the final point try not to straighten your arms all the way up. Lower the dumbbells, bringing your elbows apart to shoulder height.
4. The Arnold press should also be included in your shoulder girdle exercises.
Stand up straight with your arms bent at the elbows, positioning them with dumbbells in front of you so that your palms are facing you. Lift the dumbbells upwards and turn your palms 180 degrees as you move. Try not to straighten your arms to the end, feeling the tension in your muscles. Return to the starting position with palms facing you.
5. Isolate the front and middle delts by lifting dumbbells in front of you.
Stand up straight, keeping your body straight. Grab the dumbbells, lower your arms and bend slightly at the elbows. Point your palms towards yourself. Lift the dumbbells just above shoulder level. Slowly lower the arms to the starting position. While doing the exercise, try to keep your body immobile.
So, include these exercises into your workouts and you will soon be able to pump up your shoulders and have the desired broad torso.