6 shoulder exercises with dumbbells! What is the menu that can be done at home & tips to make it work?

If you want to train ” deltoid ” muscles, the muscles of the shoulders, efficiently, a training menu using dumbbells is recommended. In this article, personal trainer Matsuura Yasuyama introduces the correct training form and tips to make the training effective!

Supervision

Taizan Matsuura

In 2016, he began working as a trainer as a member of Beyond Gym’s start-up staff. Served as store manager of the Horie store in Osaka, Japan; in 2017, he reached the pinnacle in the Mr. Japan contest, after which he went independent. In October 2022, he founded Waffle Gym in Tachikawa, Tokyo. He is always ready to propose muscle training menus that meet the needs of customers.

What are the characteristics of the shoulder muscle ” deltoid “?

The deltoid muscle is the outer muscle that covers the shoulder. It is the third largest muscle in the entire body and the most voluminous muscle in the upper body. It is mainly used to move the shoulder joint back and forth, left and right, and is involved in almost all movements using the arms in daily activities. The deltoid is divided into three parts: anterior, middle, and posterior, and since the part used depends on how the arm is moved, there are different types of exercises to train each. If you want to increase the overall size of the deltoid muscle, you will need to combine at least 2~3 exercises to train it properly, so take your time.

Training the anterior deltoid also strengthens pressing-type events.

The anterior deltoid is used when raising the arm forward from a lowered position (flexion), moving the arm horizontally from back to front (horizontal adduction), and twisting the upper arm inward (internal rotation). The anterior deltoid is also strongly involved in bench presses, dumbbell presses, push-ups, and other pectoral muscle exercises, because the flexion and horizontal adduction are also used to push the arm forward in front of the chest. If you find that your bench has been sluggish lately, training the anterior deltoids is an effective way to improve your bench strength.

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Training the middle deltoid makes it easier to create an inverted triangle silhouette.

The middle deltoid is the muscle used when raising the arm to the side (shoulder abduction). It is not often used except for shoulder training, but training it can create an inverted triangle silhouette with broad shoulders because it creates shoulder overhang. It is also the largest part of the deltoid muscle, making it easy to see results.

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Training the posterior deltoid makes a big difference in side and back appearance

The posterior deltoid is used when raising the arm behind the back (shoulder extension), moving the arm horizontally from front to back (horizontal abduction), and twisting the arm outward (external rotation). Although it is less prominent than other parts of the body, it is important to train the deltoid because it has a great influence on the appearance of the shoulder, such as the roundness of the shoulder when viewed from the side and the three-dimensional effect when viewed from behind. Although there are only a few exercises that target the posterior deltoid, it is said that training the posterior deltoid while training the back is more efficient, since it is also mobilized to some extent by back exercises such as lat pulldowns and rows.

What points should a beginner in strength training pay attention to when training the shoulders?

However, shoulders are prone to injury, so it is important to choose a weight that is safe. However, it is important to choose a weight that is safe for the shoulders, as they are the most vulnerable part of the body to injury. For beginners, it is important to use dumbbells of 3-5 kg, which can be controlled well, and to keep a careful form.

6 shoulder exercises with dumbbells! Including tips to make them work!

Here we introduce a menu of shoulder muscle training exercises with dumbbells that you can do at home. Personal trainer Mr. Taiyama’s advice on how to make them work will also be of great help.

Front Raise” for the front deltoid

Hold dumbbells in both hands and stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Straighten your back and raise your arms forward with the backs of your hands pointing toward the ceiling. When you reach the same height as your shoulders, slowly lower the dumbbells in the same direction as you lifted them. Repeat 10-15 times for 3 sets.

Trainer: Mr. Taiyama Matsuura

As with any other raise-type exercise, the height you raise is important. Unless you are pushing yourself to the limit, if you cannot raise the dumbbells to shoulder height after the first raise, it is a sign that the dumbbells are too heavy for your muscle strength, so go a little lighter. Also, if your shoulders tend to slump (into the trapezius muscles) when doing front raises, it is recommended to pull your chin back while raising your arms. The more you stretch your neck muscles, the less likely your shoulders are to sag.

Shoulder Press ” for the front and middle deltoid muscles

With your feet about shoulder-width apart, hold dumbbells in each hand and raise them to ear height. At this point, adjust your elbows so that they are directly under the dumbbells and in a straight line with your shoulders. From there, raise the dumbbells overhead. Stop just before the elbow is fully extended because the load is released when the elbow is fully extended, and lower the dumbbells slowly and with control. Repeat for 3 sets of 10~15 times.

Hold the dumbbells perpendicular to the floor or slightly inward, because if the dumbbells are outward from your elbows, you will lose the load and increase the risk of injury. There is also the back press, in which the dumbbells are held behind the head, but this also has a high risk of injury if you are not used to it, so be careful. If you are not accustomed to doing this, be careful.

The ” Arnold Press ” for the front and middle deltoids

Hold dumbbells in both hands and place your feet shoulder-width apart. Set the dumbbells at the same height as your mouth, with the palms of your hands facing your body. From there, rotate your wrists outward while lifting the dumbbells above your head. Stop just before you fully extend your elbows, and slowly lower the dumbbells in the same trajectory as when you lifted them. Repeat for 3 sets of 10-15 times.

The shoulder press has a wider range of motion than the shoulder press, so it is relatively easy to get a sense that the deltoid muscles are being worked. One thing to keep in mind is that if you perform the lifting and rotating movements separately, it will not be much different from the shoulder press, so be conscious of raising the dumbbells while rotating them. Also, it is recommended to keep the dumbbells close to each other when raising them, as this will help contract the deltoid muscles!

Side Raise” for the middle deltoid

Hold dumbbells in both hands and stand with your back straight. Being careful not to bend your upper body, raise the dumbbells to the side, keeping your elbows extended. Once the dumbbells are raised to shoulder height, lower them slowly and with control. Repeat this movement for 3 sets of 10~15 times.

Trainer: Mr. Taiyama Matsuura

As with front raises, choose a weight that allows you to lift the dumbbells to shoulder height. Also, it is easy to relax when lowering them, but the key is to lower them while being aware of and controlling your shoulder muscles, and then raise them again just before the dumbbells come to just below shoulder level. Be careful not to use any strength other than your shoulders, such as bending your upper body back or using knee flexion to raise them.

Upright Row ” for the middle deltoid

Stand with your back straight and stand with dumbbells in both hands, narrower than shoulder-width apart. Lift the dumbbells in line with your body, as if you are pulling your elbows up. After lifting the dumbbells close to your chin, lower them slowly and with control. Repeat this movement for 3 sets of 10~15 times.

Trainer Taiyama Matsuura

When lifting dumbbells, imagine that you are opening your elbows to the side to get a stronger sense of contraction in the deltoid muscles. Be careful not to let the load escape from the deltoids if the shoulder blades are close together or if the shoulders are slumped too much. Incidentally, to make it easier to work the anterior part of the body, it is recommended to move the dumbbells slightly away from the body and slightly forward at the elbows.

Rear Raise ” for the posterior deltoid

Hold a dumbbell in each hand and open your feet to about shoulder-width apart. Stand ready with your hips pulled back and your body rolled over and your back rounded. Keeping this posture, slightly bend your elbows and raise the dumbbells. Be conscious of controlling the dumbbells as you lower them. Repeat for 3 sets of 10~15 times.

To work the posterior deltoids, it is important to keep the body firmly bent over, but it is also a bit difficult to maintain posture. If your form is not stable, you can try sitting on a chair. Also, if the shoulder blades are close together, different muscles will be affected, so be conscious of moving only the shoulder joints!

Dumbbells are recommended for home training!

Finally, we recommend dumbbells that are indispensable for the training we have introduced.

Dumbbell Recommendation #1: “Umi Dumbbell Set”

Introducing a simple dumbbell set from Amazon brand “Umi. Made of neoprene coating, they are water-resistant and durable, yet non-slip even when sweating.

Click here for details and purchase.

Dumbbell Recommendation #2: “Wout Dumbbells that can also be used as barbells.

If you want to try various training exercises other than shoulder training, you can use this dumbbell as a barbell! Wout’s dumbbells that can also be used as barbells are more reasonably priced than similar products and highly rated for their ease of use. The material used is polyethylene, which is also great for preventing scratches on the floor.

Click here for details and purchase

Dumbbell Recommendation 3: “4WD Variable Dumbbells

At the gym, dumbbells are available in weights ranging from 1 to 40 kg, so you can use different dumbbells depending on the part of the body you want to train. 4WD recommends adjustable dumbbells, which can be adjusted from 2.5 kg to 24 kg in 15 increments, making it possible to use different dumbbells for different parts of the body and taking up very little space. They are also convenient if you want to share them with family members.

Click here for details and purchase.