The Best Workouts For Men: Shoulders

EXERCISE SETS / REPS REST
Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press 3 / 12, 10, 8 1-2 minutes
Lateral Raise 3 / 12, 10, 8 1-2 minutes
Bent-Over Lateral Raise 3 / 12, 10, 8 1-2 minutes
Upright Row 3 / 12, 10, 8 1-2 minutes
Dumbbell Shrug 3 / 15, 12, 10 1-2 minutes

 

SEATED OVERHEAD PRESS
Sit with your feet shoulder-width apart. Start with a barbell or dumbbells at eye level, hands wider than your shoulders and your arms at a 90 degree angle. Slowly push the weight over your head, then lower it until your elbows are back at 90 degree angles.

LATERAL RAISE
Stand holding weights on the outside of each thigh, your palms facing in. Leading with the elbows and keeping your arms slightly bent, lift your arms out to the side, stopping at shoulder level and then lowering to the start position. There’s no need to use anything heavier than 20 lb. dumbbells for these, Popeye.

BENT-OVER LATERAL RAISE
Sit and bend forward at your hips so your chest is close to your thighs. Hold dumbbells under your legs with your palms facing each other and your elbows slightly bent. Keep your head in a neutral position and lift the weights out to your sides to shoulder level while keeping that slight bend in your elbows. Lower slowly and repeat.

UPRIGHT ROW
Stand straight holding a barbell (or dumbbells), arms straight down and palms facing you. Slowly pull the barbell up, stopping at your chest. Be sure to keep the wrists straight and the elbows above the bar. Your hands can be close together or wide.

SHRUGS
Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, letting your arms hang alongside your body. Your palms should face your body. Make sure your shoulders are back and relaxed. Shrug your shoulders straight up towards ceiling. Hold at the highest position for two seconds before returning to the starting position.