A strong and defined shoulder can enhance your overall physique and improve your posture. In today’s fast-paced life, going to the gym every day can be challenging, but that shouldn’t stop you from staying fit.
Working out with dumbbells at home can be an effective and convenient solution for those who want to target their shoulders.
In this post, we will discuss a dumbbell shoulder workout that you can do from the comfort of your home.
We will discuss the anatomy of the shoulder, the best shoulder exercises you should do at home with a dumbbell, and tips.
Shoulder Anatomy
Shoulder exercises refer to resistance exercises that target the deltoid muscle.
The deltoids are made up of three parts: the anterior (front), lateral (side), and posterior (rear) deltoids.
The anterior deltoid is responsible for shoulder flexion (lifting the arm forward) and is active during shoulder presses and front raises.
The lateral deltoid is responsible for shoulder abduction and is active during lateral raises.
The rear deltoid is responsible for shoulder extension (lifting the arm behind the body) and is active during exercises such as bent-over lateral raises and reverse flys.
Benefits of working out with dumbbells at home
- Dumbbell workouts allow you to exercise whenever you want without having to worry about commuting to the gym.
- When using dumbbells, you have more control over your movements.
- The use of dumbbell shoulder exercises helps to keep the deltoids strong and flexible and improve overall shoulder health and stability.
- It allows for unilateral training, which increases core stability and improves muscular imbalances.
- Dumbbell workouts are great for people who don’t have a lot of space to exercise at home.
7 Best Dumbbell Shoulder Exercises That Build Muscle at Home
1. Dumbbell Shoulder press
The Dumbbell Shoulder Press is a classic exercise that targets the deltoids, the muscles located in the shoulder.
It is a great exercise for building strength and mass in the shoulders and improving posture.
How To Do It
- Start by sitting on a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
- Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them at shoulder height, with your palms facing forward.
- Brace your core and press the dumbbells straight up, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Once your arms are fully extended, pause for a moment, and then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
2. Dumbbell Front Raise
The dumbbell front raise is an effective exercise for targeting the anterior deltoids, the front portion of the shoulder muscles.
This exercise can help to strengthen and sculpt the shoulders and improve posture.
How To Do It
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides.
- Keeping your arms straight, slowly raise the dumbbells in front of you until they reach shoulder height.
- Pause for a moment, and then lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
3. Dumbbell Lateral Raise
The dumbbell lateral raise is a popular exercise that targets the lateral deltoids, the side portion of the shoulder muscles.
How To Do It
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides.
- Keeping your arms slightly bent, slowly raise the dumbbells out to the sides until they reach shoulder height.
- Pause for a moment, and then lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
4. Standing Arnold press
The standing Arnold press exercise was created by and named after Arnold Schwarzenegger himself.
It is a compound exercise that targets the deltoids and triceps.
How To Do It
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a pair of dumbbells in front of your chest, with your palms facing your body.
- Slowly press the dumbbells overhead, rotating your palms to face forward as you do so.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
5. Bent Over Lateral Raise
The bent-over lateral raise is a strength training exercise that targets the muscles in your shoulders, specifically the posterior deltoid muscles.
The movement involves holding a weight in each hand and bending forward at the waist. Then, you raise your arms out to the side until they are in line with your shoulders.
How To Do It
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and your knees slightly bent.
- Hold a pair of dumbbells with your palms facing each other, and let your arms hang down towards the floor.
- Keeping your arms slightly bent, slowly raise the dumbbells out to the sides until they reach shoulder height.
- Pause for a moment, and then lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
6. Upright Row
The upright row is a multijoint exercise that targets the deltoids, trapezius, and biceps muscles.
Upright rows can be done with both narrow and wider grips.
The narrow grip focuses on the trapezius, and the wider grip focuses on the entire shoulder girdle.
How To Do It
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a pair of dumbbells in front of your body, with your palms facing your thighs.
- Keeping your elbows close to your body, slowly lift the dumbbells straight up toward your chin.
- Pause for a moment, and then lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
7. Dumbbell Shrugs
Dumbbell Shrugs are a simple exercise that targets the trapezius muscles, which are the large muscles in the upper back and shoulders.
If you are a beginner, you should start with light dumbbells and then gradually increase the weight.
How To Do It
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
- Keep your arms straight and shrug your shoulders straight up, lifting the weights as high as possible.
- Pause briefly at the top of the movement, then lower the weights back to your sides.
- Repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions.
Training Volume for Shoulder Workout
Although the number of sets and reps will be determined based on your fitness journey, here is a good starting point.
Sets
- Beginners: ~10 sets per week.
- Intermediate: ~15 sets per week.
- Advanced: ~20 sets per week.
Reps
The best rep ranges and loads to work with.
- For Endurance: 12–15 reps, with a moderately light amount of resistance.
- For Strength: 4–8 reps, with a heavier amount of resistance.
- For muscle hypertrophy: 8–12 reps, with moderate to heavy resistance.
At Home Dumbbell Shoulder Workout Routine for Beginner
Here is a sample dumbbell-only shoulder workout plan that you can do at home:
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3-4 | 8-12 |
Dumbbell Front Raise | 3-4 | 8-12 |
Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3-4 | 8-12 |
Bent Over Lateral Raise | 3-4 | 8-12 |
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