How to Tone Shoulder Muscles

Dumbbell Press

The dumbbell press exercise can be done standing up or you should use a chair or bench to sit on for back support (if having pain in the lower back).

1. Hold two dumbbells in front of your chest, allowing your palms to face the body with bent elbows so that your arms are near your torso. The starting position should look like you’ve just contracted your arm to do a dumbbell curl.
2. To finish the exercise, raise your dumbbells up and rotate your palms so that they are now facing in front of you. Remember to breathe as you extend both of your arms up over your head.
3. Pause with your arms extended before lowering the dumbbells back down to the starting position.

When you’re looking to tone your shoulder muscles, do about 15 repetitions using a low weight; those who are looking to add muscle should do 10 repetitions while using a heavier weight. This shoulder exercise also tones your triceps muscles.

Back Flyes (with Bands)

Using a resistance band can give your shoulder muscles great results. And when you perform back flyes with a band, you’re not only exercising the shoulders, but your middle back and triceps as well.

Here is how to begin:

1. Run a resistance band around a sturdy pole or post.
2. Step away from the pole while holding the band in both hands to create resistance. Your arms should be fully extended straight in front of your chest while your hands hold the handles of the resistance band. Stand with your feet about a shoulder width apart, and exhale as you open your arms so that your body forms a ‘T’.
3. Now your arms should be extended out to your sides, but still parallel to the floor; that said, bring your arms back into the starting position and repeat.

If you visit a gym or have gym equipment in your home, you can use a rear delt or pulley machine.

Barbell Rear Delt Row

Another good upper body exercise for shoulders is called the barbell rear delt row, and it also works your biceps, lats and middle back.

To execute this upper body exercise, you’ll need to have a barbell with or without weights.

1. Pick the barbell up by placing your hands slightly wider than shoulder width with your palms facing you. Your knees should be bent slightly, and you should bend so that you can let your arms hang in front of you.

For this exercise, you will not resume the standing position until you’ve completed each repetition. This exercise is compared to a bench press, but only in reverse.