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Dumbbell Shoulders

1 min
 · 
8 exercises
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Dumbbell Bent Over Lateral Rear Delt Raises
Dumbbell Overhead Shoulder Press
Dumbbell Shrugs
Lateral Shoulder Dumbbell Raises
Seated Arnold Dumbbell Press
Seated Shoulder Hammer Presses
Seated Lateral Shoulder Dumbbell Raises
Standing Dumbbell Overhead Shoulder Press
This Dumbbell Shoulders 1 min gym printable workout plan effectively targets your chest and shoulders. Easily follow this interactive free workout on your phone or save the printable workout PDF with clear exercise demonstrations. You can also look up step-by-step instructions for each of the 8 exercises and see which muscle groups they target. Enjoy!

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Dumbbell Shoulders
1 min
 · 
8 exercises
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Dumbbell Bent Over Lateral Rear Delt Raises
No sets / reps / duration specified
Sets/Reps not set
Get ready
321GO
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
  1. Begin by holding a pair of dumbbells and standing with a braced core. Bend at the knees slightly and lean forward from the hips. Maintain a flat back throughout.
  2. Keeping your elbows slightly bent throughout the movement, lift the dumbbells up and out to the side. Be sure to focus the contraction in the back of the shoulders.
  3. Pause at the top of the movement then slowly bring the dumbbells to the starting position.
Primary muscle group(s):
Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Shoulders
  1. Begin by holding a pair of water bottles and standing with a braced core. Bend at the knees slightly and lean forward from the hips. Maintain a flat back throughout.
  2. Keeping your elbows slightly bent throughout the movement, lift the water bottles up and out to the side. Be sure to focus the contraction in the back of the shoulders.
  3. Pause at the top of the movement then slowly bring the water bottles to the starting position.
Primary muscle group(s):
Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Middle Back / Lats
  1. Adjust the cables so that the handles sit at chest height.
  2. Grip the handle, across your body in a neutral grip, with both hands.
  3. Keeping only a slight bend at your elbow, pull the cable back across your body using the muscles in your back.
  4. Hold the flexed position for a full second before allowing the cable to pull you slowly back to the starting position.
Dumbbell Overhead Shoulder Press
No sets / reps / duration specified
Sets/Reps not set
Get ready
321GO
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Abs, Triceps, Upper Back & Lower Traps
  1. Sit on a military press bench or bench that has a back support, holding a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip.
  2. Place the dumbbells on top of your thighs with your palms facing down.
  3. Raise the dumbbells to your shoulders.
  4. Rotate your wrists so that the palms of your hands are facing away from you. This is the start position.
  5. As you exhale,  push the dumbbells up and over your head by extending your arms until the dumbbells touch at the top of the movement.
  6. Pause for a count of one.
  7. Slowly return to the start position inhaling as you do so.
  8. Repeat.

This exercise can be performed standing or sitting on  flat bench. For people with lower back problems, the version described is better.

Primary muscle group(s):
Chest, Shoulders
Secondary:
Triceps
  1. Holding a water bottle in each hand, stand straight, with your feet shoulder width apart.
  2. Raise the water bottles to head height by rotating your arms forward and up.
  3. Your triceps should be parallel to the floor and your elbows bent at 90 degrees. This is the start position.
  4. Keeping your back straight and using only your arms, extend through your shoulders and elbows to drive the water bottles straight up, exhaling as you do so.
  5. As your arms reach the fully extended position, bring them in towards each other until the water bottles touch lightly together.
  6. Hold for a count of one, while squeezing your shoulder muscles.
  7. In a controlled movement, return to the starting position, inhaling as you do so.
  8. Repeat.
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Abs
  1. Place your left foot onto the middle of a resistance band. Step forward with the right. Tighten your abdominals and avoid arching your back.
  2. Press the handles of the resistance band up and stop once your upper arms are parallel with the ground, making a scarecrow formation. The band should be behind your arms.
  3. Slowly press the resistance band overhead. Do not lock out the elbows. Lower to the starting position and begin again.
Dumbbell Shrugs
No sets / reps / duration specified
Sets/Reps not set
Get ready
321GO
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Keep your arms extended and by your sides and with your palms facing in.
  3. Relax your shoulders so they hang as low as possible.
  4. Raise the dumbbells by slowly lifting your shoulders in a shrugging motion. Hold for a count of one.
  5. Slowly relax your shoulders to return to the start position.
  6. Repeat.

You can also rotate your shoulders in a circular movement during this exercise. One direction on the lift, the opposite direction when lowering to the start position.

Primary muscle group(s):
Neck & Upper Traps
Secondary:
Shoulders, Upper Back & Lower Traps
  1. Place your feet shoulder width apart and using an overhand grip at a little more than shoulder width, hold a barbell in front of you.
  2. Your arms should be fully extended towards the floor, palms facing in towards your thighs. This is the start position.
  3. Exhale and raise or shrug your shoulders up in a slow controlled movement. Do not use your biceps to assist in lifting the barbell.
  4. Continue as high as possible then hold for a count of one.
  5. Return to the start position in a smooth movement, inhaling as you do so.
  6. Pause then repeat.

You can rotate your shoulders when performing this exercise. However this is not recommended for people with shoulder problems.

Lateral Shoulder Dumbbell Raises
No sets / reps / duration specified
Sets/Reps not set
Get ready
321GO
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
  1. Stand with your back straight, feet shoulder width apart, while holding a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip.
  2. Hold your arms fully extended by your side, with your palms facing in to your body.
  3. Keep your elbows close to your sides. This is the start position.
  4. Keeping your arms fully extended and your torso stationary, lift the dumbbells out to your sides and up until they are at shoulder level. Exhale as you do so.
  5. Hold for a count of one while squeezing your shoulder muscles.
  6.  Return to the start position in a smooth controlled movement inhaling as you do so.
  7. Repeat.

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Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Neck & Upper Traps
  1. Sit on a bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Your hands should be at your sides.
  2. Maintain a flat back and tight core. Look straight ahead during the movement.
  3. Be sure to maintain a slight bend in your elbows at all times.
  4. Extend your arms out to the side and guide the weight up. Your arms should come to parallel with the floor.
  5. Pause, slowly lower the weight back to the starting position. Repeat.
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Abs
  1. Place your left foot onto the middle of a resistance band. Step forward with the right. Tighten your abdominals and avoid arching your back.
  2. Maintaining a slight bend in the elbows at all times, slowly raise your arms up from the sides of your body. Be sure to favor the front as you lift.
  3. Once your arms reach parallel with the floor, pause, feel the contraction, and slowly lower back down.
Seated Arnold Dumbbell Press
No sets / reps / duration specified
Sets/Reps not set
Get ready
321GO
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Biceps, Neck & Upper Traps, Triceps
  1. Begin by sitting on a flat bench. Hold the dumbbell at your side with an overhand grip. Tighten your core and flatten your back.
  2. Bring the dumbbells up to shoulder height so that your palm are facing you. Push the dumbbells overhead. Rotate them as you do so.
  3. At the height of the movement, your palms should be facing away from you. Pause, contract and slowly return to the starting point through the same rotation.
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Abs, Triceps, Upper Back & Lower Traps
  1. Sit on a military press bench or bench that has a back support, holding a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip.
  2. Place the dumbbells on top of your thighs with your palms facing down.
  3. Raise the dumbbells to your shoulders.
  4. Rotate your wrists so that the palms of your hands are facing away from you. This is the start position.
  5. As you exhale,  push the dumbbells up and over your head by extending your arms until the dumbbells touch at the top of the movement.
  6. Pause for a count of one.
  7. Slowly return to the start position inhaling as you do so.
  8. Repeat.

This exercise can be performed standing or sitting on  flat bench. For people with lower back problems, the version described is better.

Primary muscle group(s):
Chest, Shoulders
Secondary:
Triceps
  1. Holding a water bottle in each hand, stand straight, with your feet shoulder width apart.
  2. Raise the water bottles to head height by rotating your arms forward and up.
  3. Your triceps should be parallel to the floor and your elbows bent at 90 degrees. This is the start position.
  4. Keeping your back straight and using only your arms, extend through your shoulders and elbows to drive the water bottles straight up, exhaling as you do so.
  5. As your arms reach the fully extended position, bring them in towards each other until the water bottles touch lightly together.
  6. Hold for a count of one, while squeezing your shoulder muscles.
  7. In a controlled movement, return to the starting position, inhaling as you do so.
  8. Repeat.
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Abs
  1. Place your left foot onto the middle of a resistance band. Step forward with the right. Tighten your abdominals and avoid arching your back.
  2. Press the handles of the resistance band up and stop once your upper arms are parallel with the ground, making a scarecrow formation. The band should be behind your arms.
  3. Slowly press the resistance band overhead. Do not lock out the elbows. Lower to the starting position and begin again.
Seated Shoulder Hammer Presses
No sets / reps / duration specified
Sets/Reps not set
Get ready
321GO
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Chest, Triceps
  1. Sit on a bench/chair with your back straight and the dumbbells in a hammer grip so that the dumbbells run lengthways along the side of your face.
  2. Drive both weights, simultaneously upwards, until your reach a full overhead extension.  
  3. Carefully lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position, maintaining the hammer grip all the way through the movement.
  4. Be sure to keep your core strong and lower back connected to the bench/chair at all times.
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Biceps, Forearms, Triceps
  • Keep a tight core and flat back as you remain seated in the shoulder press machine.
  • Look straight ahead as you hold on to the handles.
  • Slowly, press the handles up above your head.
  • Do not lock out your elbow.
  • Slowly, bring the handles back down but do not let the weight stack touch.
  • Repeat the movement.
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Chest
  1. From a push-up position push your glutes upwards and walk your feet in so that you are in a downward-dog pose.
  2. The shape of your body should look like a triangle from the side.
  3. Lower your shoulders towards the ground by bending your elbows.
  4. Allow your forehead to very lightly make contact with the ground before pushing upwards and away back into the starting position.
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Abs
  1. Place your left foot onto the middle of a resistance band. Step forward with the right. Tighten your abdominals and avoid arching your back.
  2. Press the handles of the resistance band up and stop once your upper arms are parallel with the ground, making a scarecrow formation. The band should be behind your arms.
  3. Slowly press the resistance band overhead. Do not lock out the elbows. Lower to the starting position and begin again.
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest, Shoulders
Secondary:
Triceps
  1. Holding a water bottle in each hand, stand straight, with your feet shoulder width apart.
  2. Raise the water bottles to head height by rotating your arms forward and up.
  3. Your triceps should be parallel to the floor and your elbows bent at 90 degrees. This is the start position.
  4. Keeping your back straight and using only your arms, extend through your shoulders and elbows to drive the water bottles straight up, exhaling as you do so.
  5. As your arms reach the fully extended position, bring them in towards each other until the water bottles touch lightly together.
  6. Hold for a count of one, while squeezing your shoulder muscles.
  7. In a controlled movement, return to the starting position, inhaling as you do so.
  8. Repeat.
Seated Lateral Shoulder Dumbbell Raises
No sets / reps / duration specified
Sets/Reps not set
Get ready
321GO
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Neck & Upper Traps
  1. Sit on a bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Your hands should be at your sides.
  2. Maintain a flat back and tight core. Look straight ahead during the movement.
  3. Be sure to maintain a slight bend in your elbows at all times.
  4. Extend your arms out to the side and guide the weight up. Your arms should come to parallel with the floor.
  5. Pause, slowly lower the weight back to the starting position. Repeat.
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
  • Sit in the lateral raise machine while keeping your core tight and back flat.
  • Grab and secure the handles of the machine.
  • Slowly, extend your arms up and out to the side.
  • Feel the tension in your shoulders, pause at the top, and slowly return to the starting position.
  • Do not allow the weight stack to touch.
  • Repeat the movement.
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Abs
  1. Place your left foot onto the middle of a resistance band. Step forward with the right. Tighten your abdominals and avoid arching your back.
  2. Maintaining a slight bend in the elbows at all times, slowly raise your arms up from the sides of your body. Be sure to favor the front as you lift.
  3. Once your arms reach parallel with the floor, pause, feel the contraction, and slowly lower back down.
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
  1. Hold one dumbbell at each side of your body. Keep your back straight and your knees ever-so-slightly bent.
  2. Raise one dumbbell out to the side, keeping your arm slightly bent. Once the dumbbell reaches the same level as your ear slowly lower it back down to the starting position.
  3. Repeat the same movement on the opposite side.
Standing Dumbbell Overhead Shoulder Press
No sets / reps / duration specified
Sets/Reps not set
Get ready
321GO
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Abs, Neck & Upper Traps, Triceps
  1. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand straight, with your feet shoulder width apart.
  2. Raise the dumbbells to head height by rotating your arms forward and up.
  3. Your triceps should be parallel to the floor and your elbows bent at 90 degrees. This is the start position.
  4. Keeping your back straight and using only your arms, extend through your shoulders and elbows to drive the dumbbells straight up, ehaling as you do so.
  5. As your arms reach the fully extended position, bring them in towards each other until the dumbbels touch lightly together.
  6. Hold for a count of one, while squeezing your shoulder muscles.
  7. In a controlled movement, return to the starting position, inhaling as you do so.
  8. Repeat.
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Chest
  1. From a push-up position push your glutes upwards and walk your feet in so that you are in a downward-dog pose.
  2. The shape of your body should look like a triangle from the side.
  3. Lower your shoulders towards the ground by bending your elbows.
  4. Allow your forehead to very lightly make contact with the ground before pushing upwards and away back into the starting position.
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Biceps, Forearms, Triceps
  • Keep a tight core and flat back as you remain seated in the shoulder press machine.
  • Look straight ahead as you hold on to the handles.
  • Slowly, press the handles up above your head.
  • Do not lock out your elbow.
  • Slowly, bring the handles back down but do not let the weight stack touch.
  • Repeat the movement.
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Abs
  1. Place your left foot onto the middle of a resistance band. Step forward with the right. Tighten your abdominals and avoid arching your back.
  2. Press the handles of the resistance band up and stop once your upper arms are parallel with the ground, making a scarecrow formation. The band should be behind your arms.
  3. Slowly press the resistance band overhead. Do not lock out the elbows. Lower to the starting position and begin again.
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest, Shoulders
Secondary:
Triceps
  1. Holding a water bottle in each hand, stand straight, with your feet shoulder width apart.
  2. Raise the water bottles to head height by rotating your arms forward and up.
  3. Your triceps should be parallel to the floor and your elbows bent at 90 degrees. This is the start position.
  4. Keeping your back straight and using only your arms, extend through your shoulders and elbows to drive the water bottles straight up, exhaling as you do so.
  5. As your arms reach the fully extended position, bring them in towards each other until the water bottles touch lightly together.
  6. Hold for a count of one, while squeezing your shoulder muscles.
  7. In a controlled movement, return to the starting position, inhaling as you do so.
  8. Repeat.
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Exercises done
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