Arms & Shoulders Gym Workout

1. Shoulder-width stance. Tight core and flat back. Bend at the knees and hips. Lower yourself. Arms fully extended. Chest up and gaze straight ahead.

2. Bring knees in and shoulders up. Drive hips forward. Keep the bar close to your body. Forcefully exhale and perform a full extension of the knees and hips.

3. Use the momentum to bring elbows high. Rotate your elbows around and under the bar. Rack the bar across the front of your shoulders.

4. Press the barbell above your head. Lower the bar.

1. Stand straight holding a barbell with an underhand grip, your hands shoulder width apart and your arms fully extended towards the floor.
2. Keep your elbows close to your sides.Your palms should be facing away from you. This is the start position.
3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the barbell forward and up in a smooth arcing motion while exhaling. Only your forearms should move.
4. Continue upwards until  the bar is at shoulder level with your biceps fully contracted. Hold for a count of one while squeezing your biceps.
5. Inhale as you return to the starting position.
6. Repeat.

Note: this exercise can be performed using a cable station, with a straight bar attachment connected to the lower pulley.

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.

1. Set up a decline bench to between 15 and 30 degrees. (The angle is not important, your comfort and form is.)
2. Place the EZ bar on the rack at the foot of the bench.
3. Sit on the bench and position your feet under the foot pads.
4. Lean forward and grip the EZ bar with an overhand grip, shoulder width apart.
5. Lift the bar from the rack. (Because of your position when doing this, I recommend getting a spotter to assist you)
6. Lat flat on the bench holding the bar above your chest with your arms extended and elbows locked.
7. Lower the EZ bar towards you by bending your arms toward you in a smooth arc. Your upper arms should not move.
8. Continue lowering the bar until it is just above or gently touching your forehead. You should feel a stretch in your triceps.
9. Hold and squeeze you triceps for a count of one.
10. Return to the staring position by extending your arms in a smooth arc. (Again, your upper arms should not move)
11. Repeat.

Note: this exercise can be performed using a single dumbbell or a barbell.

1. With a dumbbell in each hand in a neutral grip,  lie face down on an incline bench. Your palms should be facing inwards.
2. Extend your arms out in front of you so that they are at right angles to the bench. Keep your legs stationary but with pressure on the balls of our feet and toes. This is the start position.
3. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, move the weights  away from each other  in an arcing motion exhaling as you do so.
4. Continue expanding your arms until they are parallel to the floor.
5. Hold and squeeze your shoulder blades together
6. Return to the starting position inhaling as you do so.
7. Repeat .

1. Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand using an overhand grip.
2. Your arms should be fully extended and your feet shoulder width apart. This is the starting position.
3. Keeping your upper arms stationary and your back straight, curl the weights up towards your shoulders exhaling as you do so. Use only your forearms for this movement.
4. Continue curling the dumbbells up until they are at shoulder level and your biceps are fully contracted.
5. Hold for a count of one as you squeeze your biceps..
6. Return to the starting position in a smooth arc, inhaling as you do so.
7. Repeat.

Note: Do not swing your hips or arms to use momentum for this exercise.

This exercise can be performed using a barbell, straight bar or E-Z bar attachment connected to the low pulley of a cable station.

1. Attach a straight bar to the low pulley on the cable station.
2. Stand facing the station with your feet shoulder width apart either side of the pulley.
3. Grip the bar with an overhand grip, with your hands shoulder width apart and arms fully extended.
4. Keep your shoulders back.
5. Raise the bar straight up in one smooth movement, until it is just below your chin.
6. Hold for a count of one while squeezing your biceps and forearms.
7. Slowly lower to the start position and repeat.

1. Stand tall facing a pulley that has been adjusted to higher than head-height.
2. Attach a rope or dual handles to the pulley and grab hold of each end with your palms facing your head.
3. Engage your abs and pull the weight towards your face. Separate your hands as you pull.

Try to keep your arms parallel to the floor.

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.

1. Stand straight holding a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip.
2. Hold the dumbbells in in front of your thighs with your palms of the facing your thighs. Keep your arms fully extended. This is the start position.
3. Raise the left dumbbell out and upwards, while keeping a slight bend in your elbow. Your palms must always face down for this exercise.
4. Continue raising the dumbbell until you arm is a little above parallel to the floor. Exhale as you are raising the dumbbell.
5. Pause for a count of one.
6. Inhale and slowly lower the dumbbell to the start position.
7. As you lower the left dumbbell, begin to lift the right dumbbell, duplicating the movement.
8. When both dumbbells have been raised and lowered in a cycle, that is one repetition.
9. Repeat.

Note: This exercise can be performed using both arms at the same time and also by substituting a barbell for the two dumbbells.

1. Stand straight holing a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip.
2. Keep your arms fully extended with your palms facing in to your sides.
3. Keep your elbows tucked in to your sides. This is the start position.
4. Keeping your upper arm stationary, exhale and curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders.
5. Continue  raising the dumbbells until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
6. Hold for a count of one and squeeze your biceps.
7. Return to the start position in a smooth movement, inhaling as you do so.
8. Repeat.

Note: There are many ways to perform this movement. Other examples include; sitting with or without back support, using alternating arms and also using a cable station’s lower pulley.

1. Sit on a bench with back support.
2. Grip a dumbbell at one end using both hands. Your palms should be facing inward.
3. Hold the dumbbell overhead with your arms fully extended.  This is the the start position.
4. Keep your upper arms close to your head (biceps roughly level with your temples) and near to 90degrees to the floor.
5. Moving only your forearms, lower the dumbbell in a smooth arc behind your head until your forearms and biceps touch. Hold for a count of one.
6. Return to the start position by using the triceps to extend your arm and raise the dumbbell. Exhale as you do this.
7. Repeat.

Note: This exercise can be performed standing. However, it places an extra strain on your back so is not recommended for people with lower back problems.

You can also perform this exercise using an EZ bar or straight bar with a close grip behind your head, palms facing forward.