22 Best dumbbell exercises for shoulders

Exercising is one of the most leading ways to improve your health, especially your shoulders, which are easily affected by the outside factors. There are many reasons that can lead to the shoulder pain including the weather change, improper lifestyle, using drugs, load the heavy things, etc. For any reason, you should know how to prevent and how to treat it effectively. Anyway, you should prevent the shoulder conditions before getting them. In this article, VKool.com will show you top 22 best dumbbell exercises for shoulders and you can perform at home with the dumbbells. Along with the other bodyweight exercises, you can try the dumbbell exercises to increase the shoulder muscles as well as their strength quickly.

Top 22 Best Dumbbell Exercises For Shoulders You Should Try

1. Shoulder Press

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - shoulder press

Shoulder pressing is a practical exercise for your shoulder and it is also easy to do with the dumbbell. Here is the direction how to do the movement:

  • You prepare a proper dumbbell and hold in your hands. Make sure to tighten your torso.
  • Whilst you raise the dumbbell to the ceiling, exhale and face the palms forwards.
  • Inhale slowly and reduce the weights to the height of the shoulder.
  • Repeat the exercises.

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2. Front Raise

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - front raise

To perform this exercise, you should use an arm at a time to focus on the muscle you are attending to. The steps are:

  • Stand straight, tighten your torso and hold the dumbbell weights in front of the thighs.
  • Avoid swinging the torso, you raise aside to the front of the body, bend your elbow slowly and continue to raise until the arm is parallel to the floor.
  • Keep contracting for a second and inhale.
  • Reduce the weight slowly to the thigh.
  • Change the arm and do the same steps.

3. Lateral Raise

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - lateral raise

Lateral raise is one of the best dumbbell exercises for shoulder and the target of the exercise is for the strength of posterior head of your deltoids. The direction how to practice it is shown here:

  • Hold an appropriate dumbbell weight and let begin with the squatting position.
  • Tighten your torso, bend your hips slightly, stretch your hamstrings and keep the body parallel to the floor.
  • Now you raise those dumbbells as the reversing-flying motion.
  • You squeeze the scapula together when you stop the motion.
  • Exhale when you perform it.
  • Inhale and reduce the weights slowly.
  • Repeat the exercise.

4. The Second Lateral Raise Exercise

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - the second lateral raise exercise

As mentioned above, the lateral raise exercise is very helpful for the deltoids and this is a sufficient movement that can help you improve the shoulder strength. Now you can follow the instruction here:

  • Take a preferred dumbbell and get started with the body upright position.
  • You keep your core tightened and your head straight.
  • While you raise the dumbbell to the body side, bend the elbow slightly, you exhale deeply.
  • You should keep the shoulder joint at the neutral rotation.
  • You hold the dumbbell for 1-2 seconds and squeeze the contraction.
  • Inhale when you reduce the weight slowly.

5. Upright Row Exercise

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - upright row exercise

The upright row exercise is a great workout for the shoulder as it can prevent the injury to your shoulder joint. The steps include:

  • Now you hold a proper dumbbell weight on the hand grip.
  • You should put the dumbbell inside the width of the shoulder, face the palms to the body, keep the body upright and tightened. You extend and bend the arm slightly.
  • You focus on the shoulder muscle side, exhale while you lift the dumbbell. You put the dumbbells close to your body during the movement.
  • Hold it for a moment, inhale and slowly reduce the dumbbells.
  • Repeat the exercise.

6. Shrug Exercise With Dumbbell

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - shrug exercise with dumbbell

On the top of dumbbell exercises for shoulder, you could not forget the shrug exercise and it is a great shoulder workout for your attempt now:

  • You straighten your torso, extend your arms on the sides and grasp the dumbbells with the overhand grip.
  • You lift the dumbbells and exhale whilst you raise the shoulders as high as you can. You squeeze the contraction and avoid using the biceps.
  • Hinge slightly your hips.
  • Use your traps to raise the dumbbells and avoid bending the elbow.
  • You squeeze your upper traps for some seconds and reduce the dumbbells slowly.
  • Repeat it.

7. Palms Shoulder Press

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - palms shoulder press

  • Firstly, you sit on a chair or a bench and hold the dumbbells on each hand, at the level of the shoulders. Face your palms each other.
  • Now you push the dumbbells straight until the elbows are close to the locking. Pause shortly and reduce the dumbbells.
  • Avoid jerking the back during the exercise.

There are a lot of other easy dumbbell exercises for shoulders presented in the next part, so keep reading to discover more!

8. Alternated Shoulder Press

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - alternated shoulder press

This is another effective exercise for shoulder and you can do the exercise with the following direction:

  • Stand up straight and pick up two dumbbells.
  • One dumbbell is at the shoulder level and the another one is high with the arm. Extend the arm and face the palms each other.
  • Now you push a dumbbell straight and the elbow is close to the locking after pausing shortly.
  • Alternate the hands and repeat.
  • Avoid jerking your back to raise those dumbbells.

9. Seated Shoulder Press

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - seated shoulder press

  • You sit on the bench and pick up the dumbbells on hands at the shoulder level, face the palms forward.
  • Push those dumbbells straight until the elbows are close to locking, pause shortly.
  • Avoid jerking the back.

10. Deltoid Raise

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - deltoid raise

This is one of the best dumbbell exercises for shoulders and here is the way to perform it.

  • Bend and hold a dumbbell on each hand, between the legs and bend the knees slightly.
  • Now you raise the dumbbell until the arm is parallel to the floor, reduce it slowly after a pause.
  • Make sure to straighten the back during the exercise.

11. Rear Deltoid Bent-Over

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - rear deltoid bent-over

With the rear deltoid bent-over movement, you will have no worries about the shoulder pain as well as the weakness on the shoulders. So let do it every day like other dumbbell exercises for shoulders you are following:

  • Sit on the bench and reduce the body whilst you hold the dumbbells on the hands.
  • Now you raise the dumbbells to the sides until the arms are close and parallel to the floor.
  • Pause shortly and reduce them back slowly.

12. Rear Deltoid Raise Exercise

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - rear deltoid raise exercise

  • You lie down on the bench and hold the dumbbells on the hands, below the chest, bend the arms slightly.
  • Now you raise the dumbbells to the sides until the arms are close and parallel to the floor.
  • Pause shortly and reduce them slowly.

13. Deltoid Circle Exercise

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - deltoid circle exercise

  • You lie down on the bench and hold the dumbbells on the hands, arch the arms slightly.
  • Now you bring the dumbbells forward and bring them back slowly after pausing it shortly.
  • Keep arching in the elbows and keep the dumbbells at the equal height from the ground.

14. Front Deltoid Raise

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - front deltoid raise

  • You stand up and hold the dumbbells on the hands, in front of the thighs.
  • Next, you raise the dumbbells to the height of the shoulder.
  • Keep raising the dumbbells at the length of your arms.
  • Pause shortly and lower them slowly then.
  • You should extend the arms throughout.

15. Front Raise

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - front raise

Front raise is one of the most powerful dumbbell exercises for shoulders and you should not neglect it whenever exercising for health. It is necessary to follow it here:

  • Stand tall and hold the dumbbells on the hands, in front of the thighs, face the palms each other.
  • Now you lift up the dumbbells forward until the arms are close and parallel to the floor.
  • Pause shortly and reduce the dumbbells slowly.
  • Extend the arms throughout.

16. Push Press Exercise

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - push press exercise

This is also a good exercise for shoulder you should perform more regularly.

  • You stand up and hold the dumbbells above the shoulders, face the palms each other, and arch the knees.
  • Now you push the dumbbells straight until the arms are close to the locking.
  • Pause shortly and reduce them slowly.
  • Exhale when you push up and inhale when you reduce the dumbbells.

17. Arnold Press

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - arnold press

  • Bring the dumbbells in front of you.
  • Get started with your arms spread and face the palms each other.
  • Now you press the weights above the head until you straighten the arms.
  • Now you reverse the exercise and bring the weights in front of the chest.
  • Do it for 30 reps.

18. I-Shape Exercise

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - i-shape exercise

I shape exercise belongs to yoga and it is one of the best dumbbell exercises for shoulders you should not ignore. It is also very easy to do as the guidelines here:

  • You get started by holding a proper dumbbell on a hand, left hand you can choose.
  • Now you lie down on a bench, a ball or a bed and hang down the left arm.
  • Next, you keep your elbow straight and raise the dumbbell forward until the arms are parallel to the body.
  • Push the thumb to the ceiling.
  • You might not lift the dumbbell if you feel it is too difficult.
  • Pause shortly and reduce the dumbbell slowly.
  • Change the another hand and repeat it.

19. Flying High

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - flying high

With flying high exercise, you will have a different experience & strengthen shoulder successfully. Doing frequently the dumbbell exercises for shoulders, you not only reduce the risk of getting shoulder pain, but you also improve the shoulder muscles well.

  • You stand the body up and keep the shoulders, the feet wide apart.
  • Slightly bend the knees and straighten the back.
  • Bend the back forward your waist.
  • Now you hold two dumbbells and extend your arms.
  • Slowly raise your arms from your body and squeeze the blades of the shoulder.
  • Do not raise the arms over your shoulders.
  • Hold it some seconds and turn back to the beginning position.
  • Repeat the exercise.

20. Stabilizing The Ball

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - stabilizing the ball

If you want to reduce the risk of getting shoulder pains as well as strengthening it fast and naturally, you should do this exercise. It will work for the scapular and the core stabilization. The technique is:

  • you lie down and put about 1/3 of the body on the edge of a table.
  • You bear a dumbbell on the arm and put it on the exercise ball.
  • Control the ball when you move it circulation.
  • Repeat the exercise.

21. Drill Exercise

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - drill exercise

This movement will work well for the triceps, anterior, and the rhomboids, so it should be added into the list of dumbbell exercises for shoulders immediately. You can practice it more frequently to prevent the shoulder pain like this:

  • Begin with the position of quadrupling.
  • Keep the hands, shoulders wide apart.
  • Now you alter the dumbbells from this side to the another side.
  • Then you scalp the ball from this hand to another hand.
  • Repeat it.

22. T-Shape Exercise

dumbbell exercises for shoulders - t-shape exercise

T-shape exercise will relieve the shoulder pain and improve the shoulders very effectively. You can follow the T-shape exercises right here.

  • Before exercising, you should have a proper dumbbell on hand.
  • Now you put the palm forward and raise an arm 9 o’clock on the right side and 3 o’clock on the left side. Put the thumb forward the ceiling.
  • Hold the position for some seconds and do it again.

You might visit our page and learn more information on how to get fitness.  After reading the articles about 22 best dumbbell exercises for shoulders, I hope that you have learned the best ways to strengthen your shoulder health as well as reduce the shoulder pain effectively at home. If you have any question or any comment, please leave it below.

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