THE SHOULDERS

Press

Execution
1. Seated on a bench, take a shoulder-width grip on the bar with your palms facing forward.
2. lower the weight slowly (in front) until it touches your upper chest.
3. Push vertically upward until your elbows lock out

Muscles Involved
PrImary: Anterior deltoid.
Secondary: lateral deltoid, triceps, trapezius, and upper pectoralis.
Anatomic Focus
Hand spacing: A shoulder-width grip is preferred to target the anterior deltoid. Wider grips on the bar minimize triceps contribution, but as the grip gets wider the risk of shoulder injury increases.
Range of motion: A shorter rep terminating the press Just before lockout keeps tension on the deltoid.
Positioning: Performing the exercise while seated upright Is a stricter version than standing and prevents cheating the weight upward using momentum generated by the legs .

VARIATIONS

Machine Shoulder Press
Machines provide better stability and safety and offer a choice of handgrlps. A neutral grip (palms facing together) targets the anterior deltoid better than a pronated grip (palms forward).
Additional variation:
Pronated grip
Behind-the-neck press: This version places the shoulder in more external rotation, and the risk of shoulder injury is greater when the weight is lifted behind the neck.

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Execution
1. Seated on a bench, begin with the dumbbells at shoulder level, palms facing forward.
2. Press the dumbbells vertically upward until your elbows lock out.
3. Lower the dumbbells back down until they touch your shoulders.
Muscles Involved
Primary: Anterior deltoid.
Secondary: Lateral deltoid, triceps, trapezius, upper pectoralis.
Anatomic Focus
 Grip: Changing the orientation of the dumbbells affects hand position (grip).
Pressing the dumbbells upward with palms facing forward (pronated grip) works both the anterior and the lateral heads of the deltoid. Pressing the dumbbells with palms facing together (neutral grip) makes the anterior deltoid work harder, minimizing lateral head involvement holding the dumbbells with palms facing backward (supinated grip) maximizes anterior deltoid effort.
Positioning: Performing the exercise while seated upright is a stricter version than standing and prevents cheating the dumbbells upward using.
VARIATIONS

Variable-Grip Dumbbell Press
This version uses three different hand positions during the repetition. Begin the exercise by holding the dumbbells with your palms facing back (supination). During the press, rotate the dumbbells so your palms face together (neutral grip) at the midpoint, finishing the upward press with your palms facing forward (pronated grip) at lockout.
Additional variation:
Alternating one-ann dumbbell press:Perform the exercise by pressing one dumbbell at a time, altemating right arm then left arm.

Dumbbell Front Raise

Execution
1. Sitting upright on the edge of an exercise bench, hold a pair of dumbbells at arms’ length by your sides, thumbs pointing forward.
2. Lift one dumbbell out in front up toward shoulder level, keeping your elbow stiff.
3. Lower the weight back down to the start position, and repeat with the other dumbbell.

Muscles Involved
Primary: Anterior deltoid.
Secondary: Upper pectoralis, trapezius.

Anatomic Focus
Grip: A neutral grip (palm inward, thumb pointing forward) emphasizes the anterior deltoid. A pronated grip (palm down) allows the lateral deltoid to assist.
VARIATIONS

 Variable-Grip Dumbbell Front Raise
Begin with a neutral grip (thumb forward), then rotate the dumbbell through 90 degrees during the lift so that your grip is pronated (palm down) at the top.

Barbell Front Raise

Execution
1. Using an overhand shoulder-width griP. hold a barbell at arms’ length in front of your thighs.
2. Raise the barbell forward and upward to eye level. keeping your elbows
3. Lower the barbell back down to your thighs.

Muscles Involved
Primary: Anterior deltoid.
Secondary: Lateral deltoid. trapezius, upper pectoralis.

Anatomic Focus
Hand spadns: Narrow hand spadng emphasizes the anterior deltoid, whereas a wider grip requires lateral deltoid assistance.
VARIATIONS

Single Dumbbell Front Raise
Grab a dumbbell with both hands, Interlocking your fingers around the handle. The neutral grip (thumbs pointing forward) and narrow hand spacing target the anterior deltoid, minimizing Involvement of the lateral deltoid.

Cable Front Raise

Execution
1. With one hand, grab the D-handle attached to a low pulley, using a pronated grip (palm down).
2. Facing away from the weight stack, raise the handle In an upward arc to shoulder level, keeping the elbow stiff.
3. Lower the handle back down to waist level.

Muscles Involved
Primary: Anterior deltoid.
Secondary: Lateral deltoid, trapezius, upper pectoralis.

Anatomic Focus
Grip: The pronated overhand grip works the anterior and lateral heads of the
VARIATIONS

Short Bar Attachment
Facing away from the machine with the cable running between your legs, grab the bar with both hands, using a shoulderwidth overhand grip.
Additional variation:
Rope attachment: Facing away from the machine with the cable running between your legs, grab the rope ends with both hands, thumbs pointing upward.

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Execution
1. While standing upright, hold dumbbells at arms’ length.
2. Raise arms out to the side in an arc until dumbbells reach shoulder level.
3. Lower dumbbells back down to hips.

Muscles Involved
Primary: Lateral deltoid.
Secondary: Anterior deltoid, posterior deltoid, trapezius, supraspinatus.
Anatomic Focus
Range of motion: The lateral deltoid performs most of the work as the dumbbells are raised up to shoulder level. The trapezius takes over if the dumbbells are raised higher, so terminating the upward phase at shoulder level keeps tension on the deltoid.
Grip: Effort from the lateral deltoid is maximized when the dumbbells are held parallel to the floor. Tilting the dumbbells with thumbs up externally rotates the shoulder and makes the anterior deltoid contribute to the motion, whereas tilting the dumbbells with thumbs down internally rotates the shoulder, allowing the posterior deltoid to assist.
Trajectory: Lifting the dumbbells directly out tothe side hits the lateral deltoid. Raising the dumbbells from in front of the hips with a forward arc makes the anterior deltoid assist. If the arc of motion occurs behind the plane of the body, then the posterior deltoid contributes to the lift.
Resistance: Because of the effect of gravity on the dumbbells, resistance Is lower at the beginning of the movement and gradually Increases to a maximum as the dumbbells are raised to shoulder level.

VARIATIONS
Seated dumbbell lateral raise: Performing the dumbbell lateral raise seated on a flat exercise bench Is a stricter version of the standing dumbbell lateral raise, minimizing the use of momentum to swing the dumbbells upward.
One-ann dumbbell lateral raise: You can perform this exercise using one arm at a time, stabilizing your torso with your free hand.

Cable Lateral Raise

Execution
1. With one hand, grasp the D-handle attached to a low pulley.
2. Raise hand outward in a wide arc up to shoulder level, keeping the elbow
3. Lower the handle back down to waist level.

Muscles Involved
Primary: Lateral deltoid.
Secondary: Anterior deltoid, posterior deltoid, trapezius, supraspinatus.

Anatomic Focus
Range of motion: Terminating the upward phase at shoulder height keeps tension on the lateral deltoid. If the handle is raised higher, the trapezius takes over the work. The supraspinatus assists the lateral deltoid during the first 30 degrees of the movement. Starting the repetition with your hand In front of the opposite thigh can increase the range of motion by extending the early phase of the movement.

Trajectory: The lateral deltoid is targeted best when the hand Is raised directly out to the side. Performing the raise in front of the plane of your body activates the anterior deltoid, whereas raising your hand from the rear activates the posterior deltoid.
Resistance: Unlike dumbbell lateral raises, where the resistance varies during the lift, the cable pulley provides uniform resistance throughout the

Machine Lateral Raise

Execution
1. Sit on the machine with your elbows against the pads, and grasp the
2. Raise your elbows to shoulder level, upper arms parallel to the floor.
3. Lower elbows back down to your sides.

Muscles Involved
Primary: Lateral deltoid.
Secondary: Anterior deltoid, posterior deltoid, trapezius, supraspinatus.
Anatomic Focus
Range of motion: Machine raises provide a uniform resistance throughout the movement. The supraspinatus assists at the start, and the trapezius assists if the elbows are raised above shoulder level.
Grip: A pronated grip (palms down) internally rotates the shoulder and targets the lateral deltoid. A neutral grip (palms fadng in) or supinated grip (palms up) externally rotates the shoulder and Increases the contribution of the anterior deltoid. Changes in shoulder rotation are made easier by gripping the elbow pads andnot holding onto the machine’s handles.
Trajectory: Altering the trajectory of the 11ft changes the relative focus on the deltoid. Raising your elbows directly out to the sides hits the lateral deltoid. Performing the raise with your elbows positioned forward on the pads makes the anterior deltoid assist.
VARIATIONS
One-Arm Machine Lateral Raise
You can perform this exercise using one arm at a time to improve focus and isolation. Some machines are designed so that you face inward, stabilizing your torso against a chest pad.

Barbell Upright Row

Execution
1. Hold a barbell at arms’ length using an overhand shoulder-width grip.
2. Pull the bar vertically upward, raising the elbows to shoulder height.
3. Lower the bar slowly down to the arms’ extended position.

Muscles Involved
Primary: Lateral deltoid, trapezius.
Secondary: Anterior deltoid, supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, teres minor.

Anatomic Focus
Hand spacing: Taking a wider grip on the bar helps target the deltoid, whereas a narrower grip emphasizes the trapezius.

Trajectory: Lifting the barbell close to the body targets the lateral deltoid,whereas raiSing the bar through a forward arc away from the body requires assistance from the anterior deltoid.
Range of motion: If the elbows are raised above shoulder level, the trapezius takes over the work.

VARIATIONS
Cable upright row: Using a straight bar attached to the low pulley of a cable machine provides steady resistance throughout the movement.
Machine upright row: Using a Smith machine provides a single plane of vertical motion that may help focus your effort.

Bent-Over Dumbbell Raise

Execution
1. Holding two dumbbells at arms’ length, bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and head up.
2. With palms facing together, raise dumbbells upward to ear level, keeping elbows slightly bent.
3. Lower dumbbells back down to start position.

Muscles Involved
Primary: Posterior deltoid.
Secondary: Lateral deltoid, trapezius, rhomboids, infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major.
Anatomic Focus

Grip: The way you hold the dumbbells influences the degree of rotation at the shoulder joint. Holding the dumbbells using a neutral grip (with thumbs pointing forward) allows the lateral deltoid to work in the exercise. A pronated grip on the dumbbells (with thumbs pointing inward) targets the posterior deltoid because the shoulder is rotated internally and the action of the lateral deltoid is reduced.
Resistance: Because of the effect of gravity on the dumbbells, the resistance is lower at the beginning of the movement and gradually increases to a maximum as the dumbbel ls are raised.
Trajectory: Altering the trajectory of the lift changes the relative focus on the deltoid. With your torso f lat and parallel to the floor, emphasis is placed on the posterior deltoid. If your torso is inclined with your chest upright, the lateral deltoid contributes to the movement.

VARIATIONS
 Head-Supported Dumbbell Raise

You can do this exercise with your forehead supported on the uppermost end of an incline exercise bench. Stand behind and in line with the bench, bend forward at the waist until your head touches the top of the backrest (which should be set at an appropriate height for your torso to be almost parallel to the floor). Supporting your head restricts movement in the spine and prevents swinging the dumbbells upward with momentum.
Seated Bent-Over

Dumbbell Raise
Sit on the end of an exercise bench while bent forward at the waist with your chest resting on the thighs. Note the pronated grip on the dumbbells (thumbs pointing inward), which improves isolation of the rear deltoid.

Bent-Over Cable Raise

Execution
1. Grab the handles attached to two low pulleys Oef