Post Tagged with: "shoulders"

I decided to combine May and June’s wedding workouts together for a one-two knockout punch of a routine! Wedding Workouts #2 and #3 will be targeting our shoulders and backs. Whether you are rocking strapless or backless dresses, let’s get those shoulders and backs toned and terrific! Even if you are not planning to walk down the aisle anytime soon, you can still enjoy this workout and use it to strut your stuff in your sundresses, tank tops, tube tops, halter tops…you name it!

Workout Outline:

• Complete this set of exercises 2-3 times.
• Rest only for 60 seconds between sets.
• For best results, complete this workout 3 times a week on non-consecutive days.

Note: For shoulder exercises, a lighter weight, such as 5-8 pounds, is recommended.

1. Warm-Up Stand with your hands at your sides and feet hip-width apart. Lift your shoulders up toward your ears. Hold for 3 seconds, then lower your shoulders. Repeat for 1 minute.

Bent Over Row

Of all your body’s joints, the shoulder joint has the largest range of motion. It can rotate 360 degrees! This makes it very prone to injury, especially in women, due to hormonal fluctuations. Moves like overhead presses and bent over rows are essential for toning the upper arms, which includes the front, side, and rear shoulder muscles.

Before you engage in any strenuous shoulder workout, be sure to do the exercises with a light weight or no weight at all to warm the muscles, tendons, and entire shoulder capsule before you move on to heavier weights. For most women, 5 lb. or 8 lb. weights are plenty for creating definition in the upper arm and shoulder area. Overhead presses with side lateral lifts (lifting to the side of your body to shoulder level) and bent over rows are amazing for toning all three heads of the shoulder. Your shoulders and upper arms will being to tone when you perform these moves twice a week. Do 2-3 sets of 15-25 reps each. As always, if you have questions, ask a certified personal trainer to help you.

Trainer Tip by Sandra Ferrerio, certified LiveRite weight loss coach, trainer, and class instructor at Lucille Roberts in Yonkers. Read her full bio here.

Perhaps one the most frequent requests I hear from clients at Lucille Roberts is, “I want to tone my arms!” When I ask further exactly what they mean—definition, sculpting, toning, or increasing size—I always hear an answer that tells me that the client wants to see cuts and definition. This requires working hard on one’s deltoids (shoulders), the triangularly-shaped muscles which encompass almost the entire upper half of the arms. You cannot sculpt your arms without properly working your shoulders! So, let’s get started.

The lateral delt (or middle delt) cuts right into the side of the upper arm and helps bring out tricep and bicep definition. I like to work this part of the arm and shoulders unilaterally (one side at a time) because many women have an uneven amount of strength between the two sides. This can be balanced and allows us to maintain perfect form and execution of the exercises. When you see those spectacular cuts throughout the entire upper arm, you will know the effort was worth it!