Workout of the week: 25-min shoulder strength workout

ALL LEVELS / shoulder strength workout / 25 minutes

Equipment: Barbell, dumbbells & gym mat

Working on your shoulders offers numerous benefits besides the obvious one — sculpting and making them more aesthetically pleasing. Strong shoulders are crucial for overall upper body strength and are key for a wide range of activities such as pushing, pulling, lifting, and carrying. Also, they contribute to a better posture, help reduce the risk of injuries, and enhance athletic performance.

With all these benefits, you must try this shoulder strength workout. It consists of 4 exercises, with 8 reps each. You must complete 5 rounds, and you’ll have 1-minute to rest between them. All combined, this workout takes 25 minutes to complete.

Barbell shoulder press
Curl to shoulder press
Quadruped shoulder taps
Dumbbell seated z press

Ready to strengthen your shoulders?

WORKOUT SETUP

4 exercises
8 reps each
5 rounds
1-min rest between rounds
25 minutes total
Equipment: Barbell, dumbbells & gym mat

WORKOUT EXERCISE LIST

5 rounds

1 – Barbell shoulder press

8 reps

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell with a pronated (overhand) grip at upper-chest height.
Exhale as you push the barbell straight upward.
At the top of the movement, shrug your shoulders to raise the barbell even higher.
Inhale as you reverse the motions and lower the barbell to the starting position in a controlled manner.
Do not lock your elbows out; use a grip a little wider than shoulder width.
To move your head out of the way of the bar, rock your body slightly forward as the bar ascends and slightly backwards as the bar descends.
Your head should be facing forward, not looking up.
Keep your elbows a little forward, not directly out to the sides, and your wrists directly above your elbows.

2 – Curl to shoulder press

8 reps

Grab two dumbbells with adequate weight for your fitness level.
Standing up straight, have the dumbbells resting at your sides with the palms facing inwards.
Slowly raise your forearms forward until your wrist rests above your elbow.
Now explosively lock out your arms and raise the dumbbells above your head.
Hold the position for a second and return to the starting point by reversing the motion.
Repeat.

3 – Quadruped shoulder taps

8 reps

Begin on your hands and knees, all fours — knees beneath hips and hands beneath shoulders.
Maintain your head in a neutral position.
Lift one hand off the floor and tap the opposite shoulder. Try not to shift your hips or weight.
Repeat the movement, but now with the other hand.
Repeat.

4 – Dumbbell seated z press

8 reps

Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
Press the dumbbells overhead until your arms are fully extended.
Lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height, keeping your back straight and avoiding leaning it back.