Exercises and Workouts - Four Great Exercises For Stronger Shoulders

Shoulder injuries are an everyday fact of life for many people, but the good news is with the right training, you can do your part to avoid them. One thing about the shoulder is because it can move through such a wide range of motions, it is easy to become injured quickly.

Let's walk you through the best exercises to strengthen your shoulders and remain injury free for as long as possible...

1. The Barbell Shoulder Press. If you want to gain strength, go with the barbell shoulder press. This compound exercise is excellent for helping to boost your muscular strength capacity, which will then help fend off injuries.

Because you don't have to use as much energy stabilizing the weight with a barbell, it tends to be superior for strength improvements compared to dumbbells.

2. External/Internal Rotations. Another excellent exercise for the shoulders? External and internal rotations. Most people do not think of this as a shoulder exercise to do in the gym because you usually use such lightweight.

Make no mistake about it, however. It is one of the best ways to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles, which are susceptible to injury.

Whether you choose to use a resistance band or a set of dumbbells get this exercise in two to three times weekly.

3. Cable Lateral Raises. Cable lateral raises are the next exercises to add to a well-balanced shoulder routine. The beautiful thing about cable exercises is they are going to apply constant tension to the muscles as you go about the training, helping you gain much more strength.

This exercise is also an isolation movement, so is ideal for hitting the lateral delts on their own. Use it towards the end of your workout session when your shoulders are reaching the final point of fatigue.

4. Dumbbell Shoulder Press. Finally, the dumbbell shoulder press is the last exercise you may add to your workout protocol. This one can be swapped on and off with the barbell shoulder press as they both are very similar movement patterns.

The dumbbell shoulder press does require more stabilization, however, so for that reason; it will work the abs as well as the muscle fibers deep within the shoulder joint. You may find you have to use a slightly lighter weight with this exercise, but realize this is normal and does not mean you have lost strength.

Keep these shoulder building exercises in mind as you go about your upper body workout routine. Make sure you are doing all you can to prevent injuries from taking place in this area of the body. Shoulder injuries can be very nagging and hard to heal, so prevention is your best strategy.