You’d have a hard time finding someone who doesn’t want toned, sexy shoulders. But not only does shoulder definition make you look great in a tank top, it’s also super important for helping you move the way you want to on a daily basis. That’s why here, we’re talking about why you should be working your shoulders, plus 10 of the best shoulder exercises you can do with the amp fitness device.
Why You Need to Work Your Shoulders
Compared to some of the other muscles in your body, your shoulder muscles are not very big—or very strong, for that matter. Most of the lifting you do on a daily basis relies much more on the muscles of the legs, back and arms than it does on the shoulder muscles. So why do they need to be strong? Simply put, you wouldn’t be able to do much with your arms without them. Strong shoulder muscles maintain optimal mobility in the shoulder joint—and it’s that mobility that allows you to carry out all the daily tasks for which you use your arms. The shoulder joint has the largest range of motion of any joint in the body and keeping the muscles that support it strong and supple is critical to maintaining that.
Strengthening the muscles of the shoulders is also key to preventing injuries to the rotator cuff, which are the most common tendon injuries among adults. According to doctors at Duke University, exercises that work the shoulder from every angle, including retracting the shoulder blade, stretching the chest, and strengthening all of the surrounding muscles can help prevent rotator cuff injuries.
Guide to Your Shoulder Muscles
The shoulder muscles support the shoulder joint from every angle in order to maintain mobility in the joint. The key muscles to know include:
- Deltoids: The outermost muscles of the shoulder, these are the ones that give your shoulders sexy definition, plus help you move your arms forward, backward, and to the sides. They include the anterior (or front) deltoid, lateral (or side) deltoid, and posterior (or rear) deltoid.
- Trapezius: The muscles covering the tops of your shoulders and stretching between the tips of your shoulders to the base of your neck, the trapezius muscles help with lifting and lowering.
- Rhomboids: Also considered upper back muscles, the rhomboids are located between the shoulder blades and the spine. They also help with lifting.
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Rotator cuff muscles: These are the interior muscles of the shoulder joint, providing structural support and helping you raise and rotate your arms. They include the subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and teres minor muscles. These muscles are deep enough in the joint that you won’t be targeting them specifically during your workout, but completing exercises that send your shoulder through a large range of motion will help strengthen and fortify them
10 Best Shoulder Exercises on the Amp Fitness Device
If your first look at the amp fitness device has you thinking that it’s not a shoulder machine, you are mistaken. Here are 10 challenging shoulder exercises you can do with the amp fitness device that will strengthen your shoulder muscles from every angle.
Straight-Arm Pulldown
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Shoulder muscles working: trapezius and anterior deltoids
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Amp accessory used: T bar
- How to do it: With the device arm at its highest position, face the device and take a large step back, holding the T bar higher than your head. Keeping a slight hinge at the hips and keeping your arms nearly straight, bring the bar down to your thighs, then extend it back up.
Face Pull
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Shoulder muscles working: trapezius, rhomboids, and posterior deltoids
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Amp accessory used: Rope
- How to do it: With the device arm at its highest position, face the device and take a large step back, holding the two ends of the rope higher than your head. Pull the rope towards your face, letting your elbows float out to the sides, then extend back up.
Upright Row
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Shoulder muscles working: anterior deltoids and trapezius
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Amp accessory used: T bar
- How to do it: With the device arm at its lowest position, face the device and hold the T bar with your palms facing your thighs. Keeping your shoulders pressed down, pull the bar up to your chest, letting your elbows float up, then lower back down.
Straight Arm Oblique Twist
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Shoulder muscles working: lateral and anterior deltoids and rhomboids
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Amp accessory used: Single handle
- How to do it: With the device arm at shoulder height, stand so it is next to you and take a large step away. Grip the handle with both hands and bring it to shoulder height. Keeping your arms nearly straight, pull them across your chest, twisting and pulling until the handle is on the other side of your body, then return to start. Repeat on the other side.
Single Arm Overhead Press
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Shoulder muscles working: anterior, lateral and posterior deltoids and trapezius
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Amp accessory used: Single handle
- How to do it: With the device arm in a low position, face away from it and hold the handle at one shoulder. Press it up overhead, then lower back down. Repeat on the other side.
Dual Overhead Press
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Shoulder muscles working: anterior, lateral and posterior deltoids and trapezius
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Amp accessory used: T bar
- How to do it: With the device arm in a low position, face the device and hold the T bar at your chest, palms facing out, and knees slightly bent. Without arching your back, press the bar overhead, then lower it back down.
Front Raise
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Shoulder muscles working: anterior deltoids
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Amp accessory used: T bar
- How to do it: With the device arm at its lowest position, face away from the device and hold the bar in front of your thighs, palms facing in, letting the cable come through your legs. Raise the bar up to shoulder height, then lower back down.
Single Arm Flies
- Shoulder muscles working: posterior deltoids and rhomboids
- Amp accessory used: Single handle
- How to do it: With the device arm in a low position, stand so it is next to you. Hinge over at the hips and grip the handle with your outside hand. Place your inside hand on your knee or on the device arm. Keeping your working elbow slightly bent, pull the handle out to the side until your upper arm is in line with your back, then lower back down. Repeat on the other side.
Rear Deltoid Pull
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Shoulder muscles working: posterior deltoids, rhomboids and trapezius
- Amp accessory used: Rope
- How to do it: With the device arm at its highest position, face the device and grip both ends of the rope. Take a large step back and come down onto one or both knees. Pull the rope ends down toward your shoulders, squeezing your shoulder blades together, then extend back up.
Lateral Raise
- Shoulder muscles working: lateral deltoids and trapezius
- Amp accessory used: Single handle
- How to do it: With the device arm in a low position, stand so it is next to you. Hold the handle in front of your body with your outside hand. Pull the handle out to the side, lifting it to shoulder height, then lower back down. Repeat on the other side.
Let’s Do It!
As you can see, it’s important to have strong shoulders and the amp fitness device can help you get there. Not only can you complete these 10 beneficial shoulder exercises, but the AI-powered app also comes loaded with hundreds of workouts and exercises to help you see results fast. Get yours today!
