The Key Is In The Sculpted Shoulders

Posted: October 7, 2011 at 6:43 am

Happy Friday, friends! Regular FFF reader? Then may I suggest you check me out on the Fit Bottomed Girls site this morning?

And if you found your way over here for the first time from my post on Fit Bottomed Girls, I’m super excited you stopped by! Get acquainted by checking out a little more on what to expect when visiting FFF and who I am. Then, say hello so I can get to know you. It’s all about supporting each other in our quests for fit living!

The Key Is In The Sculpted Shoulders

You want to know what I find the most attractive body part on a man? The shoulders. Strong looking shoulders.

Yummy. Is it obvious I just wanted an excuse to post that picture again? Winking smile

I think sculpted shoulders go a long way in giving anyone a more defined, toned look to the upper body. Shoulders are one of my favorite body parts to train. The few key movements have seemingly endless variations. Plus, I find results in that area come relatively quickly and you can really push them hard.

Allow me to share some variations of my favorite shoulder exercises.

Barbell Front Raise With Rear Delt Pull

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Start by gripping a barbell with hands just outside thighs and the bar hanging in front of your. Keeping your arms straight, raise the bar up in front of you to chest level. Then slowly draw the bar back to your chest, keeping it at chest level, before returning it to the start position.

L Raises (Front/Side Raise Combo)

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Start with hands palm down by side, one towards the front and one towards the side. Raise straight out, up to shoulder level, in an L position. Repeat on one side for reps, then focus on the other side. For an additional challenge, you can rotate the L from one side to the other with the dumbbells raised before returning to start.

Rotating Overhead Shoulder Press

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Start an overhead dumbbell shoulder press with palms facing each other. Press straight up, then open arms out wide with palms facing the front. Bring slowly down to shoulder level, before rotating back in to the start position.

Band Raises

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Any move with a resistance band always challenges my shoulders in new ways. I love this one. Sit with a resistance band looped around your toes in the center. Grab both ends of the band and pull back, keeping your back straight and chest out. Pulse back as many times as possible.

Rotator Cuff On Stability Ball

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After excusing the lovely shut eye picture, grab a stability ball. lay sideways across the ball. Plant your top leg in front of you and extend the bottom leg out to the side for a solid base. Keeping your arm raised off the side of your body, bend it at a 90 degree angle and rotate the dumbbell from parallel with the floor to perpendicular.

These are just 5 variations of the many great shoulder moves out there. Use resistance bands, cables, dumbbells, or barbells to complete a wide variety of lateral raises, front raises, rear delt raises, overhead presses, and upright rows. Toss in a stability ball or Bosu ball for some added challenge. Keep things at a super slow tempo to really feel the burn. Add a couple moves into your regular upper body work or 4-6 for a fully focused shoulder workout. Now, get those shoulders burning!

  • Do you like working your shoulders? What’s your favorite move?
  • For Friday fun – what body part do you find most attractive on the opposite sex (not including facial features)?  In love

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56 Comments to “The Key Is In The Sculpted Shoulders”
  1. Alexandra says:

    Awesome workout routine! I love working my shoulders, it always feels so good. Oh and thanks for the morning eye candy from Mr. Reynolds up there heehee 😉
    Have a great Friday!

  2. Khushboo says:

    I love overhead presses but kinda loathe lateral raises! Excited to try these moods! And thank you for that picture, it has totally made my day 😀

  3. I think that shoulder exercises are the moooost painful exercises to do. Seriously, my entire body shakes whenever I work on shoulders!!! I like the first move – I’ve never added a rear delt pull to a raise before!

  4. Lauren says:

    Shoulders is the track I hate in Body Pump but LOVE the results after I push through it. You are right, definitely one of the sexiest muscles groups.

  5. Definetly shoulders/arms! Hahah 😀

  6. Check you out! I don’t like working my shoulders, I’m more of a lower body workout fan.
    Fav feature…hmm I would have said eyes!
    I’ll go with butt…hate when a guy has no butt to hold up his jeans!

  7. Amy Lauren says:

    I’ll have to try these out. BTW your pics do a great job of explaining the workouts! I love how you have one for each step, that is really helpful to print off when you do the workout 🙂

  8. Melanie says:

    Shoulder presses are my favorite by far, with free weights. After a few sets I get the shakes and it hurts so good ! Haha
    I think the most attractive body part on the opposite sex is a combination of shoulders/back. Love a nice back. haha

  9. Lauren says:

    The front/side raise combo looks fun! Shoulder moves are some of my favorites too, especially overhead shoulder presses.

  10. Lee says:

    Even though I think my shoulders look fairly decent, I hate working them out! I don’t know why, but it’s one of the hardest body parts for me to do. I still do it though, but curse the moves while I’m doing them!

    This might be one of the more bizarre answers that you’re going to get, but I like a guy with nice looking hands and fingernails. Weird, I know.

  11. i LOVE shoulders! i love them on men (nate has such great shoulders…hubba hubba!) and i love that they make women look strong and sexy too! we used to work on shoulders all the time in volleyball – both strength and flexability – and people would ask if i was a swimmer. swoon!

  12. Heather says:

    Shoulders are my most favorite body part. They are so sexy! (and the only reason I watch basketball – haha)
    Upright rows kick my butt every time. 🙂

  13. Great workout tips! Thanks a lot for including pictures. Now even a strength training dummy like me understands the moves. 😉
    On men, I like a nicely defined chest and strong arms, but not too bulky. Just like my husband.

  14. My fav shoulder workout move are overhead presses….I love how strong I feel during that move and I like to couple it with a squat at the same time to get some glute work in there as well.

    I love love strong shoulders, chest, and back (upper body in general) on a man…my husband has a rock solid upper body and I just swoon over it… 😉

  15. Denise says:

    Shoulders are sexy. Who is your photographer? You are looking great.

  16. I love this little routine. I have been trying to focus on my shoulders a bit more as they are weak and undefined 🙂 Thanks for putting this together!

  17. Thank you for that picture of Ryan Reynolds so early on this Friday morning. 😉 Great workouts!

  18. Thank you for that picture. You just made my morning.

    Oh yeah – the shoulder moves are good too 😉

  19. Geez…is he sexy or what? Love me some sexy shoulders….my husband is a competitive waterskier and when he competing his shoulders get huge…super sexy!

    xoxo from Trinidad

  20. Bari says:

    You are my new best friend for posting that picture of Ryan Reynolds. Yummy doesn’t even come close. *sigh*

    Anyhoo – I’m definitely an arms/shoulders girl on guys. Love me some sexy shoulders.

  21. When I first see a guy, I first look at their eyes, then teeth and then BUTT! 😉

  22. jobo says:

    defined shoulders are the BEST! I LOVE working my shoulders too. I just think nice shoulders make your whole upper body look great. And please do keep posting that picture of Ryan Reynolds. Hot stuff 😉 (congrats on the guest post, going to read now!)

  23. Mellissa says:

    Sigh, he is so darn sexy. Must think about working out… I love shoulders and love when they are so sore the next day it hurts to wash your hair.

  24. My shoulders are one of my favorite parts to work but they are also one of my weakest. I love lat raises because I love the way my shoulders look when they lifted out to the side…it makes the muscle pop! I always say that a person’s shoulders really play a part in how defined they ‘look’! 🙂

  25. Erin says:

    Great article, I can’t wait to start toning my shoulders especially since I tend to overlook this area. Oh, and I agree, I <3 my boyfriend's big, strong shoulders – so sexy!

  26. I love doing shoulder/back/chest exercises! My legs are pretty strong and really easy to make stronger, but my arms/shoulders/back are more of a challenge, which I love.

    I, too, am a shoulders person. 😉

  27. Um, hi Ryan Reynolds. 🙂
    To be fair- you look adorable in your photos, too!

    I find that I work out my shoulders more than anything else upper body. I love using medicine balls and Bosu balance trainers and doing combos of squats and shoulder exercises.
    Talk about a killer all-over workout!

  28. Jess says:

    I LOVE working my shoulders – most of the exercises you show here are variations of what we do in barrer n9ne for shoulders and let me tell you, that sh*t works!! I am really proud of how strong my shoulders have become these past few months. I swear, there is nothing sexier on a man or a woman than strong, rounded shoulders. Oh la la!

  29. Ugh. He is soo hot! Life isn’t fair. Hahah
    I loveee working shoulders!

  30. Great shoulder ideas! I also love working the shoulders 🙂

  31. Thanks for the great ideas for shoulders. I’ll have to try them out tomorrow.

    I’d definitely have to go with shoulders and arms on guys. They’re just awesome.

  32. You can share that picture of Ryan any day of the week!

  33. I loved this post in every way. Ryan Reynolds is my Hollywood crush, so of course I didn’t mind the photo! I also LOVE working my shoulders. I totally agree with you that defined shoulders add so much to your arms. Great exercises!!

  34. I have to agree that shoulders are the most attractive feature on a man, with biceps being a close second.

  35. Katie says:

    Thank you! Great ideas – loved the photos and detailed directions.

  36. Courtney says:

    You’re like a cheerleader out there with your dumb bells, love it!

  37. Lisa says:

    Love that photo! 🙂

    I have nicely developed shoulders from swimming. After swimming for years I suddenly had BROAD shoulders which surprised me (and made clothes shopping interesting). I love lifting weights now and it’s fun to see the changes.

  38. I’ve actually gotten really into shoulder building lately! one or both of my off-running days are spent hitting up some shoulder weight exercises, and I’m lovin’ it. 🙂

  39. Heidi Nicole says:

    My upper body is definitely the area I need to work on the most since my legs get a pretty good workout from running and biking…I’m forcing my way through NROLFW right now but I know I’ll need to maintain in the future – so thanks for this post! 🙂

  40. Thanks for the great workout tips! Shoulders, biceps and triceps are my favorite body parts to workout, though I don’t do it as regularly as I should. The icing on my weight-loss cake would be to have great-looking arms with some muscle definition. Well, that and being able to do a pull-up.

  41. Love these moves! They are actually ones I’ve NEVER done before! Will definitely be adding them to my training program soon!

  42. Sandy says:

    Just found you from Fit Bottomed Girls and I look forward to getting your updates and reading more of your story. I’m looking for a great upper body workout on DVD. I always work better with instruction than putting my own together. For a few years I did 30 tricep dips on a bench before going out for my walk. Then I broke my wrist last fall and it was too much pressure. I may try again because I felt it really help keep my upper body defined.

    • Tina says:

      Hi, Sandy! Thanks for saying hello. 🙂

      I love sharing my life and all different parts and especially love connecting with readers. Hope to continue to see you around!

      On my fitness page I have some strength training workouts I like. Also, I love love love Cathe Friedrich DVDs. She has some great upper body workouts.

  43. My typical go-to shoulder exercises are over head press, arnold press, and side lateral raises. Today I found a new one – the Cuban Press. It’s a goody!!!

  44. I love a guys back! Especially when its really broad and then narrows to his waist.

    I hate shoulder exercises becuase my upper body is so weak and I struggle! But I have to do them to get stronger.

  45. Mac says:

    That smile on your face is very deceptive. It says look at me I’m having a great time and these exercises are really easy… in reality I know for a fact a few of those are by no means easy. Your smile is quite convincing though 🙂

  46. Amy says:

    i love the overhead press it really gets my blood flowing and I feel strong when i do it.
    I love big toned biceps on a guy. so sexy

  47. sian says:

    My new fav shoulder workout is one I saw on PB Fingers.com and her hubby demo it. It was called the buckling your seat belt. Really awesome move and plus her hubby kinda looks like Ryan ; )

  48. Hey thanks for this article… this actually reminded me that I need to work on my shoulders. I find that most people neglect to work them, just like other body parts like the back of the leg for example.

    In any case, thanks for these tips the exercises look like they are quite fulfilling.

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