Shoulder workouts offer many benefits, far beyond only making you stronger. Incorporating effective shoulder workouts into your exercise routine can melt away fat and improve your overall physique. 

Many assume they should do exercises targeting the abdomen, thighs, biceps, and other areas to reduce fat. However, a sculpted shoulder workout is beneficial, too, because your back, shoulders, and armpits can also have excess fat. Shoulder workouts can make you feel more confident and improve your overall fitness. 

When you reduce fat in these areas, it boosts your health and well-being. You can do many workouts at home or incorporate them into your gym routine. 

Shoulder Anatomy and Function

The best shoulder workouts involve the deltoids, upper trapezius, serratus anterior, rotator cuff muscles, and levator scapulae to promote scapular stabilization. The deltoids are what make your shoulders look rounded. 

They are triangular and span from your collarbone and shoulder blade to your upper arm bone. This muscle affects shoulder movement and rotation, lifting your arms to your sides and performing lifting and pressing motions.

Understanding the anatomy and function of your shoulders can help you recognize your body’s limits. You’ll know to focus on balanced development and injury prevention to maintain muscle health.  

Working all shoulder muscles is essential for balancing development and preventing injuries. It improves your upper body appearance while promoting stability, increasing your range of motion, strengthening the rotator cuff, and improving your posture. You will not only look great, you will be stronger.

shoulder workouts

Shoulder Workouts for Fat Burning (and to Get Stronger!)

High-intensity shoulder workouts contribute to fat loss and promote cardiovascular fitness. Circuit training is one of the best ways to incorporate fat-burning workouts into your exercise routine.  

Examples of fat-burning shoulder workouts include:

1 – Dumbbell Thrusters 

Dumbbell thrusters use your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and shoulders. It also works your arms, upper back, and core. 

You’ll want to keep your chest up, core engaged, and hips back as you do this exercise. Focus on inhaling as you squat and exhaling as you raise your arms.

Here’s how to do it:

  • Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding your dumbbells at your shoulders.
  • Lower your body into a squat, paralleling your thighs to the floor. 
  • Stand back up and extend your arms above your head. 
  • Return to the starting position and repeat the exercise for up to one minute. 

2 – Shoulder Press With Squat 

A shoulder press can help strengthen your deltoids and promote muscle maintenance. It also requires using your triceps. Shoulder presses tone and sculpts your arms, shoulders, chest, and back.

Here’s how to do it:

  • Hold your dumbbells in front of your shoulders with your palms facing each other.
  • Keep your back straight as you push into your hips and lower into a squat while keeping the weights in front of your shoulders. 
  • Once your hips are below your knees, push your legs into the ground to stand back up and raise your dumbbells overhead simultaneously. 
  • Return to the starting position repeating the exercise. 

3 – Kettlebell Swings 

Kettlebell swings are high-intensity, target your posterior chain, but involve your entire body. They build strength and burn fat, and are helpful in circuit training. Kettlebell swings boost cardiorespiratory fitness and burn many calories quickly.  

Here’s how to do it:

  • Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  • Hold a kettlebell with both hands, keep your palms facing you, and hold your arms straight down.  
  • Hinge your hips, bend your knees slightly, and inhale as you bring the kettlebell between your legs. Keep your back straight and engage your core as you do this. 
  • On the exhale, contract your glutes and stand up, swinging the kettlebell as far as possible. 
  • To finish the first rep, inhale as you push your knees back, bend your knees slightly, and swing the kettlebell between your legs. 
  • Repeat this exercise for 10 – 20 reps of two to three sets or up to five minutes. 

Shoulder Workouts for Muscle Definition

Incorporating muscle-defining workouts into your daily routine can help increase muscle definition. Isolation exercises, compound exercises, and resistance training are the best options.  

Some of the muscle-defining workouts you can try to include:

4 – Lateral Raises 

Side lateral raises strengthen and tone the muscles in your deltoids. It focuses on the middle portion of your shoulders and strengthens your lats and pectoralis major. 

Here’s how to do it: 

  • Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart while holding a dumbbell in each hand, slightly away from your hips.
  • Tighten your core and slowly lift the dumbbells out to the sides. 
  • Keep raising them until your arms are parallel to the floor, maintaining a slight bend in your elbow.
  • Hold the position before lowering the dumbbells back to your sides. 
  • Repeat this exercise for three sets of 12 reps. 

5 – Front Raises 

Front raises benefit your deltoids, allowing you to build round shoulders. They sculpt your other shoulder muscles and chest.  

Here’s how to do it:

  • Stand straight with your legs hip-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand, resting them on the front of your thighs.
  • Your palms should face your thighs and arms fully extended.  
  • Raise one dumbbell upwards and out, slightly bending the elbow.
  • Once your arm is parallel to the floor, hold it for one count before lowering it back to the start position.
  • Raise the other dumbbell the same way, beginning as you lower the other one. 
  • Do front raises for two sets of 12 reps.

6 – Resistance Training 

Resistance training makes your muscles work against force to get stronger. When you gain muscle, you’ll burn more fat while at rest. 

Some forms you can try include:

  • Weight machines 
  • Resistance bands 
  • Free weights 
  • Your body weight

When you do resistance training on a specific muscle group, rest in that area for at least two days. Resting is essential to maximizing the benefits and avoiding injury. 

stronger

Shoulder Workouts for Endurance and Stability

Some workouts encourage endurance training, core stability, and functional fitness. They improve endurance and stability, so it’s essential to incorporate them into your regular exercise routines. You will get stronger with consistency.

Some workouts to try include:

7 – Plank to Push-up

A plank to push-up works your front, side, and back deltoids. It also strengthens your triceps, abs, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and biceps.  

Here’s how to do it:

  • Start in a plank position with your elbows bent, forearms rested on the floor, and your legs behind with your toes pushing into the floor. 
  • Keep your core engaged and neck aligned with your spine. 
  • Turn your arms to place your palms flat on the floor.
  • Without stopping, extend your arms to do a push-up.
  • Repeat this exercise for two sets of 10 reps. 

8 – Shoulder Taps 

Shoulder taps target multiple muscle groups and boost your fat-burning efforts. You can speed up this workout as you become more comfortable because it also serves as cardio.

Here’s how to do it:

  • Start with your palms flat on the ground, directly below your shoulders. 
  • Extend your legs behind you, curling your toes under to support your lower body. 
  • Lift your right hand and touch your left shoulder as you engage your core for stabilization. 
  • Do the same movement with your left hand touching your right shoulder. 
  • Continue this exercise for one minute or until you can’t continue. 

9 – Static Holds

A static hold requires maintaining a position without moving, creating an isometric muscle contraction. Some of the static holds that promote fat burning, make your shoulders muscles stronger, and prevent injury include: 

  • dumbbell holds 
  • isometric deadlifts 
  • planks 
  • pull-up holds 
  • wall sits 

 Eight Tips for Maximizing Shoulder Workout Results

  1. Using proper form during shoulder workouts is essential to achieving the best results. Before starting your workouts, do upper body warm-ups to prepare your body. Stretching afterward is also suggested.
  2. Start with a weight you’re comfortable with. You shouldn’t feel pain as you start, but it should be heavy enough to promote fat burning and strength building.  
  3. It’s okay to start with a lower weight than initially desired because you can always increase as you build strength. Being patient with the weight increases can help prevent injury and promote weight loss. Use progressive overload to intensify your workouts as you gain strength, gradually increasing the weight, speed, and repetitions.  
  4. The best way to know if you need more weight is if you can do at least two reps beyond the suggested amount for two workouts in a row. If you can, it’s time to increase your weights to the next size of dumbbells.
  5. You’ll know you’re lifting too much weight if you can’t place it back in the starting position without good form. Additionally, you might be using too much if you can’t complete three sets of 12 reps.  
  6. One of the best tips is to give yourself time for recovery, which involves rest and nutrition. Recovering promotes optimal results and prevents injury. 
  7. You can’t only do shoulder workouts for fat burning because your body requires balance. Focus on your core and lower body a few times a week, and do cardio exercises at least three times weekly. 
  8. Eating a light meal 20 to 40 minutes before working out can also increase the benefits. Look for options that contain carbohydrates and protein. 

Six Mistakes to Avoid When Doing Shoulder Workouts to Become Stronger and Melt Fat

Avoiding common mistakes during shoulder workouts can help you achieve the best results. It also allows you to prevent injury or strain. Remember to avoid the following: 

  1. tensing your neck or shrugging your shoulders 
  2. lifting too much weight 
  3. doing more repetitions than you’re ready for 
  4. swinging the weights during raises 
  5. not considering your form 
  6. skipping warm-up 

shoulder workouts

Final Thoughts on Shoulder Exercises for Fat Loss and to Get Stronger

Adding shoulder workouts to your regular exercise routine promotes fat loss and overall fitness. Implement some exercises discussed here to improve your physique and melt away fat.  

It’s easier than you might realize to burn fat with shoulder workouts because the exercises will offer the results you’re looking for. Implement them slowly to see which ones you enjoy best and make you feel stronger but comfortable.