Some of the best shoulder exercises can be accomplished with a set of dumbbells.
Whether you’re at home or at the gym, a full shoulder workout is the ‘key’ to large, round deltoids.
Instead of doing a simple set of shoulder presses, incorporate exercises like the reverse fly, kettlebell swing, and the renegade row to give you the build up your shoulder muscles.
Dumbbell exercises should benefit both the shoulder and arms.
A shoulder workout without weight is possible, but eventually you’ll need to add some extra resistance to your workouts to properly challenge your muscles.
Try these 10 dumbbell exercises for shoulders at home or in the gym.
Dumbbell Exercises for Shoulders
1. Arnold Press
A variation to the standard overhead press is the Arnold Press.
This dumbbell exercise for shoulders is a great exercise to start your workout.
The benefit of the Arnold press is it will work all the heads of the deltoid in a single movement.
2. Single Arm Kettlebell Swing (w/ a Dumbbell)
A great way to get a full body workout while focusing on the deltoid is with a single arm kettlebell swing.
You can do this with a classic kettlebell, but a dumbbell will work in the same fashion.
The only difference is the dumbbell may not have as smooth a handle as a kettlebell.
3. Renegade Rows
A great way to challenge both the front and rear deltoids is with a renegade row.
Not only will you work the shoulder muscles but the chest, abs, hip flexors and obliques.
Make this dumbbell exercise even more challenging by doing a pushup jack instead of a standard pushup on the way down.
4. Reverse Flies
A good way to hit the rear deltoids and the rhomboids at the same time is with a reverse fly.
The reverse fly is a great exercise to superset with many other exercises.
You can easily transition from the reverse fly to a squat, RDL, or bicep curl.
5. Side Raise and Front Raise
Another simple dumbbell exercise for shoulders is the side and front raise.
Do the single arm version and you will challenge your core at the same time.
Alternate the side and front raise to really scorch your shoulders.
6. Thrusters
One of the best dumbbell exercises for not only the shoulders but the entire body is the thruster.
Simply squat with the dumbbells above the shoulders, stand and thrust the weights up into the air.
Rinse and repeat.
You will develop strong and lean muscle while giving yourself a challenging aerobic workout.
7. Dumbbell Shrugs
An oldie but a goodie is the dumbbell shrug.
A great exercise for the traps, shrugs are going to give you full, cut shoulders.
Often seen on football players and wrestlers, fully developed traps are going to often be the first thing noticed on advanced exercisers.
8. Glute Ham Shoulder Press
Part of the YTWLI shoulder and back routine, the shoulder press on the glute ham machine is a necessary exercise for developing the upper back and rear deltoids.
Do all 5 exercises in this routine to make sure you are hitting all the heads.
Part of a physical therapist’s repertoire, the YTWLI is a great way to stabilize and strengthen your shoulders.
9. Air Punching or Speed Bag
Another great shoulder exercise you can do with a set of dumbbells is air punching or air speed bag.
A great boxing workout will leave your shoulders burning.
Add a couple of dumbbells to make the routine even harder.
10. Lawn Mowers
The last exercise you can do for your shoulders is the lawn mower.
This is a single arm row that targets the rear deltoid.
Do this and all of these exercises to give you pair of large round deltoids.
Summary: Dumbbell Exercises for Shoulders
Some of the best dumbbell exercises for shoulders are done with a simple set of dumbbells. What’s great is that a full shoulder workout can be done in the comfort of your home. Just remember to do these exercises to fatigue or as a superset with one another. You can pair a shoulder exercise with almost any other exercise, depending on your goals. A large round deltoid also requires you to eat a healthy, high protein diet. Make sure to rest and recover and you will have the arms many other people will want.
