Women are often at a disadvantage when it comes to upper body workouts. They have less muscle mass, more fat, and less testosterone than men. But there is no need to worry because there are many shoulder workouts for women that can help tone the shoulders. The best shoulder workouts for women help increase fitness and stamina. These exercises can be done at home or in the gym by using weights or even just your own body weight.
You don't need a lot of time to see results either - you can do these workouts as little as once a week to see results! Upper body training is the hardest but adding shoulder exercises as a part of your regular workout sessions is the only way to make things easier for you. Shoulder workouts for women are part of strength training and have many health benefits.
American Cancer Society says that doing strength training two or three times a week comes with many health benefits like stronger bones, improved muscle mass, boosted metabolism, flexibility, and improved posture. Shoulder workouts for women target your back, front and side deltoids, biceps, triceps, traps, lats, neck, glutes, quads, abs, hamstrings, and chest muscles.
Benefits Of Shoulder Workouts For Women
Before we delve into the many shoulder workouts for women to help tone the arms and upper body, let’s highlight the many benefits attached to them.Heart Health
Weight-lifting and upper body strength are considered to improve and protect our heart health. According to research conducted in 2018 by St. George’s University of Grenada concluded that strength training has the same effects on your heart as cardio. You don’t have to spend hours at the gym, twenty to thirty minutes would suffice. Another study done in 2018 states that people who engage in strength training a couple of times a week benefit from reduced chances of getting a heart attack or stroke.
Stronger Bones
Shoulder workouts for women help with muscle strength. Many studies have shown that strength training and weightlifting have a positive effect on your bones. Women tend to lose bone density over time compared to men, increasing their chances of getting osteoporosis or brittle bones. As women age, strength training helps improve bone density.
Boosts Mood
Cardio has been long known to release feel-good endorphins boosting your mood. Research suggests that exercising and strength training positively impact mental health. A study conducted in 2018 concluded that exercising regularly significantly improves symptoms of anxiety and depression. You can also incorporate meditation into your daily routine. Read our blog for meditation tips to help you.
Shoulder Workouts For Women
Here are five shoulder workouts for women that can be incorporated into your exercise regime. You don’t necessarily need to go to the gym, a couple of dumbbells and you are good to go.Dumbbell Row
- Hold the dumbbells in your hands and get on one hand and knee on a bench, or you can stand with one hand on the wall.
- Keep your back straight; the elbow should be slightly bent and your palm facing inward.
- Engage your core and squeeze shoulder blades together and lift the weight upwards until the upper arm is parallel to the floor and the elbow is slightly behind you.
- Return to the starting and continue.
- Do 8 to 12 reps, and switch sides.
Two-Arm Kettlebell Swing
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms hanging relaxed in front of you, and holding the kettlebell with both hands.
- Bend your knees and lower the kettlebell down between your legs.
- In one quick movement, come out of the squat by straightening your legs while swinging your arms forward to eye level. The kettlebell should feel weightless at the top of this movement.
- Repeat for one minute.
- Instead of a one-minute time, you can also choose to do 8-12 reps of this arm exercise.
Dumbbell Kickback
- Start by holding dumbbells in both hands; bend forward from your hips, maintaining a straight spine and keeping your chest up.
- Keep your neck aligned with your back so you are gazing at the floor slightly ahead of you. Bend elbows, keeping your upper arms alongside your body.
- Extend your arms one at a time behind you and squeeze your triceps muscle for a moment before returning to starting position.
- Do 8-12 reps on each side
Dumbbell Punch
- Hold dumbbells while standing with feet shoulder-width apart and knees soft but slightly bent.
- Punch your arms out in front of you one at a time for one minute.
- As you alternate back and forth, keep your dumbbells at shoulder level.
- Avoid jerking your body, but do allow your hips to move naturally as you punch.
Triceps Dips
- Sit on the edge of a bench, knees bent at a 90-degree angle and feet planted on the floor.
- Grip the bench, hands on either side of your hips.
- Push glutes off the bench and lower body two or three inches down, bending elbows (keep elbows close together).
- Then raise the body back to starting position.
- Do 8-12 reps
Key Takeaway
Shoulder workouts for women are packed with versatility. There are different types of exercises with different levels of intensity targeting different muscle groups. This means you will never get bored. You can easily do them in the comfort of your own home without any heavy gym machinery.
Doing the above-mentioned shoulder workouts for women will help you tone your arms and improve functional strength in no time at all. Not only that they may also help with neck and shoulder pain, as well as your posture. If you are feeling brave, try our resistance band shoulder exercises for women.
However, if you don’t have enough time to get a full hour’s workout into your daily routine, you can always opt for our ten-minute upper body workouts that can be done in the comfort of your home. Our shoulders are an important part of our body and play an important role in our life to be able to perform day-to-day tasks.
Therefore, keeping them functional and strong is crucial.
