Dumbbell Shoulder Press

If you want a great workout for your shoulders and arms, you should definitely consider using the dumbbell shoulder press. I’ve used this exercise in a number of ways to target my shoulders, but also as a combo move to give my legs a good workout. I’ll talk about both.

The basic dumbbell shoulder press is pretty simple. We suggest 3 or 4 sets with decreasing reps as you progress (for instance, 15, 12, 10, then 8). Mess around with both how much weight you want to lift and how many reps you perform remembering that lower weight and higher reps will serve to give you lean muscle mass, while heavy weight and lower reps will likely give you more size. Whatever your goal, prepare accordingly.

Start with your legs shoulder width apart holding each dumbbell at about the height of your shoulder, elbows bent in a modified curl position. Just press the weights straight up, not letting them extend outside the plane of your body, then return to start. It’s a pretty simple exercise, but if done correctly, it can really target the right muscles. If you want to convert this to a full body workout that will engage your core and incorporate your legs, add a squat to the move. Start in the same position, but squat down first then explode up and extend the weight above your head. This simple change will get your heart rate moving and really engage the muscle groups in your whole body.

If you want big shoulders, using the right exercises is imperative, but adding the right supplement may be of equal importance. Whey protein and creatine specifically have been developed with the attributes necessary to aid in recovery as well as the growth of your muscles. If used at least on the days you lift weight, whey protein and creatine will help your muscles repair themselves more quickly and ultimately grow healthy and strong muscle fiber. Whey protein has been a hot supplement on the market for a couple years now, while creatine has been a pillar in weight lifting circles for decades. Use either to improve your strength and increase your size.

Other healthy alternatives are available to improve your diet as well. Most are turning to a multivitamin these days to ensure they receive the recommended daily allowances they need. Multivitamins can also help with weight loss and increased energy. If you want a catch all, the hottest thing on the market is healthy chocolate. Healthy chocolate can help your body with stress relief and improved energy, and the best thing is it tastes great. Also, you might try green tea to level off your antioxidants and circulation. Whatever your choice though, whether you want to use a multivitamin, healthy chocolate, or green tea to improve your mood and energy, the right nutritional balance can make all the difference in the world.

Getting bigger shoulders starts in the gym with exercises like the dumbbell shoulder press, standard or modified, but size always ends with whey protein or creatine. If you want to improve your stress level and increase your energy, then adding a multivitamin to your diet or incorporating healthy chocolate and green tea can serve you very well.

For more info on whey protein, visit Top Form Supplements.