Beautiful Shoulders!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
So, I was reading my Oxygen Women's Fitness magazine & came upon a great tip on shoulder training. Hey, who doesn't love to have awesome arms & shoulders to show off! Well, along with awesome triceps, biceps back, butt & legs! 
BUT, "beautifying" that shoulder area does a lot to make wearing a sleeveless top or dress look even better. ALSO, if you tend to be a "pear shape", this can balance your body shape by widening that shoulder area a bit (back exercises also help that balance).
Anyway, back to this tip. Now I am one to really be concerned about my form so it is not that I don't keep proper form BUT really thinking about this tip when I did my shoulders this morning made quite a difference! I felt it & by the way... USE A LIGHTER WEIGHT WHEN YOU TRY THIS! THAT MIND/MUSCLE LINK IS A MUST.. WELL IT IS ALWAYS IN MY BOOK!
As you can see from the 2 pictures from Oxygen Magazine, the top is NOT using the tip & the bottom IS using the tip. Here is how it goes when doing a shoulder dumbbell press:
In the top picture, the shoulders are being held high & the shoulder blades are not retracted. BUT, in the bottom picture, the starting position, the shoulders are dropped & the scapulae are retracted! Remember, drop & retract! It will take that mind/muscle link & practice but if you "get it", you will see better results! I actually use this scapulae retraction in my back exercises as well. It really makes a difference! And again, use lighter weights as you learn this move. You will have to if you are doing it right!
Just to round out the discussion, other shoulder exercises are barbell or machine presses, side laterals, front raises and rear delts (some of you know this by the name bent over laterals). You can do all these exercises with dumbbells, cables, exercise bands, machines and more. Keep the variety going!
I know many of you say that cables kind of "scare" you. Don't let them! That continuous tension really works the muscle!!! Even with the exercise bands, keep that tension at the bottom of the move to mimic the cable machine version. Don't let the band slack.. keep tension. You will see how hard this is!
Also, use the RETRACT TIP with your other moves too. For example, on a cable or exercise band lateral, let your working arm cross the front of your body in the start position, drop the shoulders, retract the scapulae & then leading with your elbow, raise the arm out to the side until your upper arm is perpendicular to your shoulder. Pause & then control it back down to the starting position keeping the tension there! BURN BABY BURN!
So, I was reading my Oxygen Women's Fitness magazine & came upon a great tip on shoulder training. Hey, who doesn't love to have awesome arms & shoulders to show off! Well, along with awesome triceps, biceps back, butt & legs! BUT, "beautifying" that shoulder area does a lot to make wearing a sleeveless top or dress look even better. ALSO, if you tend to be a "pear shape", this can balance your body shape by widening that shoulder area a bit (back exercises also help that balance).Anyway, back to this tip. Now I am one to really be concerned about my form so it is not that I don't keep proper form BUT really thinking about this tip when I did my shoulders this morning made quite a difference! I felt it & by the way... USE A LIGHTER WEIGHT WHEN YOU TRY THIS! THAT MIND/MUSCLE LINK IS A MUST.. WELL IT IS ALWAYS IN MY BOOK!
As you can see from the 2 pictures from Oxygen Magazine, the top is NOT using the tip & the bottom IS using the tip. Here is how it goes when doing a shoulder dumbbell press:
In the top picture, the shoulders are being held high & the shoulder blades are not retracted. BUT, in the bottom picture, the starting position, the shoulders are dropped & the scapulae are retracted! Remember, drop & retract! It will take that mind/muscle link & practice but if you "get it", you will see better results! I actually use this scapulae retraction in my back exercises as well. It really makes a difference! And again, use lighter weights as you learn this move. You will have to if you are doing it right!
Just to round out the discussion, other shoulder exercises are barbell or machine presses, side laterals, front raises and rear delts (some of you know this by the name bent over laterals). You can do all these exercises with dumbbells, cables, exercise bands, machines and more. Keep the variety going!
I know many of you say that cables kind of "scare" you. Don't let them! That continuous tension really works the muscle!!! Even with the exercise bands, keep that tension at the bottom of the move to mimic the cable machine version. Don't let the band slack.. keep tension. You will see how hard this is!
Also, use the RETRACT TIP with your other moves too. For example, on a cable or exercise band lateral, let your working arm cross the front of your body in the start position, drop the shoulders, retract the scapulae & then leading with your elbow, raise the arm out to the side until your upper arm is perpendicular to your shoulder. Pause & then control it back down to the starting position keeping the tension there! BURN BABY BURN!
Give this tip a try & let me know if you see/feel a difference. I hope so. I know I felt it this morn!!!!
Oh - those shoulders make me envious. Some days I start to put on a sleeveless shirt that is "cut in" on the shoulders, and I think. No, shouldn't wear that.
I so need to do more strength training. By the way - my knee is doing better, and feeling stronger!
Reply to this
Diane, you should wear that sleeveless top no matter what. Look at what you have accomplished!
So glad the knee is better. YAHOO!
Reply to this
This is awesome! I didn't realize those slight differences could be so effective. I was totally doing it like pic #1. Doh! Thanks Jody!
Reply to this
Josie, I am really form crazed but I was not quite doing it this way & it made such a feeling difference! Will see with time what happens. I do a lot of retraction with my back & chest exercises but I had not with the shoulders.
Reply to this
Great tip! Form is so important with strength training. Thanks Jody!
Reply to this
I am so with you here. Form is key for results AND injury prevention.
Reply to this
In my residency, during a conversation with one of my faculty instructors, he said, "If you meet a woman who has good shoulders, the rest of her will be good too!" I always have remembered that one
Reply to this
DR. J.. too funny! Is that a "Turtle thing"?
Reply to this
I totally agree that good shoulders will help a pear shaped woman. I am the classic pear shape, but am a swimmer (and do weights) and my shoulders are fairly big as a result. It really helps to balance my heavy thighs out. A sleeveless top with an A-line skirt works for me in summer.
Reply to this
You obviously get it!!! And that outfit, based on me watching What Not to Wear, I say a great outfit. Me, fashion clueless!
Reply to this