Shoulders define stature

Broad, well-defined but relaxed shoulders are a sign of strength, self-confidence and contribute a lot to your appearance, says our fitness expert Kiran Sawhney.

Shoulders influence our appearance far more than any other body part. Just as broad, well defined but relaxed shoulders are a sign of strength, self-confidence and contribute to your appearance, tight shoulder muscles, on the other hand, will cause discomfort and pain. Because of this, it is very important to train this body part with equal doses of strengthening and stretching exercises. The shoulder is a ball and socket joint. It is the most mobile joint in the body and therefore one of the most in danger of injury, especially dislocation. Because of this, it is important to secure its strength through specific exercises.

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Guidelines for exercising the shoulders

- Do not work with momentum; that means, don't swing
- Stand firm and have control of your movement
- Keep your shoulders down, pulled away from ears
- When you contract, you exhale. When you release or relax, you inhale.
- Pay attention to how the hands are held during exercise. If you turn the hands outward or inward, you change the way the shoulder works. This can cause impingement, especially when the arms are brought overhead

Rear Shoulder Stretch

Stand in neutral position. Clasp your hands behind your back. Keep the arms extended and pull them down. Hold for 20-30 seconds and shake out the arms.

Overhead Press with Bar

Hold the bar with palms down at chest height. Raise the bar upwards, keeping your relaxed not tensed. Slowly lower the arms. This exercise trains the middle shoulder muscle. Don't use your body to throw the weight up.

Side Lateral Raises with Tubing

Place the ball of the foot in the middle of the tubing. Pull your arms upward to the sides. Palms face down. Make sure that you do not lock your elbows but keep them soft. Stand steady and don't lean back. This exercise trains the middle shoulder muscle.

Upright Row with Tubing

Hold the handles of the tubing and step in the center of the tubing. Keep neutral body alignment. Pull the tubing up, keeping your elbows out and your shoulders down. Lower it down slowly to the starting position. When pulling the tubing up, try to lead with your elbows. This exercise trains the middle shoulder muscles.

Shoulder Stretch against the wall

Place one arm against the wall on your shoulder level parallel to the floor. Rotate to the opposite side till you feel a good stretch in your shoulder blade. Repeat it on the other arm.

Shoulder Raise with Hand Weights

Position: Standing or lying down on flat surface or inclined surface or sitting on a Swiss ball.
Works on Anterior Deltoid

Method: Start with arms slightly bent, lift the weights in front of you to shoulder level. Your elbows are slightly bent while you control the movement in both directions.
Make sure your body is steady and upright as you lift your arm forward. Maintain tight abdominal with your chest and head lifted. Keep your elbows slightly bent and shoulders down. Lift using your deltoids with your arm following their upward pull.
Lead with your elbow, not the weight or your hand- your arm and hand will be on an even plane with your shoulders at the top of the movement.

Relax your grip on the dumbbells as you return to the starting position. Control your movement in both the directions. Exhale as you lift up; inhale as you return to starting position.