How does shoulders work

So what are the best ways to work those shoulder muscles? Before we get into the best shoulder exercises, it helps to understand a little more about the shoulder itself.

First of all, the shoulder joint is a ball-and-socket joint, making it much more complex than an elbow or knee, which are both hinge joints, Bergeron says. Hinge joints operate in one plane of motion—the sagittal plane—allowing back-and-forth movement like flexion curling a dumbbell and extension like straightening your leg out in front of you while seated.

Ball-and-socket joints are multiplanar, meaning they operate in all three planes of motion—sagittal, frontal, and transverse—allowing front-to-back, side-to-side, and rotational movements. Because the shoulder joint has a much greater range of motion than other kinds of joints, it can be more challenging to keep your muscles structurally stable in each plane of movement, says Bergeron. What helps? Working your shoulders from different angles. Your shoulders are made up of three heads, or points of attachment.

Your anterior, or front, deltoid is responsible for internal rotation—like swinging a tennis racquet forward—and pushing objects away from you when it recruits your pectoral muscles. Your lateral deltoid, the middle part of your shoulder, helps raise your arms to the side and assists with reaching.

And your posterior deltoid, in the rear of your shoulder, helps with external rotation, like when you load your arm to throw something. The best shoulder exercises, then, will be a mixture of moves that hit all three heads of your shoulder and operate in various planes of movement. In some cases, you may have to use less weight than you think—if you overload some shoulder moves, like lateral raises, for instance, your upper trapezius muscles might start to take over instead.

Looking for some shoulder inspiration? Check out some of the best shoulder exercises below to add to your routine. This simple motion is actually doing a ton for your front and lateral delts, core, triceps , and pectoral muscles. Not only will you be working your anterior and lateral deltoids with this, but it also helps your trapezius muscle in your upper back.

That creates a solid amount of shoulder stability. Isolating one shoulder at a time is helpful for working on your form and noticing—and correcting—potential muscle imbalances. This variation helps you engage your core and stabilize your back muscles effectively while working the backs of your shoulders. That moment helps activate the muscles as they work to keep you stabilized. Using a resistance band instead of dumbbells can help stabilize your shoulders more effectively for an overhead press if you feel like your form needs it.

This gives you a shoulder workout in multiple planes of motion, so if you have time for only a few exercises, definitely put this one in the mix. The Z-press is a challenging variation of the overhead press. You may have to use lighter weights than usual to keep your form on target. Named after the Terminator himself, this is another good option for working multiple shoulder muscle angles in one sequence.

The standard Arnold press has dumbbells lower, but this variation creates a smaller range of motion, which can help you ease into the move. SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.

How the best shoulder exercises work your entire shoulder So what are the best ways to work those shoulder muscles? How to implement shoulder exercises into your workout The best shoulder exercises, then, will be a mixture of moves that hit all three heads of your shoulder and operate in various planes of movement.

Katie Thompson. Repeat twice more for a total of three sets, resting only as needed. From there, continue on to your next move. You're doing 10 total. How to: Start standing with feet shoulder-width apart, arms extended straight in front of body and raised to shoulder height, holding a resistance band with both hands, palms facing floor.

Engage core and pull fists out past shoulders. Slowly return to start. Complete 10 reps. How to: Start w ith feet under hips, legs straight, holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing toward body and weights touching quads.

Pull elbows up and out wide to lift the dumbbells to chest. Reverse movement to return to start. Complete 15 reps. Bend elbows out wide to the sides bringing head to touch the floor. Press through hands to return to start. How to: Start seated with legs bent, feet flat on the floor, and arms straight and behind body, palms pressed into mat with fingertips facing glutes and just a few inches behind them. Lift hips until thighs are parallel to the ceiling.

Pause at the top, then lower back down. How to: To start, stand with knees slightly bent, feet staggered, right foot forward and flat on the floor, left back heel high , with the middle of a resistance band looped underneath the arch of right foot, hands grasping it by the ends, and arms at sides—swapping the band for a pair of dumbbells is another option.

Without bending elbows, raise arms straight up in front of body to shoulder-height. Slowly lower back down to start. Complete 12 reps. How to: Start in plank position.

Bring body into an upside-down "V" position by walking feet toward hands. Take short steps on balls of feet and keep legs and torso straight. Walk feet back into plank. How to: To start, stand with knees slightly bent, feet staggered, right foot forward and flat on the floor, left back heel high , with the middle of a resistance band looped underneath the arch of right foot, hands grasping it by the ends, and arms at sides—swapping the band for a pair of dumbbells in another option.

Raise arms out wide until parallel to the floor. Return slowly to start. A recessed maxilla can cause cosmetic issues like flat cheekbones and a prominent jaw, and lead to dental problems, speech issues, and obstructed….

If you do tear a meniscus, you might be tempted to "walk it off. A lateral pelvic tilt is when one hip is higher than the other. Learn about five exercises that can help with this condition. Enthesopathy refers to pain and inflammation around your joints. This includes your wrists, knees, and ankles. Here's how to recognize and treat it. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Anatomy of the Shoulder Muscles Explained. Medically reviewed by Kevin Martinez, M. Anatomy Range of motion Muscle functions Common injuries Causes of injury Treatments When to see a doctor Takeaway The shoulder muscles are responsible for maintaining the widest range of motion of any joint in your body.

Anatomy of the shoulder. Range of motion. Muscle functions. Common injuries. Causes of injury. When to see a doctor.