Are you looking to get broader shoulders? Do you want people to see you and think you are an NFL lineman? Well, they might not think you are a professional football player, but they will notice your big, broad shoulders if you add these compound exercises to your regular routine.
Clean & Press
When you think of compound exercises, the clean & press takes the cake. This exercise works the trapezius muscles, quadriceps, hamstrings, buttocks, and triceps. To perform the clean & press, stand with feet shoulder width apart and grasp a barbell with an overhand grip. Keep your back straight, lower your rear end towards the floor, and then explode upward with the barbell in hand. Quickly lift the barbell to your chest and, looking up, push the weight towards the ceiling. Finally, lower the weight back down to its original position.
Form is of great importance when performing the clean & press. Any lax in form can lead to a devastating back injury if you are not careful. Also, make sure that you use a weight that you can comfortably lift under control. You do not want to sacrifice proper form just for the sake of lifting more weight.
Upright Rows
The barbell upright row hits the muscles in the upper back, including the trapezius, along with the forearms, triceps, and biceps. What a great combination for a total arm workout. However, the focus of the upright row is the deltoid. You can perform this exercise with either a barbell or dumbbells. To execute, simply grasp the barbell (or dumbbells) with an overhand grip and lift up towards neck, leading with the elbows. Under control, lower barbell back down and repeat until set is complete.
Lateral Raises
With dumbbells in hand, you are ready to attack the shoulders with the lateral raise. This exercise targets the full deltoid, building both strength and size. Perform this exercise by raising the dumbbells away from the sides of your body until your arms are parallel to the floor. A repetition is complete when you bring your arms back down to your sides.
Military Press
The military press works the trapezius muscles in the upper back and the deltoids. You can perform this exercise with either a barbell or dumbbells. In addition, with a barbell, you can execute the military press either in front of the head or behind the head. Take caution when doing it behind the head as it may lead to instability and possible injury. To perform this exercise, grasp barbell (or dumbbells) with an overhand grip and position at top of chest. Push upward until arms are fully extended, lower to chest, and repeat.
There you have it — four exercises that will help you bulk up those traps and delts. Make sure to keep your form throughout each repetition to avoid injury. Also, make sure to increase your intensity as the weight becomes easier so you can realize true gains. Finally, don’t forget to buy bigger shirts.
