Shoulder & Arm Exercises

Exercise routines for the shoulders and arms will increase strength, flexibility, endurance and muscle tone. The exercise routine you choose to perform will depend on your goals. The upper extremity works as a unit, therefore an exercise program targeting the arms and shoulders should work the hands, wrists, forearms, elbows, upper arms and shoulders. Always begin exercising at your fitness level and increase in gradual increments to prevent injury. There are a plethora of upper extremity exercises, so if a specific exercise elicits pain find another exercise that feels comfortable.

Range-of-Motion Movements

Simple non-resistance shoulder and arm range-of-motion exercises will bring blood to the muscles, increase joint flexibility and provide a good warmup. If your range of motion is limited due to pain, injury or stiffness start slowly and gradually increase the speed and range of these movements. Always work through a pain-free range of motion and never force a joint past its current capabilities. The Ohio State University Medical Center recommends wrist, elbow, forearm and shoulder motions in all planes to increase upper extremity joint motion.

Stretching

Slow, controlled, static stretching will decrease muscle tension and increase joint range of motion. A combination of static stretches and dynamic range of motion exercises is a great way to warm-up before exercising. Never stretch a cold muscles and never bounce while stretching. Always breath comfortably while stretching and increase the length of a stretch while exhaling or immediately after exhaling. World-renowned stretching expert and author of the book, "Stretching," Bob Anderson, recommends a series of stretching for the neck, shoulders, and wrists during breaks from computer work.

Exercise Bands

Utilize exercise bands to develop strength, endurance and tone in the muscles of the shoulders and arms and for injury rehabilitation. Unlike dumbbells and barbells, exercise bands provide resistance through an exercise's entire range of motion. The small size and light weight of workout bands allows them to be used at home, at the gym or while traveling. When it comes to exercise bands, the American Council on Exercise recommends, "Performing each exercise in a slow and controlled manner while using a relaxed grip." You can anchor the band to a chair, your foot, in your opposite hand or in a door, and execute shoulder raises, bicep curls, tricep extensions and wrist curls to strengthen and tone your upper extremities.

Dumbbells

Use dumbbells to develop strength in your upper body. Fitness trainer and author Pavel Tsatsouline states, "When you use dumbbells you control the weight in 3-D." This forces you to control the weight, thus employing the assisting and stabilizing muscles to a higher degree than when you use a barbell or exercise machine. The versatility of dumbbells allows for a wide range of shoulder and arm exercises including shoulder presses, shoulder lateral raises, bicep curls, tricep extensions, tricep kickbacks, farmer's walk, wrist curls and reverse wrist curls.

Barbells

Basic shoulder and arm barbell exercises include military presses, barbell curls, tricep extensions, wrist curls and reverse wrist curls. Incorporate these exercises into your routine to build arm strength, endurance, size and tone. Start with light weights and gradually increase your poundage. Power lifting guru and author, Brooks Kubik recommends using heavy weights and low reps to develop power and strength.