About 12.7 million women are members of commercial health clubs, but only one-third of them lift free weights, reports "Fitness" magazine. Many women avoid strength training, especially in the arms and shoulders, for fear of getting bulky, but women are prone to rotator cuff injuries because they lack strength in their shoulders. Adding a regular shoulder workout to your fitness program can help prevent injury and improve bone density and muscle tone.
Women and Weightlifting
While many female exercisers shy away from strength training, most lack the hormones to build bulky muscles like men do. Combining strength training with aerobic exercise tones your muscles and can make you look slimmer. If you're concerned about ending up with broad, bulky shoulders, stick with two to three sets of 12 to 16 repetitions for each exercise. Lift with enough weight to fully fatigue your shoulders by the final repetition. The lower weight and higher number of repetitions can help develop muscle tone and endurance instead of growth.
Lateral Raise
The lateral raise works all three regions of your deltoids, or shoulder muscles, and you can perform it at home or in the gym with a pair of dumbbells. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with a dumbbell in each hand. Start with your arms at your sides, and slowly raise them out to either side of your body until they're aligned with your shoulders. Hold the position briefly, and slowly lower your arms back to your sides.
Shoulder Press
The shoulder press works your entire shoulder as well as your triceps. Sit on an upright bench with your feet firmly on the floor, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Lift the dumbbells to your shoulders with your elbows bent and your palms facing forward. Extend your arms above your head, hold briefly, and lower the dumbbells back toward your shoulders until your elbows form a 90-degree angle.
Lifting too much weight over your head can lead to rotator cuff injuries, especially in women with little shoulder strength, so always start with light dumbbells and stop immediately if you experience pain.
Dumbbell Shrugs
Dumbbell shrugs help strengthen and tone the rhomboids and trapezius muscles that run along the back of your shoulder blades. You're not lifting weights overhead, so you can begin to build shoulder strength without putting your rotator cuff at risk. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with a dumbbell in each hand. With your arms hanging at your sides and your palms facing in toward your body, shrug your shoulders toward your ears. Try not to bend your elbows, and keep your back straight with your shoulder blades pulled back.
References
- "Fitness"; Why Aren't More Women Lifting Weights?; Sarah Richards
- Hospital for Special Surgery; Exercise Aches You Should Never Ignore; October 2010
- American Council On Exercise; When Strength Training, Is It Better To Do More Reps With Lighter Weights or Fewer Reps with Heavier Weights?; Jessica Matthews
- American Council on Exercise: Shoulders and Arms Workout
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