The 15 Minute Shoulder Workout

The shoulders comprise a complex set of muscles and many men think they require an equally complex workout for any results to be seen.

So you may be surprised to hear that with a mere 15 minutes to spare, and a set of dumbbells, you can give those shoulders a thorough and very effective workout which will have you looking broader in no time, when done regularly.

Sounds like something you can sqeeeze in between cleaning out the fridge and washing your hair, right?

Be prepared to feel the burn – this is an all-out muscle-building, muscle-burning shoulder routine – don’t let its duration and simplicity fool you. It’s all about combining the right exercises and techniques. The result? Increase in size, definition and muscular endurance, guaranteed!

This routine was designed by a certified personal trainer at the American College of Sports Medicine.

It focuses on the deltoid muscles as well as the smaller muscels of the rotar cuff.

Ready? Let’s bring on the burn!

INTRODUCTION
If the rest time between sets is the same as the set itself, you’re looking at 15 minutes total time.
It is recommended that you do not attempt this workout more than twice a week to avoid strain.
Leave 48 hours between your two weekly sessions (we told you it was intense!)
Choose weights that are not too heavy – you need to be able to complete each set without needing to stop.

THE EXERCISES
The workout consists of 4 exercises, as follows:
1. THREE-PART LATERAL RAISE
The starting positin for each part of this exercise is the same – stand tall, knees soft, abs tight, arms at your sides with one dumbbell in each hand, palms turned inwards to face your thighs.
Part 1: Raise arms out to the side. Straighten, parallel to the floor, but do not lock. Lower and repeat. 2 sets, 8 repeats.
Part 2:Raise arms as in Part 1. Rotate hands (till pinkie fingers face up) as you lift, till parallel to the floor.Lower and repeat. 2 sets, 10 repeats.
Part 3: As above, but this time rotate hands till thumbs face out until arms are parallel to the floor. Lower and repeat. 2 sets, 10 repeats.

2. FRONT RAISE
Stand tall, knees soft, abs tight. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand. Place your arms with your hands in front of you, palms facing your thighs. Keeping your elbows slightly bent, alternately lift each arm in front of you to eye level. Pause for one count, then lower.
As one arm goes up, the other comes down in a continuous motion. Do not be tempted to raise arms higher as you could injure your shoulder. 2 sets, 10 repeats each arm.

3. SINGLE-ARM DIAGONAL RAISE
Start in the same position as both the previous exercises and grasp a dumbell in each hand. This time, position your arm with your right hand in front of your left thigh. Keeping your elbow slightly bent, raise your right arm in a diagonal motion from a "low left" to a "high right" position. Stop when the arm is back in line with the body, palm facing forward. Return to the starting position and repeat. After completing the prescribed number of reps, switch to your left arm. 2 sets, 10 repeats each arm.

4. SEATED MILITARY PRESS
Start by sitting on an upright bench, then recline 5 to 10 degrees. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, palms forward, elbows directly under hands. Keep your back flat against the bench. Now press the dumbbells upwards, and slightly toward the midline of your body, without locking the elbows. Hold for one count, then slowly lower the dumbbells to shoulder height, counting to three, and repeat. 2 sets, 10 repeats.

THE WORKOUT
Remember to complete all the sets of each exercise before moving on to the next one.

Now there are no more excuses for not giving your shoulders a thorough work-out. Your posture and physique will improve rapidly if you persist with this routine, so if you’re keen on visible results and don’t have a lot of time to spare, this is the shoulder workout for you!