Pull-ups are great for building shoulder muscles, but don't worry if you find them a chore — you can still strengthen your shoulder muscles and build upper body muscle with this 10-minute, dumbbell-only workout.
A space-efficient way to work with various weight sizes at home is by getting a pair of the best adjustable dumbbells, which allow you to move up or down in weight as you train. But if you're at the gym or only have fixed-load weights, choose a weight that'll challenge your muscles but won't affect your form.
This routine comes from fitness coach Caroline Idiens, who demonstrates the entire workout if you want to follow along. It's a good idea to check out her form in the videos so that you get the most from your training and avoid injury.
Plus, some people think the heavier you lift, the bigger the results, but until you master the form of a strength-building exercise, the results won’t come. And you can increase the weights over time and incorporate some progressive overload into your workouts.
Watch Caroline Idiens 7-move shoulder dumbbell workout
There are seven exercises to work through, but you will take breaks of 20-30 seconds between each one. Once you reach the end of the first round, you can take a one-minute rest before repeating the cycle for a total of three sets.
Be sure to take these breaks during the workout. Rest periods in a resistance training session are essential for recovery and performance. They give your muscles time to replenish energy stores and allow you to continue lifting weights with proper form and intensity in the next set.
As you work through each move, focus on time under tension (TUT). Time under tension means slowing down your movements and taking more time to complete each exercise, which increases how long your muscles are actively working. When you keep your muscles engaged for longer, you’re more likely to see muscle growth and definition in the target muscles — in this case, the shoulders.
Resistance training offers many benefits and is a form of exercise you should aim to stick with in the long term. As we age and become less active, we naturally lose muscle and our metabolism slows.
However, according to a study published in the journal Current Sports Medicine Reports on resistance training has shown that regularly lifting weights can help prevent this by increasing muscle mass, boosting metabolism, and reducing body fat.
Plus, Idiens' routine can be easily modified so people of all fitness levels can benefit. Beginners can start with lighter dumbbells or reduce the number of sets and reps to make the exercises more manageable. If you're more advanced, you can increase the weight or slow down each movement to add more time under tension.
