Do your thin shoulders throw off your womanly proportions? Shoulders are easy to forget because you might figure arm exercises are enough to tone the area. Add moves that target your shoulders to your workout. This will create definition in your shoulders without sacrificing the strength and muscle mass in other parts of your body. Many shoulder moves are ideal for a home workout, making them perfect for busy women. Choose the ones that work best for you or you might throw in the towel.
Equipment
Many moves allow you to build your shoulders with your own body weight. Others require dumbbells or kettlebells. Resistance bands are an additional form of equipment that work well for shoulder exercises. Don't wear your most comfy sweats while building your shoulders. Clothing that is too loose, or too tight for that matter, hinders range of motion and decreases the benefits of your workout. If you lift weights on a hard surface at home, wear shoes with traction or you might find yourself sidelined with an injury, which won't do anything for your shoulders.
Weekly Schedule
MayoClinic.com recommends including two or three 20- to 30-minute strength training workouts each week. Each workout should include moves that target of each of your major muscle groups. At this pace, you should start seeing results in your shoulders in two to three weeks, but they'll stay womanly, rather than making you look like a bodybuilder. Continued workouts maintain your shoulder muscles, helping them look less thin and more toned. Quitting your routine once you reach your desired shoulder size may reverse your results so keep the shoulder moves as part of your strength training routine.
Routine
Most women benefit from one set of 12 repetitions of each exercise during each session. However, to build shoulder mass, you may need to increase the number of sets you include in each workout. Bodybuilding.com recommends three or four sets of 12 to 15 repetitions as an ideal for building shoulder mass. Once you reach your goal, one or two sets are sufficient for maintaining your size and preventing you from looking like an Olympic power lifter.
Exercises
There are many exercises that work the muscles in your shoulders, giving you a wide range of options that maximize your benefits and keep you from getting bored with the same old workout. Supermans, pushups, arm raises, shoulder presses, shoulder packing and rowing are ideal choices for women, many of which also work your upper arms, creating a proportional and womanly -- but muscular -- look in your upper body.
References
Writer Bio
Eliza Martinez has written for print and online publications. She covers a variety of topics, including parenting, nutrition, mental health, gardening, food and crafts. Martinez holds a master's degree in psychology.