Shoulder and Back Strengthening Exercises

SHOULDER & BACK STRENGTHENING EXERCISES

DUMBBELL SHRUG

Assume a standing position with the dumbbells on both sides of your body.  Hinge forward, inhale, and grab the dumbbells with a neutral grip.  Stand up tall and ensure your spine remains neutral.  Contract the traps to elevate the shoulders. Squeeze hard at the top and slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.  Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

ONE-ARM ROW

Stand with your left knee on a flat bench and your right foot on the floor.  Hold a weight in your right hand.  Bend your torso forward, placing your left hand on the bench for support.  Allow the weighted hand to hang down toward the floor. Pull the weight up until your upper arm is parallel with your back, Pause, and then lower it.

UPRIGHT ROW

Stand straight with your shoulder-width apart. Hold the weights down in front of your thighs, with your palms facing your body.  Slowly bring the weights straight up, as if you were zipping a jacket.  Slowly lower the weights to their original position. 

REVERSE FLY

To perform this exercise you will need a set of lightweight dumbbells.  Lean forward, bringing your chest over your knees. Lift both arms to shoulder lever, squeezing the shoulder blades together. Lower your arms down on either side of your body.  When performing this exercise make sure that your elbow are slightly bent and you do not raise your arms higher that shoulder level.

LATERAL RAISES

Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Lift your arms up to the sides until they are parallel with the floor.  Your elbows should be slightly bent.  Slowly lower your arms.

NECK STRETCHES

The side bend stretch will help decrease tightness in the sides of your neck. It will also help increase mobility in your neck. You can do the side bending stretch while on your back, standing, or sitting (that means you can even do these at the office).  Tilt head forward and back and then side to side. Hold each position for 5 seconds each. Repeat 2–3 times.

Dr. Lombardozzi recommends:

Performing the exercises three times per week. When starting out, perform 2 sets of each exercise with 8-12 repetitions for each set. Increase at your own pace to 3 sets for each. Depending on the exercise and your current muscle strength, the recommended beginner’s weight is between 6-12 lbs. As a general rule of thumb, increase the weight as soon as you can comfortably execute all three sets.