Cap off your physique: Use this shoulder routine to fine-tune your body's appearance - Home Work - Brief Article

After I won my first fitness competition, several of the officials complimented me on my great delt development. Great delis? Tell me that I have a super-toned butt or washboard abs, but great delis? That's when it became obvious to me that shoulder development was vital in achieving a balanced and symmetrical body.

Traditionally, when women speak of getting in shape, we tend to focus on changing or minimizing our trouble spots: jiggly thighs, soft midsection, flabby backside or any other part of our anatomy we dislike. What most people don't realize is that by increasing the size of or emphasizing the shoulders, you can change the proportions of your physique. Well-rounded delts will make a thick waistline seem smaller, wide hips will appear slimmer and even a large bustline will seem more balanced. For those of you with slumped shoulders, proper and balanced training will help improve your posture.

Not so long ago most women with broad shoulders were considered, to put it nicely, muscle-bound and masculine. But take a look around at the sculpted shoulders on some of today's most popular divas: Janet Jackson, Madonna, and professional tennis players Serena and Venus Williams have all helped mold the new generation of shapely, sexy and cool bodies.

I've selected a few of the best exercises to target all three heads (anterior, middle and posterior) of the deltoid muscle. These four moves can be done in the comfort and convenience of your own home; all you need to get started are dumbbells, a chair and 20 minutes of your time, two times a week For each exercise, select a weight with which you'll be able to perform three sets of 12-15 repetitions.

Now stand tall, pull your shoulders back and get to it!

exercise                       sets   reps

Overhead Dumbbell Press        4 (*)  12-15
Dumbbell Lateral Raise           3    12-15
Upright Row compound set (**)    3    12-15
 with Bent-Over Lateral Raise    3    12-15

Always warm up for 5-10 minutes with light cardio to prepare your
muscles and joints for the workout

(*)Includes one warm-up set

(**)A Compound set consists of doing two different exercises for the
same muscle group back-to-back with no rest in between.

RELATED ARTICLE: upright row

emphasis: anterior, middle and posterior deltoids, and upper trapezius

Hold a pair of dumbbells in front of you with your hands just inside shoulder-width apart, palms facing your body Pull the weights up while keeping them close to your body, leading with your elbows, until your hands are just beneath your shoulders. Lower and repeat.

tip: In the finish position, your elbows should be higher than your wrists and above the level of your shoulders.

bent-over lateral raise

emphasis: posterior deltoids and middle trapezius

Sit and bend forward at your hips so your chest is as close to your thighs as is comfortable. Hold dumb-bells under your legs with your palms facing each other and your elbows slightly bent. Keep your head in a neutral position by looking at a spot on the floor that's about 6 inches in front of you. Lift the weights out to your sides to shoulder level while keeping that slight bend in your elbows. Lower slowly and repeat.

tip: For maximum contraction in your posterior delts, focus on using only that muscle to move the weights. If you don't concentrate on using your posterior delts to move the resistance, your posterior delts to move the resistance, your powerful mid-back muscles will come into play, reducing the effectiveness of this exercise.

dumbbell lateral raise emphasis: middle deltoids

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold dumbbells in front of your thighs with your palms facing each other and your elbows slightly bent. Lift the weights up and out to your sides to shoulder level while keeping that slight bend in your elbows. Lower slowly and repeat.

tip: For maximum contraction, your wrists, elbows and shoulders should be level at the top of the movement.

overhead dumbbell press

emphasis: anterior and middle deltoids

Sit on the end of a bench or chair, with your back supported if possible, holding dumbbells at ear level with your palms facing forward. Push the weights overhead by straightening your arms, but keep your elbows soft -- don't lock them in the finish position. Return to the start position slowly and repeat.

tip: You shouldn't bang the weights together at the top of the movement: you should just touch them lightly. This will ensure that you always have maximum control over the dumbbells and maximum tension on your muscles.

Denise Paglia-Cole is a personal trainer and former fitness competitor. You can visit her website at www.denisepaglia.com.

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