Not all women pay enough attention to their deltas – for girls, shoulder training is often something completely unusual. And in vain – this muscle group plays a huge role both in the formation of an aesthetic figure and in the development of functional qualities. Should a girl shake her shoulders and how to do it? The first thing that girls should learn is that a woman will never pump up huge monstrous shoulders without the use of hormonal drugs. After all, that’s what you’re afraid of, right? Forget about this fear. Delta training will make the shoulders embossed, defined and sexy. You will no longer be embarrassed by flabby arms, putting on a T-shirt – they will be taut and beautiful. Pumped up shoulders make the silhouette more proportional, emphasizing a thin waist, and help to maintain posture. In addition, competent delt training strengthens the shoulder joints, which are naturally the most vulnerable, and helps to increase strength in other exercises that involve the muscles of the shoulder girdle (pull-ups, push-ups, etc.). The most important thing is to thoroughly warm up your shoulder joints before training. Since they are extremely mobile (it is thanks to this that the arm can move in different planes), they are most susceptible to injury. Therefore, before strength training, the shoulders must be thoroughly stretched and warmed up, and during the exercises, carefully monitor the technique. How to pump up the shoulders of a girl: the anatomy of the deltoid muscles The deltoid muscle consists of three bundles: the anterior one is responsible for bringing the arm forward; medium – takes the hand to the side; back – provides abduction of the arm back. The anterior bundle of the deltoid muscle works in many basic exercises – classic and reverse push-ups, barbell presses and lying dumbbells. The back beam is included in the work when performing most of the traction exercises for the back muscles. The middle beam helps to stabilize the shoulder joint in the deadlift and its various variations. But all this does not mean at all that the deltas do not need “independent” training – on the contrary, exercises for the shoulders will additionally strengthen them and help protect them from injury when performing heavy basic exercises. Shoulder Exercises for Girls Seated Dumbbell Press Deservedly considered the most popular delta exercise among girls. It works great for medium and anterior bundles of deltoid muscles. Additionally, triceps are involved in it, so it is undesirable to train it before doing a bench press, otherwise it will weaken and you will not be able to fully load your shoulders. To perform the exercise, sit on a bench with your shoulder blades firmly pressed against its back. Slightly bend at the waist. Take dumbbells in your hands. Starting position – arms are bent, elbows “look” down, dumbbells are at shoulder level, palm is directed forward. As you exhale, squeeze the dumbbells up, trying not to straighten your elbows to the end, but leaving a slight angle. On an inhale, return to the starting position. Wide grip barbell row to the chest Another basic exercise for the shoulders, it works mainly on the middle beam of the delta, but with a straight position of the body, the front beam is included in the work, and with a slight forward tilt (by 15-20˚) – the rear one. A small proportion of the load also falls on the biceps. Technique: stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Take the barbell with a wide grip (so that with the arms lowered, the distance between the hands is slightly wider than the hips). As you exhale, raise the bar to chest level, concentrating not on bending your arms, but on moving your elbows up and to the sides. While inhaling, slowly, without throwing the barbell down, but slowly lowering it, return to the starting position. To shift some of the load from the front beam to the back beam, tilt the body slightly forward, but keep your back straight. Standing Dumbbell Raise Most often used as an isolation exercise for the middle beam. To perform it, stand up straight, take dumbbells in your hands. As you exhale, gently raise your arms through the sides – at the top, the shoulder should be parallel to the floor. Keep your elbow relaxed – do not straighten it to the end, keep a slight natural bend. As you inhale, slowly lower your arms. Do not drop the dumbbells down – the movement must be controlled so that the muscles do not relax throughout the entire amplitude. Lifting the projectile in front of you An isolating exercise for the front bundle of deltas. Girls are best to use dumbbells, as they are the easiest to vary the weight. The starting position is the same as in the previous exercise. Raise the dumbbells in front of you – synchronously or alternately. At the top, the shoulder should also be parallel to the floor, and the elbows should be relaxed. Reclining arms to the sides Best of all the posterior bundle of the deltoid muscle is felt in this exercise. To perform it, take dumbbells in your hands, tilt your body forward (approximately parallel to the floor) and slightly arch your back at the lower back. For a more stable position, you can rest your forehead on a bench or other comfortable support. As you exhale, raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor. Elbows should be slightly bent and directed upwards. Lower your arms slowly and smoothly. Shoulder training for girls in the gym Girls do not need to set aside a separate day for training deltas. Shoulder exercises are best combined with training other muscles of the upper body – back, chest, arms. We have compiled examples of such combinations – choose the option that is most convenient for you. Option 1: Shoulders + back Superset: barbell row to chest (with a slight tilt of the body) + dumbbell raising in an incline, 4×10-12 Superset: arm extension while standing + arms in front of you, 4×12-15 Pulldown of the upper block to the chest with a wide grip, 4×10-12 Incline Dumbbell Row, 4×10-12 Upper Pullover, 4×12-15 Option 2: Shoulders + Chest Seated Dumbbell Press, 4×10-12 Superset: Incline Dumbbell Raise + Standing Dumbbell Raise, 4×12-15 Bench Press dumbbells on an incline bench, 4×10-12 Reduction of arms in the simulator “butterfly”, 4×12-15 Raising arms with dumbbells in front of you, 4×12-15 Option 3: Shoulders + arms Seated dumbbell press, 4×10-12 Reverse push-ups from the bench, 4×10-12 Superset: Standing Dumbbell Raise + Upper Pulldown, 4×12-15 Superset: Incline Dumbbell Raise + Lower Block Curl, 4×10-12 Superset: Front Dumbbell Raise + Dumbbell Curl, 4×12-15