Make sure your deltoid program is complete, containing laterals to the front, side and rear, as well as overhead presses and upright rows.
2 of 8
Yagi Studio / Getty
Cover Your Resistance Curves
For building maximum strength and shoulder stability, use free weights (barbells and dumbbells) for the majority of your routine, but do not hesitate to include some cable and machine work as well so all resistance curves are covered.
3 of 8
Kevin Horton / M+F Magazine
Get One Sided
Perform some of your exercises unilaterally to make sure strength imbalances are evened out between your left and right sides.
4 of 8
EDGAR ARTIGA
Go All the Way
Use a full range of motion on all shoulder exercises so the muscles are strong and stable from a stretch to contracted position.
5 of 8
blue jean images / Getty
Get Warm
Warm-up your rotator cuffs with various internal and external rotation exercises before training chest or deltoids. Also include these movements as part of your actual shoulder-training program with somewhat greater resistance to build strength into these muscles.
6 of 8
Matthew Leete / Getty
Get Negative
Control the negative stroke of each rep, taking about 2-4 seconds to lower the weight. Use as explosive a concentric (positive stroke) contraction as possible to increase power and muscle hypertrophy.
7 of 8
Peter Muller / Getty
After Stretch
Stretch the shoulders thoroughly after every upper body training session, but not before.
8 of 8
Per Bernal
Mix It Up
Do not use the same exact movements every time your train shoulders in order to prevent overuse injury.
