Are you looking for a way to strengthen and sculpt your shoulders? Whether you’re a weightlifter, an athlete, or just want to look your best in that sleeveless dress, cables can be an important part of your workout routine.
Cable exercises can provide targeted muscle strengthening and growth that help you achieve the toned look you are after. With the right exercises and proper technique, cable workouts can help improve posture, flexibility, and core strength.
In this blog post, we will cover the different kinds of shoulder cable exercises available and how to incorporate them into your regimen for maximum benefit.
We will discuss which muscles are targeted by these exercises, how to properly execute each move for optimal form, and some tips on what to avoid when performing cable workouts so you stay safe throughout your workout process.
So if you’re ready to take your shoulder training up a notch with cables, let’s get started!
Contents
What Muscles Do Shoulder Cable Workouts Target?
Shoulder cable exercises are designed to target the deltoids, specifically the Anterior Deltoid (front), Lateral Deltoid (side) and Posterior Deltoid (back). They also work secondary muscles such as trapezius, rhomboids, rotator cuff muscles and triceps.
How to Properly Execute Shoulder Cable Exercises
When performing any cable exercise, it’s important that you pay attention to technique and form. Poor form can lead to injuries or ineffective results, so make sure you are fully aware of how each exercise should be performed before attempting them. Here are some general tips for proper execution:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart for stability
- Maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement
- When doing upright rows keep hands close together throughout movement so that there is no risk of injuring wrists/arms due to overextending them away from body too far.
- Squeeze your glutes and core for additional stabilization
- Focus on quality rather than quantity – perform each rep slowly and with control.
- When doing seated cable rows make sure not to hunch over too much otherwise it can put a strain on the lower back area instead which defeats the purpose of working those upper back muscles correctly!
Benefits of Cable Shoulder Exercises
Cable shoulder exercises are extremely beneficial for building overall shoulder strength and stability, as well as increasing mobility. Here are some of the main benefits of using cable exercises for shoulders:
Increased Strength
Cable exercises allow you to strengthen individual muscles or groups of muscles, which helps increase overall strength in that area. This can help reduce risk of injury and improve performance in activities such as sports or weightlifting.
Improved Mobility
By focusing on specific muscles when performing cable exercises, you can target areas that may be lacking in mobility or flexibility. This will not only make everyday activities easier, but it can also help reduce pain associated with tightness or lack of range of motion in the shoulders.
Greater Stability
Cable exercises will require you to use your entire body in order to stabilize yourself while performing the exercise, which helps increase overall stability and balance. This is especially important when doing activities such as weightlifting or sports that require a high degree of coordination and balance.
More Effective Workouts
Because cable exercises focus on targeting specific muscles, they are much more effective than other types of exercises like free weights or machines. This means that you can get better results in less time by using cables for your shoulder workouts!
Types Of Shoulder Cable Exercises
There are several types of shoulder cable exercises you can do in order to target different areas of the deltoids. Here are some common examples:
BE SURE TO MIX UP YOUR WORKOUTS AND SWITCH BETWEEN MOVEMENTS SO YOUR BODY DOES NOT BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO ONE PARTICULAR EXERCISE ROUTINE – THIS WILL HELP INCREASE OVERALL MUSCLE GROWTH!
Lateral Raises
Attach an upper pulley handle attachment on the cable machine and hold it with both hands at hip level. Stand up straight while keeping your arms extended straight down by your sides.
Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, raise your arms outwards away from your body until they reach shoulder level.
Slowly lower back down after pausing briefly at full extension, then repeat for the desired number of reps.
Front Raises
Attach a low pulley handle attachment to the cable machine and hold it with both hands at hip level with palms facing downwards towards the floor.
Stand up straight while keeping your arms extended straight down by your sides and raise them directly in front of you until they reach shoulder level or slightly above it if desired.
Pause briefly at full extension before slowly lowering back down, then repeat for the desired number of reps.
Bent Over Lateral Raises
This move targets mainly the posterior deltoids but also helps to improve core stability as you are bent over in an athletic position with one foot slightly forward from the other. You will be holding onto two handles attached to cables and lifting them outward until they reach shoulder height or slightly higher before returning back down to starting position.
Rear Delt Flyes
This exercise is excellent for targeting rear delts and strengthening smaller stabilizing muscles in the shoulder complex such as posterior rotator cuff muscles (infraspinatus/teres minor).
Attach an upper pulley handle attachment to the cable machine and hold it with both hands behind you at waist level or slightly below it if possible (this will depend on how much space is available).
Bend forwards slightly while maintaining a neutral spine and keeping a slight bend in both elbows; pull upwards away from your body until they reach shoulder level while squeezing both shoulders together at the top position before slowly releasing back down after pausing briefly at full extension, then repeat for the desired number of reps.
Seated Cable Rows
This exercise works on both upper and lower back muscles as well as biceps and triceps depending on which type of handle or grip you choose (overhand or underhand).
You will be seated in front of a pulley machine with knees slightly bent while pulling either single grip handle or double handles towards the chest area before extending arms back outwards again to starting position.
Reverse Flys
Sit on an adjustable bench facing away from the machine while gripping handles slightly wider than shoulder-width apart facing towards hips then slowly lift your arms up towards the ceiling away from the body until parallel with the floor then lowers back down again in one continuous motion without jerking movements.
Single Arm Upright Row
This move targets anterior deltoids along with smaller stabilizing muscles in the shoulder complex such as supraspinatus/teres major/subscapularis/coracobrachialis (long head of biceps).
Start standing while holding a single handle attached to the cable in one hand; keep core engaged and stand tall while bringing handle up towards chin level by flexing elbow until it reaches chest height; slowly lower back down in full control motion until arms are fully extended again (keep core engaged throughout entire movement).
Conclusion
Shoulder cable workouts are an excellent way to get strong, toned shoulders and a rock-solid upper body. Not only do they target the shoulder muscles, but they also improve posture, balance and stability – making them a great addition to any workout routine.
Moreover, they can be easily customized according to your fitness level or specific goals. Whether you’re a beginner looking for a way to make your shoulder exercises more challenging or an advanced athlete looking for an extra push toward that next goal, shoulder cable workouts offer something for everyone.
With the right equipment and dedication, you can sculpt strong and sexy shoulders in no time at all!
SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? GET OUT THERE AND GET READY TO SHOW OFF THOSE RESULTS!
