How to Do Behind the Neck Exercises to Strengthen Shoulders

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By Nicole LaMarco
eHow Contributing Writer

Article Rating: (3 Ratings)

Strong, Toned Shoulder

Doing behind the neck exercises to strengthen shoulders is pretty easy, and the results will speak for themselves. Within weeks you will notice a difference and so will others. Keep your shoulders strong and healthy with just a few minutes of one exercise daily. Strong shoulders are especially important if you do a lot of lifting, work with your arms or just use your shoulders quite a bit. Keeping them strong will help to prevent any possible injuries to the shoulder joint, tendons and muscles. These behind the neck exercises will strengthen your shoulders and keep them toned and in shape.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Gym membership, gym equipment or dumbbells/weights

How to Do Behind the Neck Exercises to Strengthen Shoulders: Military Shoulder Press

Step 1

Military Shoulder Press

Set up. Sit down at the bench press to make sure everything is located properly. Your feet should rest comfortably on the foot rests. Bring your hands back to grab the bar. Make sure your arms are at a 90-degree angle. You will need the proper amount of weight on the bar. You should also have someone spotting you in case you need help returning it to the hooks. A personal trainer at the gym or a good, strong friend at home can help you as a spotter.
Step 2

Military Shoulder Press

Begin lifting. Begin in position and lift the barbell off of its resting hooks. Bring it down behind your head slowly. Push it up as far as you can (with practice, you should be able to push the barbell straight up) and then back down. Return the barbell to its resting hooks. This is one complete military shoulder press. It is important to keep your head and back straight throughout the press.
Step 3

Military Shoulder Press

Consider a variance. You can complete one time and return the barbell to the hooks, or you can do several presses before returning the barbell to its hooks. This exercise will help you strengthen your shoulders. Add more weight as it gets easier.

How to Do Behind the Neck Exercises to Strengthen Shoulders: Lat Pull Downs

Step 1

Lat Pull Down

Set up. Sit on the machine to make sure you will be comfortable. Your feet should rest comfortably on the floor. If they do not reach, you can use a mat or box to help prop your feet up. Check the weights. Move the lock if you need to add more weight or reduce the amount of weights you can lift.
Step 2

Lat Pull Down

Begin lifting. Sit with your back and head straight. Lift your arms up to reach the bar and pull it down behind your neck. Slowly bring your arms back up and return the weights. You should be able to complete at least ten of these lat pull downs.
Step 3

Lat Pull Down

Increase the weight. When the lat pull downs get easy for you to do and you can do more with ease you need to increase the weight. This will help to keep your shoulders increasingly strengthened and toned.

How to Do Behind the Neck Exercises to Strengthen Shoulders: Dumbbell Raise Ups

Step 1

Dumbbell

Set up. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Use two dumbbells with a weight that you can lift. It should be a little challenging, but not impossible. A beginner should be able to start out with three pound dumbbells. Hold them in front of you.
Step 2

Dumbbell

Begin lifting. Lift the dumbbells up over your head keeping them together. Always make sure your back and head are straight. If you feel more comfortable doing this in a seated position, you may. Allow the weights to slowly lower behind your neck. Then lift them back up straight over your head. Repeat as many times as you can.
Step 3

Increase the weight. As you practice you will find these behind the neck shoulder exercises become easier. You can then get five-pound dumbbells and continue.