Your Shoulders & Biceps Anatomy
Anterior Deltoid
Muscles located at the front of your shoulder region
Lateral Deltoid
Muscles located at the side of your shoulder which gives your shoulders a rounded appearance.
Posterior Deltoid
Muscles located at the back of your shoulder. Helps with posture.
Biceps Long Head
Most outside part of your bicep.The front of your upper arm.
Biceps Short Head
Most inside portion of the biceps. Located at the front of your upper arm closest to your chest.
The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint. This means the head of the upper arm bone, the humerus, fits into a socket composed of the scapula and collarbone. The rotator cuff muscles are the primary stabilizers of the shoulder, supporting it throughout various movements.
Yet, muscles involved in scapulae stabilization, such as the trapezius, may contribute to further stability of the rotator cuff. This is further suggested when injury to the rotator cuff muscles has occurred as part of a comprehensive rehab program.
On top of the rotator cuff muscles, we have the biceps brachii, which extends from the shoulder to the elbow. Meanwhile, the deltoid muscles, including the posterior deltoid, anterior deltoid, and medial deltoid, allow your arms to move in all different directions.
Reasons You Train Shoulders & Biceps Together
Just like a chest and arms workout saves time and is ultra-efficient, working shoulders and biceps together also offers an efficient workout breakdown. This is because many exercises engage both the shoulders and biceps, making it easy to do a two-in-one.
Working them together also means you won’t fatigue one before getting to it in another workout or vice-versa.
Shoulder & Biceps Workout Tips
If you’re new to shoulder and biceps workouts, here are a few tips to help you get started:
- Go light at the start and gradually increase your lifting weight from there.
- Get your form and technique down first to avoid injury.
- Avoid swinging the weights during movements.
- Always begin with a warm-up, such as dynamic upper body stretches.
- Make sure to give your muscles time to rest between workouts.
Wrapping Up
A shoulder and biceps workout is a great addition to any fitness routine. Often, it’s recommended that you perform these workouts at least twice a week for maximal muscle gains. If at any point you experience pain, it may be best to back off until the pain subsides. This way, you can progress toward your goals free of injury and discomfort.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it’s recommended to combine shoulder and bicep workouts together. This is because many exercises work both muscle groups.
Some of the most effective shoulder and bicep movements include bicep curls, raises, and overhead presses.
Many people combine either shoulders and biceps or shoulders and chest. Many of the same exercises work both. Additionally, it may be beneficial to add tricep movements, such as lateral head tricep exercises, to balance the arms.
This may depend on your goals. However, considering the shoulders are the bigger muscle group, it may be beneficial to start with exercises targeting these muscles first.
Resources
Endomondo.com refrains from utilizing tertiary references. We uphold stringent sourcing criteria and depend on peer-reviewed studies and academic research conducted by medical associations and institutions. For more detailed insights, you can explore further by reading our editorial process.
- Preethi Srikanthan and Karlamangla, A.S. (2014). Muscle Mass Index As a Predictor of Longevity in Older Adults. The American Journal of Medicine, [online] 127(6), pp.547–553. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2014.02.007.
- Dubé, M.-O., Arel, J., Paquette, P., Roy, J.-S., Desmeules, F. and Gagnon, D.H. (2022). Co-creation of an exercise inventory to improve scapular stabilization and control among individuals with rotator cuff-related shoulder pain: a survey-based study amongst physiotherapists. Archives of Physiotherapy, 12(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40945-022-00132-7.
0 Comments