Workout of the Week: Shoulder Sculpt

SHOULDER SCULPT

with
TRAINER NIKKI VEIT

Shoulder Sculpt: Are you experiencing a plateau in your shoulder routine? Been working for those rounded deltoids but you're burning out before you've barely warmed up? Try incorporating a mixture of unilateral and compound movements into your next shoulder workout and feel those deltoids catch fire!

The Basics: Arnold press 6 reps per set, then Upright Row & Lateral raise as a superset of 12 reps per exercise. Diagonal raise & face pull are also a superset of 12 reps per exercise. Do the whole circuit 3-4 times. 

A superset is when one set of an exercise is performed directly after a set of a different exercise without rest between them.

Arnold Press: Stand tall with two dumbbells at shoulder height, palms facing you. This movement is just like any Arnold shoulder press you've done before, where you press overhead and rotate your palms out, only this time you will press with one arm, then the other, then both simultaneously. One repetition is equivalent to two presses with each shoulder. Go for 1 warm-up set of 10 repetitions, then 3-4 sets of 6 full repetitions.  

Upright row, forward drop: Stand tall and grasp an EZ bar with an overhand grip, each hand directly over a bend in the bar--this is your starting position. Perform a high-pull, flaring your elbows out and keeping them above your wrists as you pull the bar up to just below your chin. Bring the bar forward about 4-5 inches and slowly lower down to your starting position--it's as if you're pulling the bar up and over a little hill before returning to the starting position. Do not fully extend the arms at the top, you want to always have a bend in the elbows as you bring the bar forward and down.

Unilateral lateral raise: Use a single dumbbell to perform one-sided lateral raises, maintaining a nearly 90 degree bend in your elbow as you raise--be sure to drive with the elbow and keep it above the dumbbell at the top of your movement! CHALLENGE: Try these raises seated for an extra burn!

Unilateral diagonal raise: Grab a single dumbbell and raise it diagonally from your hip to just above your opposite shoulder, maintaining a micro-bend in your elbow as you do so--your bicep should end right in front of your mouth as you raise. CHALLENGE: do these from a seated position!

Face pull: Using a cable machine and a rope attachment, raise the cable to shoulder height. Once you've found a challenging weight, pull the weight fast towards your face, keeping it at eye level, and return slowly. Be sure to separate your hands as you pull so as to not smack yourself in the face!

Nikki Veit is a trainer at Lincoln Square Athletic Club

Nikki’s goal: “I hope to debunk myths and misinformation that have plagued our approach to fitness. Knowledge is power, and it is my goal to educate and empower everyone I work with. I want to see more women in the weight room, I want to see more third-agers (folks ages 55 and up) confronting their limitations, I want to see more beginners trying new exercises. This is your body, you should own it.”

To learn more about Nikki and to schedule a session click here.