From overhead presses to log lifts and the stone carry to axle presses, strongman events demand exceptional shoulder strength and stability. Well-developed shoulders provide a solid foundation for generating explosive power and transferring force through the body. Robust shoulders contribute to improved posture, injury prevention, and overall functional strength. Whether you’re an aspiring Strongman competitor or simply want to enhance your athletic performance, shoulder strength is a key component of a successful training programme.

If you’re looking to achieve boulder shoulders, then who better to ask than three-time World’s Strongest Woman winner Donna Moore. She’s spent years training hard to build upper body strength that’s unrivalled by others in the sport.

Anatomy of the Shoulder

The shoulder is an incredibly mobile, yet unstable part of the body. This is because it consists of the glenohumeral joint, a ball and socket joint that enables a wide range of movements unparalleled by any other joint. These movements include flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, as well as internal and external rotation.

The anterior, medial, and posterior deltoid muscles contribute to the joint's abduction and adduction capabilities, while the subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and teres minor muscles, collectively known as the rotator cuff muscles, provide essential support for rotational movements.

But as with any part of the body, there are several other muscles surrounding the shoulder that support movement. The latissimus dorsi in the back and pectoralis major in the chest both help to facilitate proper movement at the joint.

So as you can see, it’s a pretty complicated area of the body. That’s why moving it through different planes of motion is essential to maintain strength and good shoulder health.

Overhead Press Exercises

Most Strongman events include a form of overhead pressing which is why Donna incorporates a variety of pressing movements into her training. Three of her favourite overhead press exercises include -

• Strict press

• Push press

• Push jerk

Although the strength for these movements comes from the shoulders, one of the most important things is to have a stable base. When performing an overhead press your feet should be rooted to the floor to create stability. Another thing to be aware of is the position of your elbows. A common mistake people make is dipping their elbows when they press, the key is to stay in a tight rack position. Keep your elbows close to your body.

You can switch up your training by doing these overhead press exercises with Dumbbells. Not only does using dumbbells require a lot of stability, but it also gives you the opportunity to work on any single-sided weaknesses you may have.

Accessory Shoulder Exercises

In order to improve your big lifts, you should also incorporate accessory exercises into your training. These allow you to focus on your weaknesses and build stronger, resilient shoulders.

Seated Press

A seated shoulder press mitigates any leg drive that you would use in an overhead standing press movement. Again, you can mix up your training and either use a barbell or dumbbells depending whether you want to focus on bilateral or unilateral strength.

Pin Press

In the seated press position, you can use the pins on a Power Rack to alter the start position of the movement. Pins can be used to work on different ranges of motion depending on which muscles you’re trying to strengthen.

Overhead March

The overhead march is a movement where you lift a Barbell overhead and have unstable weight distributed on each side, such as dumbbells or kettlebells hanging from resistance bands. This is great for Strongman training where most of the exercises consist of carrying an unstable weight such as a log or axel overhead. The key to doing the movement effectively is to keep your whole body tight, especially your core. 

How to Optimise Shoulder Health

While overhead pressing is beneficial for shoulder strength, it is also crucial to prioritise the overall health of your shoulders. Incorporating smaller accessory lifts into your routine can enhance joint stability and increase your range of motion. These exercises often involve movements that deviate from the typical heavy lifts, which may require lifting lighter weights or even focusing on bodyweight exercises. Two of Donna’s favourite shoulder accessory exercises are -

• Seated external rotation

• YWT

Hopefully you’ve been inspired by Donna’s training to get creative with your own workouts. Try some of these exercises next time you hit the gym and see which areas you need to focus on to improve your overall shoulder strength. Find out more about shoulder exercises with our full shoulder workout.

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Tags: Exercise Type > Strength ; Equipment > Dumbbells ; Misc > Mirafit Ambassadors