Shoulder muscle building exercises?

Shoulder is a highly complex joint which is surrounded by large group of muscles which are responsible for the dynamic stabilization. And the dynamic stabilization results in a wide range of mobility to the shoulder complex. Major muscles that act on the shoulder joint are deltoids and rotator cuff. Strengthening the shoulder muscles not only enhances the personality but also reduces the chances of straining and injuring the shoulder joint during the physical routine. Deltoid muscles has 3 fibers which serves various functions; anterior fibers perform flexion and internal rotation, posterior fibers perform extension and external rotation while middle fibers are responsible for the abduction movement in the shoulder joint. Rotator Cuff consists of 4 muscles; supraspinatus (abduction),subscapularis(internal rotation),infraspinatus and teres minor(lateral rotation).Few of the effective shoulder strengthening exercises which strengthens as well as tone and build up these muscles group are:
1. Shoulder press- it mainly works on the anterior and middle fibers of deltoids. It can be done with the equipments or dumbbells. Bring the dumbbells up to the ear level (starting position) in seated position and then press them straight up above the head level without locking the elbow joint. Then, bring the weights down to the starting position in a controlled manner.
2. Lateral raises or lifts- it can be done with the dumbbells or resistance tubes. it mainly targets the middle and posterior deltoids. It is the best exercise to improve the symmetry of the shoulders. Stand with equal amount of weights in hands in front of the body, palms facing each other. Keep the elbows slightly bent and raise the arms up on to your sides up to shoulder level making a wide arc.then, return to the position controllably.
3. Reverse flys or bent lateral raises- it targets the posterior deltoid specifically. it can be done in sitting or standing position. Sit or stand, bend the trunk almost parallel to the ground. Palms facing each other and in front of the body. Now, lift the arms sideways until they become parallel to your shoulders. Do not lock the elbows. Return to the starting position slowly.
Note: Do not hunch or shrug the shoulders while performing these exercises as it can deviates the target muscles.
Other exercises like Arnold press, clean and press, front raises, arm circles, delt rows, Cuban press etc also gives an effective workout to the shoulder muscles. To bring a body builder image, trapezius muscle workout (barbell shrug and dumbbell shrug) must be performed along with shoulder. Start with the minimal to sub maximal weights progressing to heavy weights. Breathing pattern is very important, exhale or breathes out when you lift the weights and inhale while bringing the weights down. Start with the one or two sets (8 repetitions) of each exercise, slowly progress to the higher sets. Always perform proper warm up and cool down before and after workout. Maintaining a good nutrition, adequate rest and proper technique are also equally important for building muscles.

Hi Nidhi,
Shoulder is the most mobile major joint of our body. Shoulder is mainly supported by the surrounding muscles and ligaments .So its extremely necessary to keep the the muscles strong enough to let support the shoulder joint. Shoulder exercises includes shoulder push ups, military press, narrow push ups, Lateral raises, front raises, Overhead press etc. We need to do these exercises atleast for 25 min ,5 times a week. These types of exercises will help to strengthen the shoulder joint muscles. Also, there are the stretches for shoulder which will help to maintain shoulder joint flexibility Stretches like Triceps stretch, Biceps stretches, Wall arm twists, etc. We need to hold each stretch for 20 counts. This type of workout will help to build shoulder muscles and maintain flexibility.

hi nidhi,
I guess Nandita has given good tips to build your shoulders. But don't just focus on shoulders concentrate on surrounding areas like upper back, chest and workout for arms. By doing so, you will have balance figure.