Health Articles for Bodybuilding

Although the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends adults participate in muscle-strengthening exercises at least two times per week, to get ripped working out from home you’ll likely need to strength-train at least four times per week. Most body builders strength-train one or two groups of muscles during each workout. Diet and cardiovascular exercises are crucial components of becoming ripped by working out from home.

Things You’ll Need

Before beginning your shoulder workout, make sure you have the appropriate equipment. You’ll need a few sets of dumbbell weights. Women can start out with 2-pound, 3-pound or 5-pound dumbbell weights and men may want to start out with slightly heavier weights. It’s helpful to have dumbbells of varying weights so you can adjust the weight as you become fatigued during your workout, or increase your strength over time.

Diet Component

If you’re overweight or obese, reduce your daily calorie intake to help reduce excess body weight. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines overweight as a body mass index of 25 to 30, and obese as a body mass index of 30 or greater. The American Dietetic Association recommends people who are overweight or obese reduce their daily calories by 500 to 1,000 each day to lose about 1 to 2 pounds per week.

Importance of Cardiovascular Exercise

Participating in 30 to 60 minutes of cardiovascular, or aerobic, exercise on most days of the week in addition to your strength-training activities can help you burn excess body fat, especially for people who struggle with the diet component of becoming ripped at home. Cardiovascular exercises can also help keep your heart healthy.

Shoulder Workout Basics

To help achieve tight, toned and ripped shoulders perform supersets of each shoulder exercise. This means you don’t rest in between sets of shoulder exercises, or rest for only a few seconds in between sets. For each shoulder exercise you perform, you should be able to complete at least 10 repetitions until you reach exhaustion and feel a slight burn in your shoulder muscles. Perform each shoulder exercise at least four times during your workout.

Standing Shoulder Press

Start in a standing position with one dumbbell in each hand, and your arms bent at a 90-degree angle and parallel to the floor. Slowly, lift your weights up toward the ceiling until your arms are almost fully extended and your weights almost touch each other. Slowly lower your weights back to the starting position and repeat the standing should press until you reach exhaustion. Then immediately move on to the rear deltoid fly exercise.

Rear Deltoid Fly

Begin this exercise in a bent-over position facing the floor with your back about parallel to the floor, one dumbbell in each hand, and your arms straight and hanging down. Keeping your arms as straight as possible, slowly lift them up and away from each other toward the ceiling until they are about parallel to the floor and perpendicular to your back. Repeat the rear deltoid fly until you reach exhaustion. Then immediately move on to the modified rear deltoid fly exercise.

Modified Rear Deltoid Fly

The modified rear deltoid fly exercise is performed almost the same way as the rear deltoid fly. The only difference is that instead of positioning your back parallel to the floor, your back should be tilted upward slightly. Keeping your arms as straight as possible, slowly lift them up and away from each other toward the ceiling until they are about parallel to the floor or slightly above parallel to the floor. Repeat the modified rear deltoid fly until you reach exhaustion. Then immediately move on to perform lateral raises.

Lateral Raises

Begin in a standing position with your arms straight and down at your sides holding your dumbbell weights. Keeping your arms as straight as possible, raise them laterally outward away from each other and to the sides of your body, until each arm is about parallel to the floor. Repeat lateral raises until you reach exhaustion. Then immediately move on to perform front raises.

Front Raises

As with lateral raises, begin in a standing position with your arms straight and down at your sides holding your dumbbell weights. Keeping your arms as straight as possible, raise them up in front of your body until your arms are about parallel to the floor. Repeat front raises until you reach exhaustion. Then immediately move on to repeat your first exercise, which is the standing shoulder press.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.