When you move your arms in virtually any direction, your shoulders (a.k.a. deltoids) are either in charge or, at the very least, involved. The ingenious design of your shoulder joints makes the shoulders one of the most mobile, versatile muscle groups in your body. It also makes it one of the most vulnerable. Fortunately, if you commit to doing some basic shoulder training on a regular basis you'll keep your "delts" strong and supple and have a better chance of staying injury-free. It'll help balance out your body's curves too. Want to slim your hips? Chiseled shoulders broaden the upper body and polish your posture, creating the illusion that you've shrunk and reshaped your hips. Plus, firmed up shoulders look killer in tank tops. To get your shoulders in shape, try exercises.

Click through the photo gallery below for our step-by-step workout guide.




Ideally, you should own three sets of dumbbells for shoulder work; typically 3, 5 and 8-pounders. When you first try the accompanying shoulder routine, start with your lightest weight. Do 1 set of each move, 8 to 15 sets per set, 2 to 3 times a week. Once you can easily complete 15 reps of an exercise, move up to the next heaviest weight or try the "challenge yourself" version. Rest assured that going heavier won't bulk you up -- we promise. On the contrary, it'll help you shape, tone and strengthen your shoulder muscles a lot quicker than sticking with a weight that's too light to have an impact.

Mistakes to avoid: Don't arch your back as you lift and keep the movement in control so you don't rock back and forth to help lift and lower the weight. To avoid shoulder and neck pain, don't clench your teeth, hitch your shoulders up, or drop your chin to your chest. Keep these technique pointers in mind and you'll create a beautiful pair of shoulders with minimal risk of doing any damage. (If you tend to have chronic shoulder pain, consult with your doctor or physical therapist before you do these moves.)

Shoulders benefit from a bit of variety so change up your routine every month or so by doing 1 to 2 workouts with exercise bands or by tossing in a set or two on the shoulder press machine at the gym. Yoga is surprisingly good at toning and redesigning shoulders because so many upper body poses depend on them to move and support the entire body. Swimming, especially the crawl stroke, is also a good shoulder shaper.

Do-It-Yourself diagnosis is usually a pretty bad idea; that is, unless you just so happen to have the letters M.D. that appear at the end of your signature. But for those of us without years of medical school under our belt, assuming that a particular pain, dysfunction, or even blotchy patch of skin is nothing to be concerned about can sometimes be a highly problematic for our health.

The British edition of Men's Health addresses the self-diagnosis problem in the article "7 Deadly Signs," describing how minor symptoms may actually signal major health hazards. Over the next seven days, we will provide a daily summary of one of the various aches and pains that may be indicative of a greater problem, illustrating the importance of maintaining open lines of communication with your physician and why DIY diagnosis can sometimes be dangerous.

Health Sign #6: Neck/Shoulder Pain

Could Possibly Be: Lyme Disease

If you've recently spent some time in the woods, there's a chance a small stowaway may have hitched a ride on your body. And, because ticks can oftentimes be very difficult to spot, many cases of Lyme disease are only reported once symptoms -- such as those mentioned above -- manifest. Men's Health reports that headaches, muscle aches, and red lesions are also signs of Lyme Disease. Treatment comes in the form of antibiotics. But left untreated, severe cases of Lyme Disease can sometimes result in meningitis, facial palsy, and severe arthritis.

Links to:
Health Sign #1: Pain in Your Foot
Health Sign #2: Back Pain
Health Sign #3: Leg Pain
Health Sign #4: Diarrhea
Health Sign #5: Erectile Dysfunction

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Being a pain in the neck may sometimes involve getting a stinging whack to the back of the head. Having a pain in the neck, however, can oftentimes result in a far worse -- and lingering -- discomfort.

The good news is that there may be some hope for those who suffer from a stiff and painful neck. Citing a recent study that appeared in Arthritis & Rheumatism, Men's Health reports that lifting weights may be the best remedy available. When 48 adults with neck pain used weightlifting to strengthen their upper trapezius muscles (located at the top of the shoulders and leading up through the neck) for 20 minutes three times a week for 10 weeks, they reported 80 percent less discomfort, according to the study findings.

To effectively work your trapezius muscles, try the Shrug. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a weight in each hand. Slowly shrug your shoulders up and down, holding at the top of the motion for a full second before lowering your shoulders. Note: If you do experience chronic neck pain, be sure to consult with your doctor to determine if it is safe for you to exercise.

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When I was younger, I used to have perfect posture. I had a choir director who just drilled posture into us. Through the years, my posture has changed. I'm a writer, so my job has me glued to my computer desk all day long. I try to maintain good posture but by the end of the day, I find my shoulders hunched forward and I end up with an aching back.

I found an article about this simple exercise designed to improve your posture. The exercise is dubbed "The Superman" because you start with your arms stretched straight out in front of you. There are no weights required and it works all the right muscles. I tried it and my back and shoulders feel loose and better than they did before. Whether it will improve my posture remains to be seen, but I'm willing to give it a try!

Want to try something different? Back in March, Jacki posted about a posture exercise she's been having luck with. Developing better posture is well worth the effort. Not only will your back and shoulders thank you for it, better posture can even help you look slimmer in your swimsuit.

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If you've been experiencing some pain in your neck lately, you may be surprised to learn that lifting weights may help reduce your level of discomfort.

A study published in Arthritis Care & Research revealed that when people, who suffered from tension and tightness in their necks and upper back, followed a resistance training routine that specifically targeted those regions, they reported a significant decrease in pain after 10 weeks.

Evidently, strengthening the muscles in this area of the neck and upper back make them better able to handle the stress of everyday tasks, such as typing, cleaning, and other functions that tend to be performed on a regular and frequent basis.

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Dealing with chronic neck pain? Neck kinks and discomfort are fairly common, and although pain usually resolves itself on its own, anything lasting longer than two months can become chronic and require specialized treatment. A study done recently suggested that a combination of two treatments is the most effective -- neck exercises combined with sleeping on a supportive pillow. The study included 4 groups: one was the control group, one did exercises, one used a support pillow, and one group did exercises and used a special pillow. After a 12 week period, the only group that reported decreased neck pain was the group that recieved the combination of therapies.

This is good news, considering how debilitating neck pain can be. Unfortunately, though, this study only looked at patients complianing of mild neck pain, so there's no data on whether it helps people with more severe cases.

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