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How to get perfect shoulders in a short period of time
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 08.07.2025
Result
More power
The alternating shoulder press will help you get into great shape. Because you work each arm separately, both sides of the body are trained equally - which will help avoid muscle imbalances.
Bulletproof torso
This exercise targets the rotator cuffs, the main stabilizers of your shoulder joints. Since your shoulders are the most unstable joints in your body, these exercises will help protect you from injury and allow you to lift more weight in upper-body exercises.
Pumped up muscles
This workout program includes a sequence of exercises called the Javorek Complex, named after Romanian Olympic weightlifting coach Istvan Javorek. It works your shoulders from five angles, increasing blood flow to your muscles so your upper body will appear bigger immediately after doing the exercises.
The key to success
How strong are your shoulders?
This classic military press strengthens the largest muscles in the shoulders, including the deltoids, rotator cuffs, and trapezius, making it a great exercise for assessing the strength of your shoulders.
Sit on a bench with your feet on the floor and hold a hollow bar in your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. (Use a spotter.) Keeping your back straight, press the bar overhead until your arms are fully extended, then lower it to your chest. Do 10 reps, rest for 60 seconds, then add 10 to 20 pounds and repeat for 8 reps. Rest again, add another 10 pounds, and do a third set of 5 reps. Continue adding 10 to 40 pounds of weight – increasing rest periods by 2 to 3 minutes – until you reach the heaviest weight you can lift 5 times. This is called your 5-rep max.
Track your progress
Write down your 5 rep max. Then follow the exercise plan and check your results after 2 weeks.