The 8 best pancake exercises that will strengthen your shoulders

Disks are extremely versatile equipment, and they can be used not only as an addition to the bar. “Pancakes” will be effective for strength training and separately. We tell you how to pump your shoulders with the help of this equipment, and share a set of exercises.

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Why does a person need strong shoulders?

top trainer of the World Class network of fitness studios

“In addition to the fact that strong shoulders are aesthetic and harmonious, they need to be strengthened for correct posture. They create a strong frame for the spine, which means it will be more stable.”

If we are talking purely about sports interest, then, of course, without developed shoulders our body doesn’t look attractive. Pumping chest and biceps, don’t forget about delts, they will certainly complete the picture and add volume. But let’s talk about practicality. Shoulders are involved in practically all presses and many other exercises, so training delts is a mandatory part of the training process.

Not only that, but the shoulders are also an active participant in our daily activities, so even if you’re not a fan of sports or only do them occasionally, strong shoulders will make your life much easier and help improve your posture.

Warming up before shoulder exercises

You should always start your workout by warming up your muscles. In this case, we need to stretch the delts, because the main load will go on them. Do not neglect the preparatory exercises, this is the basis of the basics, without which you can easily get injured.

Rotation with one hand

التقنية

Stand up straight, feet shoulder width apart.
Relax the working arm, let it hang along the body.
With the other hand, grasp the body.
Perform several circular movements with the working arm, then change sides.

Perform 15 repetitions for each arm.

Arm curl

التقنية

Spread your arms to the sides and slightly back so that they are parallel to the floor.
Place your feet shoulder-width apart and straighten your back.
As you exhale, bring your hands together, they should touch each other.
Tilt your head forward.
As you inhale, return to the starting position and bring your shoulder blades together.

Perform 15-20 repetitions.

Shoulder rotation

التقنية

Starting position is the same, but both arms are lowered along the body.
Breathing evenly and looking forward, start rotating your shoulders backwards.
The movements should be as slow as possible, so that the muscles are kneaded well.
Do not pause between rotations.

Perform 15-20 repetitions.

Shoulder withdrawal

التقنية

Place your feet at shoulder width, straighten your back.
Hold a bar or body bar in your hands with a grip slightly wider than your shoulders.
Lower your arms down and straighten.
As you exhale, lift the bar to the right and up, keeping the near arm straight and the far arm gradually bending.
وأثناء الشهيق عودي إلى وضعية البداية.

Perform 15 repetitions.

Exercises for shoulders with a barbell pancake

The most important thing, perhaps, is the choice of the disk by weight. Responsible moment in which you need to be able to keep a balance, not to overdo it with kilograms and at the same time do not choose too small a weight, which will not give you a normal load. We recommend that you try it first and start with the minimum weight, gradually going higher and higher to eventually find the optimal one.

Today’s set of exercises is not complicated, it includes basic exercises with a “pancake”, which many people are familiar with. And if some elements are not clear to you, then for the first time it is better to try without equipment at all, just so that your hands “learn” the movements that they will have to perform.

Lifting the “pancake” in front of you up to parallel with the floor

التقنية

Starting position: standing, holding a “pancake” in your hands, arms are lowered along the body, back straight, feet shoulder-width apart.
On exhalation slowly and without jerks raise your arms to the level parallel to the floor.
Hold in the upper point for a couple of seconds.
وأثناء الشهيق عودي إلى وضعية البداية.

This exercise engages the front deltoid.

Overhead disc press

التقنية

Stand up straight, feet shoulder-width apart, take a “pancake” in your hands.
Bend your arms at the elbows, the disk from the barbell should be at about the level of your chin.
On exhalation perform the press so that the movement resembles a semicircle, bring the “pancake” to the position above your head.
Arms should be straight at the top point.
As you inhale, return to the starting position along the same trajectory.
It is important not to move the elbows apart, the forearms should always be parallel to each other.

This exercise works the front and middle delts.

Rotation of the “pancake” around the head

التقنية

Starting position is the same as in the previous exercises, take the projectile in your hands and bend them slightly. “Pancake” hold in front of you just above chest level.
On exhalation, push the disk with one hand to the side, so that it appeared as if on the side of your face.
Then lead the projectile with both hands behind your head and bring it out from the other side of your face.
Thus rotate the disk around your head, you can do first only in one direction, and then – only in the other. You can alternate once in a while, then to one side and then to the other.

All bundles of the deltoid muscle work here.

Pancake lift behind the head

التقنية

Take the disk in half-bent hands, hold it at the level of the hip joint.
Straighten your back, put your feet about shoulder width apart.
As you exhale, without changing the angle of the elbow, take the disk behind your head.
وأثناء الشهيق عودي إلى وضعية البداية.

The anterior deltoid is the main focus here.

Alternating flexion

التقنية

Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, disk in your hands.
Raise your arms up, hold the “pancake” above your head, arms may be slightly bent.
First bend one elbow so that the pancake is at the side of your face.
Then return to the starting position and do the same with the other elbow.

This exercise engages the front and middle delts.

Front press

أسلوب التنفيذ

Stand up straight, straighten your back, with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Take the “pancake” in your hands, clasp it between your palms so that it looks at you with its edges.
As you exhale, perform a press in front of you.
As you inhale, slowly return to the starting position.
Do not sway during the exercise, only your arms should work.

In this press, the anterior delta is actively working.

Pancake bench press

التقنية

Lie on the bench with your feet resting on the floor.
Take the “pancake” in such a way that it is clamped between your palms.
Bend your arms at the elbows, the projectile should be at about the level of your chest.
As you exhale, with a powerful movement, unbend your arms and pull the disk up.
Hold in the upper point for a few seconds.
وأثناء الشهيق عودي إلى وضعية البداية.

This exercise will work the front deltoid.

Seated Bench Press

التقنية

Sit on a bench, rest against the backrest, take a “pancake” in your hands.
Straighten your back, bring your shoulder blades together, bend your arms at the elbows, hold the projectile in front of you.
As you exhale, straighten your arms and extend them forward.
Hold this position for 2-3 seconds.
وأثناء الشهيق عودي إلى وضعية البداية.

Here, just as in the previous exercise, the load is on the front deltoid.

Who are suitable for exercises with a pancake?

Exercise with a disk is possible for everyone, as we have already said, it all depends on the weight chosen. You need to rely on your own level of athletic fitness. But let’s look at this topic from the other side. Why do we need exercises with a “pancake” at all? These are basic exercises, the opposite of isolation exercises. The latter involve only a certain muscle, but you can not do only them all the time, you need to alternate with basic exercises, so you can achieve maximum results.

The disk is an alternative to dumbbells, just in the context of pumping shoulders, the first option may be preferable, because for some athletes it is more convenient. And for some people it is an opportunity to try new things, who are bored with standard exercises with the same dumbbells or in classic training machines.

It is important to understand that the world of bodybuilding and sports in general is very variable, and if you want to perform an exercise with a barbell, and it was not at hand, the same element can be done by replacing the projectile with another one, for example, with a disk or dumbbells. Therefore, it is important to explore all options, so that the training process always arouses your interest.

How often can you pump your shoulders?

If you have recently caught on to the idea of sports and work with minimal weights, you can work out every other day. If you are an experienced athlete, i.e. you already have an established base, you can pay attention to your shoulders no more than twice a week, and for some people one will be enough.

Deltoid muscles are involved in many other exercises. The complex that we have offered above is not a complete workout, but only some elements that can be included in the training process at will. It is important to train in moderation, so as not to overexert yourself, otherwise you will have to spend several days recovering.