Whether it's caused by stress or some serious gym time, sometimes you wake up feeling all kinds of knots in your shoulders. "Our shoulders tend to be the most overworked muscle group in the body—the shoulder helps hold you up in plank, paddle your arm in a swim stroke, hold a weight above your head, and balance an arm full of groceries," says Nichole Peterson, an ACE-certified personal trainer at Barry's Bootcamp in San Francisco, California. "Most times muscle soreness feels like small-muscle fatigue, nothing that would hinder you from working out, but uncomfortable enough (at the top of your shoulder) that it may cause you to frequently take breaks," she says.
If you literally can't lift your arms over your head, Peterson advises taking two full days off from upper body workouts. But if after those two days, you're ready to get back to your arm workouts, these five moves are easy on the shoulders and will keep your triceps and biceps in the game.
Do this routine three times total. And if you want extra calorie burn, Peterson suggests skipping rests and powering through.
Related: The Number-One Reason Why Your Shoulders Are Always Killing You
Skull Crusher Toe Taps
Targets: triceps, upper abdomen
How to: Lie on your back with your legs fully extended toward the ceiling, holding an eight- to 12-pound dumbbell in each hand, bending elbows in front of chest so that dumbbells are in front of your face, parallel to floor (a). As you crunch your body up, fully extend your arms above your head and your legs into the air. Try to get your dumbbells to meet your toes (b). Reverse crunch to return to start position, but bend your elbows to bring dumbbells to the sides of your ears. Do 15 reps.
Plank With Triceps Kickback
Targets: triceps, abs
How to: Start in a plank position with feet wider than hips, holding an eight- to 12-pound dumbbell in each hand, with hands directly under shoulders (a). Gripping the dumbbell, drive your left elbow behind your body and pull your weight up to your armpit (b). Fully extend your left arm to so that dumbbell is in line with your body (c). Repeat on right side to complete one rep. Do 15 reps.
These dumbbell exercises will sculpt sexy, strong shoulders:
Running Man
Targets: triceps, biceps and abs
How to: Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding an eight- to 12-pound dumbbell in each hand, palms facing in. Hinge slightly forward at your hips, bending knees slightly (a). Bend elbows so that dumbbells are by your sides, next to your waist with arms bent 90-degrees, palms facing in (b). Mimicking the motion of running arms, bring your right dumbbell up toward your shoulder, while at the same time extending your left arm behind your body, keeping palm facing in for both (c). Then switch sides, simultaneously reversing arm positions with opposite side. To make it harder, speed it up. Continue alternating sides for 45 seconds.
Related: This 9-Minute Core Routine Will Leave Your Abs Quivering—And Toned
Narrow to Wide Biceps Curls
Targets: biceps
How to: Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding eight- to 12-pound dumbbells in each hand, arms by sides, palms facing in (a). Bend your elbows and raise weights to your ribcage, palms facing in (b). Hold for five counts then return arms to start position. Do 15 reps.
TO MAKE HARDER: After the final rep, hold the weights at ribcage position for 30-seconds or until you can no longer keep the weights up.
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Biceps Curl Suitcase Crunch
Targets: biceps, abs
How to: Sit on a mat with legs extended in front of you, knees slightly bent; holding an eight- to 12-pound dumbbell in each hand at your side, palms facing up (a). Lift your feet off the ground, bringing knees in toward your chest until your body makes a V shape (this should feel like a crunch) (b). Keeping your arms glued to your sides, bend your elbows to bring weights to shoulders into a curl (c). Reverse crunch to extend legs out straightening legs and lower arms back down to start position. Do 15 reps. (If you start to feel pain in your hip flexors, immediately lower heels to floor and continue bicep curls.)
Related: 'I Did 10 Minutes Of Strength Training Every Day For A Month—Here’s What Happened’
