{"id":412208,"date":"2026-03-30T22:22:21","date_gmt":"2026-03-30T22:22:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/412208\/"},"modified":"2026-03-30T22:22:21","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T22:22:21","slug":"5-dumbbell-exercises-that-build-shoulder-strength-at-60","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/412208\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Dumbbell Exercises That Build Shoulder Strength at 60"},"content":{"rendered":"

These dumbbell workouts trump machines every time.<\/p>\n

Strong shoulders are more important than you may realize. They help you reach, lift, and boost your overall shoulder joint power. Maintaining shoulder strength<\/a> can help you avoid injuries, including dislocations or rotator cuffs, help improve posture, and boost joint stability. In addition, they\u2019re critical\u2014especially as you age\u2014to perform daily chores like carrying your grandchildren, lifting packages, and even reaching to put away clean laundry.<\/p>\n

To get you started building shoulder strength, we\u2019re here with five dumbbell exercises<\/a> that will get the job done faster than machines after 60.<\/p>\n

How Dumbbells Compare to Machines for Building Shoulder Strength
\n\"coloredShutterstock<\/p>\n

\u201cI only work with free weights. No machines,\u201d says Allison Kalsched<\/b><\/a>, NASM-Certified Personal Trainer, Women\u2019s Fitness Coach, and Co-founder of Not Your Mother\u2019s Menopause. \u201cUsing dumbbells allows for more muscle engagement than using machines because it eliminates the work the machine is doing for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jose Guevara<\/b>, Fitness Expert, Chiropractor, Home Gym Equipment Tester, and Owner at ShreddedDad.com, agrees that dumbbell workouts can be beneficial for building both strength and stability, as they don\u2019t move in a fixed path.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith a machine, you just have to worry about pushing which is good for strength but you lose the stability factor,\u201d Guevara adds. \u201cWith dumbbells, you have to control the weight and also have the strength to move it. So dumbbells provide a better overall stimulus to the shoulder and rotator cuff muscles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Below, experts break down five stellar dumbbell exercises that build shoulder strength faster than machines.<\/p>\n

4 Chair Exercises That Restore Shoulder Mobility After 65, According to a Trainer<\/a><\/p>\n

\tLateral Raises<\/p>\n

6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Start this exercise by standing tall in a staggered stance, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.<\/li>\n
  2. With a slight bend in your elbows, raise the dumbbells out to the sides of your body until you reach shoulder height.<\/li>\n
  3. Use control to slowly lower the weights, stopping right before you feel a decrease in tension.<\/li>\n
  4. Perform 2 sets of 10 reps with a weight you can easily work with.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The #1 Daily Workout To Build Shoulder Strength & Boost Mobility<\/a><\/p>\n

    \tStanding Overhead Presses<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level, palms facing inward.<\/li>\n
    2. Press the weights overhead, extending your arms.<\/li>\n
    3. Use control as you lower the weights to shoulder height.<\/li>\n
    4. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps with a weight you can easily work with.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      \tBench Bent-Over Row<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Begin by placing your right knee and right hand on a workout bench, maintaining a tall chest and tight core.<\/li>\n
      2. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand, extending that arm toward the floor.<\/li>\n
      3. Pull the weight up toward your ribs, keeping your elbow close to your body.<\/li>\n
      4. Hold at the top for a moment before slowly lowering.<\/li>\n
      5. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps with a weight you can easily work with on each side.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        If You Can Pass These 3 Shoulder Tests, Your Mobility Is Top-Tier<\/a><\/p>\n

        \tIncline Chest Press<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Lie flat on your back on an incline bench.<\/li>\n
        2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand just outside your chest.<\/li>\n
        3. Keep your feet flat on the ground and maintain an engaged core.<\/li>\n
        4. Press the dumbbells over your chest until your arms are extended but not locked out.<\/li>\n
        5. Use control to lower the weights.<\/li>\n
        6. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps with a weight you can easily work.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          6 Morning Moves That Keep You Stronger Than Most 30-Year-Olds After 55<\/a><\/p>\n

          \tPendulums<\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Begin sitting at a sturdy chair with your legs spread.<\/li>\n
          2. Lean forward, and hold a dumbbell in between your legs.<\/li>\n
          3. Move your arm in circles, clock and counter-clockwise.<\/li>\n
          4. Switch to the other side.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Alexa Mellardo<\/p>\n

            \t\tAlexa is a freelance writer, editor, and content strategist based in Greenwich, CT. She has 11+ years of experience covering wellness, fitness, food, travel, lifestyle, and home.\t\t\t\t\tRead more about Alexa <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"These dumbbell workouts trump machines every time. Strong shoulders are more important than you may realize. They help…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":412209,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[278],"tags":[167809,100730,18,525,135,19,17,112813,1626],"class_list":{"0":"post-412208","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-arm-exercises","9":"tag-dumbbell-exercises","10":"tag-eire","11":"tag-fitness","12":"tag-health","13":"tag-ie","14":"tag-ireland","15":"tag-over-60","16":"tag-workouts"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/116320465471862111","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/412208","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=412208"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/412208\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/412209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=412208"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=412208"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=412208"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}