The Best Shoulder Exercises
Exercise Guides and Videos

Top Exercises

Dumbbell High Pulls
Dumbbell High Pulls
Beginner
Shoulder
Dumbbell
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, a dumbbell with an overhand grip in each hand. 2. Engage your core, keep your back straight, and slightly bend your knees. 3. Lift the dumbbells by driving your elbows up and out, and keep them close to your body. 4. Keep your elbows higher than your wrists as you lift the dumbbells to chest height. 5. Slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position with control.
Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrugs
Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrugs
Beginner
Shoulder
Smith Machine
1. Stand under the Smith machine bar with your feet shoulder-width apart, facing away from the bar. 2. Position the bar behind your thighs, holding it with an overhand grip. 3. Lift your shoulders towards your ears, squeezing your traps at the top. 4. Hold briefly, then slowly lower your shoulders back down.
Barbell Push Press
Barbell Push Press
Beginner
Shoulder
Barbell
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. 2. Hold a barbell at shoulder height with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. 3. Bend your knees slightly to create a dip, then quickly extend your legs and press the barbell overhead. 4. Fully extend your arms with elbows slightly in front of your ears. 5. Lower the barbell back to shoulder height with control.
Delt Machine
Delt Machine
Beginner
Shoulder
Delt Machine
1. Adjust the seat height so that the machine's arm pads are aligned with the middle of your upper arms when seated. 2. Sit on the machine with your back flat against the pad and your arms under the pads. 3. Push the pads upward and outward by lifting your arms to the side. 4. Raise your arms until they are parallel to the floor. 5. Slowly lower the pads back to the starting position with control.
Machine Rear Delt Flys
Machine Rear Delt Flys
Beginner
Shoulder
Fly Machine
1. Sit facing the machine with your chest against the pad. 2. Grab the handles with an overhand grip. 3. Position your hands just in front of your chest, keeping your elbows slightly bent. 4. Pull the handles outward in a wide arc, squeezing your shoulder blades as your arms reach body level. 5. Slowly bring the handles back to the starting position.
Kettlebell Shoulder Press
Kettlebell Shoulder Press
Beginner
Shoulder
Kettlebell
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. 2. Hold a kettlebell in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing each other. 3. Press the kettlebells straight up until your arms are fully extended. 4. Slowly lower the kettlebells back to shoulder height, maintaining control throughout.
Barbell High Pulls
Barbell High Pulls
Beginner
Shoulder
Barbell
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, keeping the barbell against your thighs. 2. Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width. 3. Lift the barbell by driving your elbows up and out, pulling the bar close to your body. 4. Keep your elbows higher than your wrists as you lift the bar to chest height. 5. Lower the barbell back down with control to the starting position.
Barbell Shrugs
Barbell Shrugs
Beginner
Shoulder
Barbell
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. 2. Hold a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip. 3. Raise your shoulders towards your ears, squeezing your traps at the top. 4. Slowly lower your shoulders back to the starting position.
Machine Shoulder Press
Machine Shoulder Press
Beginner
Shoulder
Shoulder Press Machine
1. Sit on the machine with your back flat against the pad. 2. Grasp the handles with an overhand grip. 3. Bend your elbows at about 90°, keeping them slightly forward. 4. Press the handles up, fully extending your arms without locking your elbows. 5. Slowly lower the handles back to the starting position.
Smith Machine Shoulder Press
Smith Machine Shoulder Press
Beginner
Shoulder
Bench
1. Position a bench under the Smith machine bar. 2. Sit on the bench with your feet flat, and position the bar at shoulder height. 3. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, keeping your wrists straight. 4. Press the bar until your arms are fully extended but not locked at the elbows. 5. Slowly lower the bar back to shoulder height with control.
Smith Machine Shrugs
Smith Machine Shrugs
Beginner
Shoulder
Smith Machine
1. Stand under the Smith machine bar with your feet shoulder-width apart. 2. Position the bar across the front of your thighs, holding it with an overhand grip. 3. Lift your shoulders towards your ears, squeezing your traps at the top. 4. Hold briefly, then slowly lower your shoulders back down.
Cable Lateral Raises
Cable Lateral Raises
Beginner
Shoulder
Crossover Cable Machine
1. Attach a handle to the low pulley of a cable machine and stand with your side next to the machine. 2. Hold the handle in your other hand keep your arm straight and across your body in front of you. 3. Lift the handle out to the side, keeping your arm straight until it's parallel to the floor. 4. Slowly lower the handle back to the starting position with control. 5. Complete the set and alternate sides.
Kettlebell High Pulls
Kettlebell High Pulls
Beginner
Shoulder
Kettlebell
1. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart. 2. Place a kettlebell on the floor between your feet and slightly in front of you. 3. Squat down to grab the kettlebell with both hands. 4. Explosively extend your hips and knees, pulling the kettlebell upward to chest height. 5. Slowly lower the kettlebell back down to the starting position with control.
Reverse Snow Angel
Reverse Snow Angel
Beginner
Shoulder
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1. Lie face down on a mat with arms extended overhead and legs straight. 2. Lift your chest, and arms slightly off the ground. 3. Slowly move your arms out to the sides and down towards your hips. 4. Draw your palms together near your tailbone, pulling your elbows inward. 5. Return to a starting position and repeat.
Lateral Shoulder Stretch
Lateral Shoulder Stretch
Beginner
Shoulder
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1. Sit comfortably on the floor with your legs crossed. 2. Bring your left arm across your chest at shoulder height. 3. Gently pull your left shoulder closer to your chest with your right hand. 4. Feeling a stretch in the left shoulder and upper arm.
Scapula Slides
Scapula Slides
Beginner
Shoulder
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1. Start tall, standing with elbows bent at 90° and hands raised to shoulder height. 2. Raise hands to shoulder height. 3. Slowly slide your arms upward, extending them fully. 4. Draw your shoulder blades together as you slide your arms down to the starting position. 5. Repeat the motion, keeping the movement controlled and steady.
Standing Lateral Shoulder Stretch
Standing Lateral Shoulder Stretch
Beginner
Shoulder
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1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart or slightly wider. 2. Bring your left arm across your chest at shoulder height. 3. Gently pull your left shoulder closer to your chest with your right hand. 4. Feel the stretch in the left shoulder and upper arm.
Seated Dumbbell Arnold Press
Seated Dumbbell Arnold Press
Beginner
Shoulder
Bench
1. Sit on a bench with back support, back flat against the pad, feet planted on the floor. 2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, hands in front of your face, palms facing you, elbows tucked. 3. Open your elbows out to the sides, keeping forearms perpendicular to the floor. 4. Press the dumbbells up, rotating your wrists so that your palm face forward. 5. Slowly reverse the movement to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Beginner
Shoulder
Bench
1. Sit on a bench with a back support, back flat against the pad, feet planted on the floor. 2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing inward. 3. Lift the dumbbells to the sides until your arms are parallel to the floor, elbows slightly bent. 4. Lower the weights slowly and controlled.
Cable Rope Face Pulls
Cable Rope Face Pulls
Beginner
Shoulder
Crossover Cable Machine
1. Stand facing the cable machine, rope attached to the cable pulley at the highest position. 2. Grip the rope with your palms facing down. 3. Pull the rope towards your face, retracting your shoulder blades and keeping your elbows elevated. 4. Return slowly to the starting position, keeping elbows higher than wrists.
Cable Rear Delt Flyes
Cable Rear Delt Flyes
Beginner
Shoulder
Crossover Cable Machine
1. Stand between two cable machines with one foot slightly in front of the other. 2. Grab the opposite handle in each hand, leaning slightly forward. 3. With a slight bend in elbows, pull handles outward to shoulder height. 4. Slowly return to the starting position.
Single-Arm Landmine Rows
Single-Arm Landmine Rows
Intermediate
Shoulder
Landmine
1. Stand to the side of a landmine setup and grasp the end of the bar with your left hand. 2. Bend at the hips and knees, keeping your back flat. 3. Row the bar towards your hip, keeping your elbow close to your body. 4. Lower the bar under control and repeat.
Landmine Press
Landmine Press
Intermediate
Shoulder
Landmine
1. Stand with a barbell inserted into a landmine base, feet wider than shoulder-width apart. 2. With one hand, press the barbell upward explosively. 3. Lower the barbell with control. 4. Alternate sides and repeat.
Weighted Halos
Weighted Halos
Beginner
Shoulder
Kettlebell
1. Hold a weight in front of your chest. 2. Move the weight around your head in circular motion, keeping your elbows high. 3. Reverse the direction after each complete circle.
Military Barbell Press
Military Barbell Press
Intermediate
Shoulder
Barbell
1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and your arms relaxed by your sides. 2. Hold the bar just above your chest, grip slightly wider than shoulder-width, palms forward. 3. Exhale and press the bar overhead to fully extend arms. 4. Lower the bar back to your chest slowly and with control.
Cuff Rotators
Cuff Rotators
Beginner
Shoulder
Power Band
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, elbow bent at a right angle. 2. Hold a resistance band in your hand. 3. Move your hands slowly, keeping your elbow locked into your side. 4. Slowly return your hands back to the starting position.
Band Front Raises
Band Front Raises
Beginner
Shoulder
Power Band
1. Stand on the middle of the resistance band. 2. Hold the band with your arms at your sides, palms facing down or each other. 3. Raise your arms straight in front of you to shoulder height. 4. Slowly lower back to the starting position.
Band Overhead Press
Band Overhead Press
Beginner
Shoulder
Power Band
1. Stand with one or both feet on the center of the band. 2. Hold the band with hands at shoulder height, palms facing up and elbows bent 90°. 3. Straighten your arms, pressing the band up. 4. Slowly bend your elbows and lower your arms, returning your hands to the shoulders.
Band Shoulder Dislocations
Band Shoulder Dislocations
Beginner
Shoulder
Power Band
1. Hold the band with a wide grip, arms extended in front of you. 2. Lift the band over and behind your head, keeping arms straight. 3. Return to the front with control.
Shoulder Rotations
Shoulder Rotations
Beginner
Shoulder
Yoga Mat
1. Stand with arms extended to the sides. 2. Swing your arms forward to draw full circles with your shoulders joints. 3. After a few reps, reverse direction and rotate your shoulders backward.
Neck Rotations
Neck Rotations
Beginner
Shoulder
Yoga Mat
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your back straight. 2. Slowly roll your head down and around to one side, feeling the stretch in your neck muscles. 3. Incorporate breathing, exhale as you turn each side. 4. After a few reps, change direction.
Dumbbell Cuban Rotations
Dumbbell Cuban Rotations
Beginner
Shoulder
Dumbbell
1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, hold a dumbbell in each hand. 2. Lift your arms to shoulder height with elbows bent at 90°. 3. Rotate your forearms up from the shoulders, keeping elbows lifted and bent at 90°. 4. Return to the starting position with control.
Band Pull Aparts
Band Pull Aparts
Beginner
Shoulder
Power Band
1. Hold the band at chest level, palms down. 2. Pull your arms back until the band touches your chest. 3. Squeeze your shoulder blades without losing tension in the band. 4. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.
Reverse Snow Angels
Reverse Snow Angels
Beginner
Shoulder
Yoga Mat
1. Lie face down on the mat, with arms extended along your sides, palms facing down. 2. Engage your back muscles and slightly lift your chest, arms, and legs off the floor. 3. Move your arms in a wide arc above your head. 4. Bring your arms back down to your hips and repeat.
Dumbbell Rear Delt Raises
Dumbbell Rear Delt Raises
Beginner
Shoulder
Dumbbell
1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells at your sides. 2. Hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and knees slightly bent. 3. Let the dumbbells hang down with palms facing each other. 4. Raise arms to the sides until they are parallel to the floor, with elbows slightly bent. 5. Lower the dumbbells slowly back to the starting position.
Dumbbell Lateral Raise Circles
Dumbbell Lateral Raise Circles
Beginner
Shoulder
Dumbbell
1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, a dumbbell in each hand. 2. Lift the dumbbells to the sides to shoulder height, then circle them forward. 3. Reverse the circle, bringing them back to the sides. 4. Lower the dumbbells with control.
Lateral Raise Circles
Lateral Raise Circles
Beginner
Shoulder
Yoga Mat
1. Stand with arms extended at shoulder height. 2. Slowly make small circles with your arms. 3. Circle your arms forward, then reverse the direction.
Isometric Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Isometric Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Intermediate
Shoulder
Dumbbell
1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. 2. Lift your arms to the sides until they are parallel to the floor. 3. Hold this position for as long as possible. 4. Lower your arms slowly back to the starting position.
Cobra Push-Ups
Cobra Push-Ups
Beginner
Shoulder
Yoga Mat
1. Start in Downward Dog, hips high, hands and feet on the floor. 2. Scoop your head and chest forward, bending elbows, lowering chest towards the ground. 3. Slide into Cobra position, straightening arms and lifting chest up. 4. Push your hips up and back to return to Downward Dog.
Kneeling Cobra Push-Ups
Kneeling Cobra Push-Ups
Beginner
Shoulder
Yoga Mat
1. Start in a kneeling position with hands shoulder-width apart. 2. Sit your hips back over your ankles and lower your torso, bending elbows outward. 3. Slide your body through your hands, staying low to the ground. 4. Extend your arms and arch your back gently, lifting your chest and looking upward. 5. Sit your hips back to return to the starting position.
Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Beginner
Shoulder
Dumbbell
1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, a dumbbell in each hand at your side, palms facing in. 2. Raise dumbbells up to the side until arms are parallel, engaging your lateral deltoids. 3. Lower the dumbbells back down slowly to the starting position with control.
Dumbbell Shrugs
Dumbbell Shrugs
Beginner
Shoulder
Dumbbell
1. Stand holding dumbbells at your sides, arms straight. 2. Lift your shoulders towards your ears in a shrug. 3. Hold the top position for a moment, then lower slowly. 4. Keep your arms straight throughout the movement.
Dumbbell Overhead Push Press
Dumbbell Overhead Push Press
Beginner
Shoulder
Dumbbell
1. Stand with feet shoulder-width, dumbbells at shoulder height, elbows in and palms facing inward. 2. Slightly bend your knees and use your legs to help press the dumbbells overhead. 3. Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended overhead. 4. Lower the dumbbells back to shoulder level with control.
Dumbbell Overhead Press
Dumbbell Overhead Press
Beginner
Shoulder
Dumbbell
1. Stand with feet shoulder-width, dumbbells at shoulder level with palms forward, elbows at 90°. 2. Press the dumbbells overhead until your arms are fully extended. 3. Lower the dumbbells back to shoulder level with control.
Pike Push-Ups
Pike Push-Ups
Intermediate
Shoulder
Yoga Mat
1. Start with hands and feet on the floor, hips up and back in an upside-down “V” position. 2. Your head should be in line with your arms, your gaze looking through your legs. 3. Bend your elbows, lowering the top of your head to just in front of your hands. 4. Push yourself back up to the starting position.

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