15 Best Shoulder Exercises and Workout Ideas

Shoulders carry a large load every day and have the most impact on your posture, which is why you should not skip shoulder exercises. If you want to have strong and defined biceps or abdominal muscles, it’s important to work on building your shoulders too. This way, you will, among other benefits, also reduce the risk of pain or injury.

No matter if you’re a 9-to-5 worker and feel the need to make your shoulders stronger and become resistant to an everyday sedentary lifestyle, or you’ve simply always admired the sculpted shoulders of professional athletes and finally decided to build your own, you’re at the right place.

Today, we present to you 15 best shoulder exercises that you can do at the gym or in the comfort of your home.

Barbell Shoulder Press

This is one of the most popular strength exercises for the upper body, and it is often called the Military Press. The barbell is held at chest height and pressed directly overhead. Arms should be fully extended. It primarily targets the anterior deltoids and requires significant core stability to maintain a straight back throughout the lift.

Discover the best core and abs exercises in our popular blog.

Arnold Dumbbell Press

We know what you’re probably wondering. Yes, this exercise is named after Arnold Schwarzenegger. It is a variation of a dumbbell press, but it involves a specific rotation of the wrists. You first start with the dumbbells in front of your chest and the palms facing you. Then, as you press upward, you will slowly rotate your palms to face forward. This rotation increases the range of motion, and all three heads of the deltoids are engaged during the movement.

Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise

To do this exercise, you must hinge at the hips and lean your torso forward, while holding dumbbells.

By lifting the weights out to the sides in a reverse flying motion, you effectively isolate the posterior deltoids at the back of the shoulder. It is widely considered one of the most effective ways to add thickness to the rear of the joint.

Cable Lateral Raise

This exercise targets the side deltoids and is a great part of the shoulder workout when you want fast shoulder growth. By using a cable machine instead of dumbbells, you maintain constant tension on the muscle throughout the entire movement.

It is an excellent tool for identifying and fixing strength imbalances between your left and right sides.

Push Press

The push press is a dynamic shoulder exercise that allows you to move heavier weights than a strict press. You will use a quick “dip and drive” from your legs to create momentum and lift the barbell overhead. This builds explosive strength in the shoulders and improves your ability to stabilize heavy weights.

Don’t forget to read about some of the best leg exercises.

Dumbbell Front Raise

This isolation movement specifically strengthens the front part of the shoulders. Holding dumbbells at your sides, you lift them straight in front of your body to shoulder height without swinging. It helps build muscle definition and ensures the anterior delts are strong enough to support heavy pressing movements.

Turkish Get Up

This is a complex, full-body movement. It is one of the best shoulder exercises for building shoulder stability and mobility. You start by lying on the floor and transition to a standing position while keeping a kettlebell or dumbbell locked out vertically overhead. It teaches the shoulder to remain stable through a wide variety of angles.

Cable Face Pull

For this shoulder exercise, you’re gonna need a rope attachment on a high pulley. Simply pull the weight toward your forehead while flaring the elbows out. The goal of this shoulder exercise is to target the rear delts, traps, and the small muscles of the rotator cuff. It is highly recommended by trainers for improving posture and keeping the shoulder joints healthy.

Pike Push-Up

This is a challenging bodyweight exercise that mimics the movement of an overhead press. Simply lift your hips high into a V-shape and lower your head towards the floor.

Now, you shift your body weight onto your shoulders. This is an amazing and useful exercise for when you want to build shoulders without the heavy gym equipment.

Handstand Hold

The handstand hold is an isometric exercise with an incredible effect on stability and coordination. By holding your body weight upside down against a wall, you force the shoulder muscles to work together to maintain balance. This builds “bulletproof” joints and high levels of endurance in the deltoid caps.

Of course, you need strong arms as well to be able to perform this, so we recommend seeing some of the most recommended exercises for biceps and triceps.

Dumbbell Back Fly

This exercise is done while lying chest-down on an incline bench that gives maximum stability. Thanks to it, there’s no need to balance your torso, so you can totally focus on using the rear delts to fly the dumbbells outward. This isolation shoulder exercise is the best for sculpting the back of the shoulder without burdening your lower back.

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

This is the movement many trainers recommend for building shoulder width and “caps.” Caps are those developed side deltoids you often see on professional athletes’ arms. How to do it? Stand upright and lift dumbbells out to your sides until they are parallel with the floor. Focus on leading with the elbows. It’s best to do it with lighter weights and more repetitions to feel the muscle burn.

Seated Barbell Shoulder Press

The overhead press while you’re sitting will give your back the needed support and eliminate accidental reliance on the legs that often happens to exercisers trying to lift too much weight, and which ruins the point of this barbell exercise. Sitting position forces the anterior and lateral deltoids to move the entire load. It’s a very effective way to isolate the shoulders.

Upright Row

In this movement, you pull a barbell or dumbbells vertically toward your chin while keeping the weight close to your body. It primarily affects the lateral deltoids and the upper trapezius.

Battle Ropes

Battle ropes are a high-intensity conditioning tool that builds incredible shoulder endurance. By creating waves or slams with the ropes, you keep the deltoids under constant tension while also getting a cardiovascular workout. It is often used as a “finisher” at the end of a shoulder session.

Example of a Shoulder Training in the Gym

Here are some effective shoulder exercises that you can do as part of your gym workout. On your own, or with the guidance of a personal trainer.

Example of an Easy Shoulder Workout at Home

When you don’t have much time or energy to go to the gym, but feel tired or slumped, these exercises for the shoulders are a great way to stay in shape, even at home.

FAQ About the Shoulder Exercises

How often should I do shoulder exercises?

For general health and mobility, it is enough to do shoulder exercises once or twice a week. However, if it’s your goal to grow shoulder muscles faster, do it two to three times per week, but make sure to rest at least 48 hours in between training sessions.

What if I feel pain while doing a certain shoulder exercise?

If it’s a sharp pain, you should stop immediately, but if it’s mild, try changing weights to lighter ones or doing the exercise slower and with less intensity. Sometimes, the choice of a shoulder exercise could be bad, so we recommend working out with the guidance of a professional personal trainer.

Are lateral raises and overhead press enough for shoulder growth?

Yes, but don’t put too much weight on them and be sure to do each workout correctly to avoid injuries. It is recommended to mix more difficult exercises with some easier ones and to target different shoulder muscles while doing them (the rotator cuff, plus the deltoid and scapular muscles).