Shoulder Exercises

149 exercises, from popular compound lifts to isolation work. Each one has step-by-step technique, a muscle map and alternatives.

Equipment

All Dumbbell Barbell Bodyweight Kettlebell Resistance Band Cable Machine Smith Machine Medicine Ball

Standing Military Press

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Seated Dumbbell Press

Alternating Kettlebell Press

Kettlebell

Anterior deltoid

Arnold Dumbbell Press

Anterior deltoidVastus lateralisGluteus maximus

Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up (Squat style)

Kettlebell

Anterior deltoidVastus lateralisGluteus maximus

Machine Shoulder (Military) Press

Machine

Anterior deltoid

Shoulder Press - With Bands

Alternating Cable Shoulder Press

Backward Medicine Ball Throw

Medicine ball

Posterior deltoid

Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise

Barbell

Anterior deltoid

Barbell Rear Delt Row

Barbell

Posterior deltoid

Barbell Shoulder Press

Anterior deltoidLateral deltoid

Bradford/Rocky Presses

Barbell

Anterior deltoid

Cable Rope Rear-Delt Rows

Anterior deltoidVastus lateralisGluteus maximus

Clean and Press

Barbell

Anterior deltoidVastus lateralisGluteus maximus

Cuban Press

Dumbbell

Anterior deltoid

Double Kettlebell Jerk

Kettlebell

Anterior deltoidVastus lateralis

Double Kettlebell Push Press

Kettlebell

Anterior deltoidVastus lateralis

Double Kettlebell Snatch

Kettlebell

Anterior deltoidGluteus maximusBiceps femoris

Dumbbell One-Arm Shoulder Press

Dumbbell

Anterior deltoid

Dumbbell One-Arm Upright Row

Anterior deltoidVastus lateralis

Kettlebell Arnold Press

Kettlebell

Anterior deltoid

Kettlebell Pirate Ships

Kettlebell

Anterior deltoidLateral deltoid

Kettlebell Seated Press

Kettlebell

Anterior deltoid

Kettlebell Seesaw Press

Kettlebell

Anterior deltoid

Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up (Lunge style)

Kettlebell

Anterior deltoidVastus lateralisGluteus maximus

Landmine Linear Jammer

Barbell

Anterior deltoidMiddle chestVastus lateralis

Leverage Shoulder Press

Anterior deltoidVastus lateralisGluteus maximus

Low Pulley Row To Neck

Cable

Posterior deltoid

Medicine Ball Scoop Throw

Medicine ball

Posterior deltoidGluteus maximusVastus lateralis

One-Arm Kettlebell Clean and Jerk

Kettlebell

Anterior deltoidVastus lateralisGluteus maximus

One-Arm Kettlebell Jerk

Kettlebell

Anterior deltoidVastus lateralis

One-Arm Kettlebell Military Press To The Side

Kettlebell

Anterior deltoid

One-Arm Kettlebell Para Press

Kettlebell

Anterior deltoid

One-Arm Kettlebell Push Press

Kettlebell

Anterior deltoidVastus lateralis

One-Arm Kettlebell Snatch

Kettlebell

Anterior deltoidGluteus maximusBiceps femoris

One-Arm Kettlebell Split Jerk

Kettlebell

Anterior deltoidVastus lateralisGluteus maximus

One-Arm Kettlebell Split Snatch

Kettlebell

Anterior deltoidGluteus maximusVastus lateralis

Power Jerk

Barbell

Vastus lateralisVastus medialisAnterior deltoid

Push Press

Barbell

Anterior deltoid

Push Press - Behind the Neck

Barbell

Anterior deltoidVastus lateralis

Rack Delivery

Barbell

Anterior deltoid

Return Push from Stance

Medicine ball

Anterior deltoid

Seated Barbell Military Press

Barbell

Anterior deltoid

Seated Cable Shoulder Press

Cable

Anterior deltoid

See-Saw Press (Alternating Side Press)

Dumbbell

Anterior deltoid

Single-Arm Linear Jammer

Barbell

Anterior deltoid

Sled Overhead Backward Walk

Other

Anterior deltoid

Smith Machine One-Arm Upright Row

Smith machine

Lateral deltoid

Smith Machine Overhead Shoulder Press

Vastus lateralisVastus medialisAnterior deltoid

Squat Jerk

Barbell

Vastus lateralisVastus medialisAnterior deltoid

Standing Alternating Dumbbell Press

Dumbbell

Anterior deltoid

Standing Behind-the-Neck Press

Barbell

Anterior deltoid

Standing Bradford Press

Barbell

Anterior deltoid

Standing Dumbbell Press

Dumbbell

Anterior deltoid

Standing Palm-In One-Arm Dumbbell Press

Dumbbell

Anterior deltoid

Standing Palms-In Dumbbell Press

Dumbbell

Anterior deltoid

Standing Two-Arm Overhead Throw

Medicine ball

Anterior deltoid

Two-Arm Kettlebell Clean

Kettlebell

Anterior deltoidGluteus maximusVastus lateralis

Two-Arm Kettlebell Jerk

Kettlebell

Anterior deltoidVastus lateralis

Two-Arm Kettlebell Military Press

Alternating Deltoid Raise

Dumbbell

Lateral deltoidAnterior deltoid

Arm Circles

Bodyweight

Lateral deltoid

Back Flyes - With Bands

Bands

Posterior deltoid

Bent Over Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise With Head On Bench

Dumbbell

Posterior deltoid

Bent Over Low-Pulley Side Lateral

Cable

Posterior deltoid

Cable Internal Rotation

Cable Seated Lateral Raise

Chair Upper Body Stretch

Dumbbell Incline Shoulder Raise

Dumbbell

Anterior deltoid

Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise

Dumbbell

Posterior deltoid

Dumbbell Lying Rear Lateral Raise

External Rotation with Band

Bands

Posterior deltoid

External Rotation with Cable

Front Incline Dumbbell Raise

Dumbbell

Anterior deltoid

Front Two-Dumbbell Raise

Dumbbell

Anterior deltoid

Internal Rotation with Band

Lateral Raise - With Bands

Bands

Lateral deltoid

Lying One-Arm Lateral Raise

Dumbbell

Posterior deltoid

Lying Rear Delt Raise

Dumbbell

Posterior deltoid

One-Arm Incline Lateral Raise

Dumbbell

Lateral deltoid

One-Arm Side Laterals

Reverse Flyes With External Rotation

Dumbbell

Posterior deltoid

Reverse Machine Flyes

Machine

Posterior deltoid

Round The World Shoulder Stretch

Other

Anterior deltoid

Seated Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise

Seated Side Lateral Raise

Side Laterals to Front Raise

Dumbbell

Lateral deltoidAnterior deltoid

Side Wrist Pull

Bodyweight

Posterior deltoid

Single Dumbbell Raise

Smith Incline Shoulder Raise

Smith machine

Anterior deltoid

Standing Dumbbell Straight-Arm Front Delt Raise Above Head

Dumbbell

Anterior deltoid

Standing Front Barbell Raise Over Head

Barbell

Anterior deltoid

Straight Raises on Incline Bench

Machine One-Arm Shoulder Press

Machine

Anterior deltoid

Seated Behind-the-Neck Press

Barbell

Lateral deltoid

Seated Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Press

Dumbbell

Anterior deltoid

Single-Arm Dumbbell Overhead Carry

Dumbbell

Lateral deltoid

Smith Machine Behind-the-Neck Press

Smith machine

Lateral deltoid

Smith Machine Rear Delt Row

Smith machine

Posterior deltoid

Wide-Grip Upright Row

Cable Crossover Reverse Fly

Cable

Posterior deltoid

Full Can Lateral Raise

Dumbbell

Lateral deltoid

Incline Rear Delt Raise

Dumbbell

Posterior deltoid

Leaning Single-Arm Lateral Raise

Dumbbell

Lateral deltoid

Lying Dumbbell External Rotation

Dumbbell

Posterior deltoid

Machine Lateral Raise

Machine

Lateral deltoid

Programs with these exercises

Upper/Lower 4-Day Split

Four sessions a week: two upper-body and two lower-body days, one heavy and one higher-rep in each pair.

Intermediate · 4 times a week · Gym 5-Day Body Part Split

Five sessions a week: chest, back, shoulders, legs, arms. Lots of volume for one muscle per session, then a week to recover.

Advanced · 5 times a week · Gym Shoulder Workout

All three delt heads: overhead press, lateral raises, reverse flyes and face pulls, plus shrugs for the traps.

Beginner · once a week · Gym Push Pull Legs Routine

Three workouts split by movement: pushing muscles, pulling muscles and legs. Run the cycle once a week, or twice for six days.

Intermediate · 3 times a week · Gym