AKHADA

Shoulder Workout

  • Beginner to intermediate
  • 1 or 2 days a week
  • 15 to 45 min
  • Gym or home

Updated

A woman doing an overhead press with a resistance band on a balcony

About this routine

One shoulder day in three versions. Each covers the front, side and back of the shoulder: an overhead press, side raises, and rear shoulder work like face pulls, reverse flies or band pull aparts.

For lifters who give shoulders their own day inside a split. The Gym and Dumbbells versions are intermediate level, and the Home version is beginner level and needs only a resistance band.

The week

Once a week

Rest here means no shoulder day. Train legs, back or other muscles on those days. Use the Dumbbells or Home version if that is what you have.

  1. MRest
  2. TRest
  3. WGym
  4. TRest
  5. FRest
  6. SRest
  7. SRest

Twice a week

Research finds twice a week builds more muscle than once. Keep at least two days between shoulder sessions, and away from a heavy chest day.

  1. MGym
  2. TRest
  3. WRest
  4. TGym
  5. FRest
  6. SRest
  7. SRest

The workouts

Before you start

If you have a medical condition or an injury, check with a doctor before starting a new exercise routine.

Stop any exercise that causes pain, dizziness, or strain somewhere you don't expect it.

6 exercisesAbout 40 minIntermediate

Warm-up, about 5 minSee moves
  • Spot jog45 seconds
  • Jumping jacks30 seconds
  • Arm circles10 each way
  • Shoulder circles10 reps
  • Cat-cow8 slow reps
  • Light practice set of Barbell Standing Military Press1 to 2 sets
  1. 1

    Barbell Standing Military Press

    3 × 6 to 10 repsShoulders

    How to do it
    1. Position the barbell at shoulder height with a grip slightly wider than shoulder width.
    2. Brace your core and glutes, feet hip-width apart with a slight forward lean.
    3. Press the bar straight overhead until your elbows lock out, driving through your legs.
    4. Keep your head neutral and avoid excessive lower back arch as the bar passes your face.
    5. Lower the bar back to shoulder height with control under tension.
    6. Repeat for reps without bouncing the bar off your shoulders.
  2. 2

    Dumbbell Lateral Raise

    3 × 12 to 20 repsShoulders

    How to do it
    1. Stand tall with a light dumbbell in each hand by your sides.
    2. Keep a slight bend in your elbows and raise the dumbbells out to the sides.
    3. Stop at shoulder height, then lower slowly.
    4. Do not swing or shrug to lift the weight. If you have to, go lighter.
  3. 3

    Cable Lateral Raise

    3 × 12 to 20 repsShoulders

    How to do it
    1. Stand between two cable stations with feet shoulder-width apart, cables set to low pulley position.
    2. Grab the left cable with your right hand and right cable with your left hand, arms at sides with slight elbow bend.
    3. Raise both arms out to the sides until they reach shoulder height, leading with the elbows.
    4. Hold briefly at the top with shoulders packed and chest upright.
    5. Lower the cables back to starting position under control.
  4. 4

    Dumbbell Front Raise

    3 × 12 to 20 repsShoulders

    How to do it
    1. Stand upright with feet shoulder-width apart, dumbbells at thigh level with a neutral grip.
    2. Raise both dumbbells in front of you to eye level, elbows slightly bent throughout.
    3. Lead with your elbows, not your hands, keeping the dumbbells in the plane directly in front of your body.
    4. Lower the dumbbells back to thigh level under control without swinging.
  5. 5

    Cable Standing Face Pull

    3 × 12 to 20 repsShoulders

    How to do it
    1. Set the cable to upper chest height and attach a rope handle.
    2. Stand facing the machine with feet shoulder-width apart, slight knee bend.
    3. Pull the rope toward your face, driving elbows high and wide, separating the rope ends.
    4. Keep your chest up and core braced throughout the movement.
    5. Squeeze the middle back at the end position with elbows behind the plane of your torso.
    6. Control the weight back to start without letting the cable fully straighten your arms.
  6. 6

    Lever Seated Reverse Fly

    3 × 12 to 20 repsShoulders

    How to do it
    1. Sit upright with chest against the pad, feet flat on platform.
    2. Grip the handles with a neutral grip at shoulder height.
    3. Pull the handles outward and slightly back, leading with your elbows.
    4. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at full contraction.
    5. Control the return to start without letting weight stack settle completely.
Cool-down, about 3 minSee moves
  • Easy walk1 minute
  • Chest stretch30 seconds
  • Triceps stretch30 seconds each side
  • Child's pose30 seconds

6 exercisesAbout 45 minIntermediate

Warm-up, about 5 minSee moves
  • Spot jog45 seconds
  • Jumping jacks30 seconds
  • Arm circles10 each way
  • Shoulder circles10 reps
  • Cat-cow8 slow reps
  • Light practice set of Dumbbell Seated Shoulder Press1 to 2 sets
  1. 1

    Dumbbell Seated Shoulder Press

    3 × 8 to 12 repsShoulders

    How to do it
    1. Sit on a chair or bench with a backrest, feet flat on the floor.
    2. Hold the dumbbells at shoulder height, palms facing forward.
    3. Tighten your stomach and press the dumbbells up until your arms are almost straight.
    4. Lower them slowly back to shoulder height.
    5. Keep your back against the backrest. Do not lean back to push the weight up.
  2. 2

    Dumbbell Lateral Raise

    3 × 12 to 20 repsShoulders

    How to do it
    1. Stand tall with a light dumbbell in each hand by your sides.
    2. Keep a slight bend in your elbows and raise the dumbbells out to the sides.
    3. Stop at shoulder height, then lower slowly.
    4. Do not swing or shrug to lift the weight. If you have to, go lighter.
  3. 3

    Dumbbell Front Raise

    3 × 12 to 20 repsShoulders

    How to do it
    1. Stand upright with feet shoulder-width apart, dumbbells at thigh level with a neutral grip.
    2. Raise both dumbbells in front of you to eye level, elbows slightly bent throughout.
    3. Lead with your elbows, not your hands, keeping the dumbbells in the plane directly in front of your body.
    4. Lower the dumbbells back to thigh level under control without swinging.
  4. 4

    Dumbbell Reverse Fly

    3 × 12 to 20 repsShoulders

    How to do it
    1. Sit on an incline bench set to 45 degrees, chest against the pad, feet flat on floor.
    2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with arms extended at shoulder height, slight bend in elbows.
    3. Raise dumbbells out and up in a wide arc, leading with the elbows until level with shoulders.
    4. Squeeze shoulder blades together at the top, pause briefly.
    5. Lower dumbbells back to start position with control, maintaining the same elbow angle throughout.
  5. 5

    Dumbbell Arnold Press

    3 × 8 to 12 repsShoulders

    How to do it
    1. Sit upright on a bench with dumbbells at shoulder height, palms facing you.
    2. Press dumbbells overhead while rotating palms to face forward at the top.
    3. Keep elbows slightly forward and shoulders packed throughout the movement.
    4. Lower dumbbells back to shoulder height with palms returning to face you.
    5. Maintain a neutral spine against the backrest with minimal arch.
  6. 6

    Dumbbell Shrug

    3 × 12 to 20 repsTraps

    How to do it
    1. Stand upright holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, arms straight.
    2. Elevate your shoulders toward your ears by contracting your upper traps.
    3. Hold the top position briefly, keeping your arms extended.
    4. Lower the dumbbells with control back to the starting position.
Cool-down, about 3 minSee moves
  • Easy walk1 minute
  • Chest stretch30 seconds
  • Triceps stretch30 seconds each side
  • Child's pose30 seconds

4 exercisesAbout 15 minBeginner

Warm-up, about 5 minSee moves
  • Spot jog45 seconds
  • Jumping jacks30 seconds
  • Arm circles10 each way
  • Shoulder circles10 reps
  • Cat-cow8 slow reps
  • Light practice set of Band Y Raise1 to 2 sets
  1. 1

    Band Y Raise

    3 × 12 to 15 repsShoulders

    How to do it
    1. Anchor band at chest height to a frame or post.
    2. Stand facing away from anchor, band in both hands at chest, arms bent.
    3. Press and raise arms overhead in a Y shape, elbows slightly bent.
    4. Pause at top with arms forming a wide V above head.
    5. Lower controlled to starting position.
  2. 2

    Resistance Band Lateral Raise

    3 × 12 to 15 repsShoulders

    How to do it
    1. Stand on the band with feet shoulder-width apart, holding one end in each hand at your sides.
    2. Raise both arms out to the sides with a slight elbow bend, lifting until shoulders are at ear height.
    3. Keep a neutral spine and avoid leaning forward as you lift against band tension.
    4. Lower back down with control to the starting position.
  3. 3

    Resistance Band Pull Apart

    3 × 12 to 15 repsShoulders

    How to do it
    1. Hold a flat band in front of you at shoulder height, hands about shoulder-width apart, arms straight.
    2. Keep a slight bend in your elbows.
    3. Pull the band apart by moving your hands out to the sides, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
    4. Let it come back slowly. Hold the band with your hands closer together to make it harder.
  4. 4

    Resistance Band Overhead Shoulder Press

    3 × 12 to 15 repsShoulders

    How to do it
    1. Stand on the middle of a long flat band, feet shoulder-width apart, holding the band at shoulder height.
    2. Tighten your stomach and squeeze your bottom.
    3. Press your hands straight up until your arms are almost straight.
    4. Lower slowly back to your shoulders.
    5. Do not lean back to push higher.
Cool-down, about 3 minSee moves
  • Easy walk1 minute
  • Chest stretch30 seconds
  • Triceps stretch30 seconds each side
  • Child's pose30 seconds

Rest and progress

Rest between sets

  • Rest 2 to 3 minutes after each set of the overhead presses. These are your heaviest lifts.
  • Rest 60 to 90 seconds on raises, flies, face pulls and shrugs.

How to progress

  1. Pick a weight you can lift for the bottom of the rep range with one or two reps left in the tank.
  2. Add a rep each session. When every set reaches the top of the range, add weight. On raises, the next dumbbell up is a big jump for a small muscle, so stay at the top of the range for a session or two before you move up.
  3. On the Home version, use a thicker band or hold it shorter once every set reaches 15 reps.

Swaps

Barbell Standing Military Press
Dumbbell Seated Shoulder Press. Easier to learn and kinder to the lower back.
Overhead pressing pinches your shoulder
Press with palms facing each other and stop just short of straight arms, or skip it today.
Reverse fly machine taken
Dumbbell Reverse Fly, leaning forward on a bench.
Cable station busy
Dumbbell Lateral Raise in place of the Cable Lateral Raise, and Dumbbell Reverse Fly in place of the face pull.
Nowhere to anchor the band for the Y raise
An extra set of Resistance Band Pull Apart.

When it gets easy: the Volume version

Two presses with 4 sets each and lower rep ranges, then side raises on the cable and with dumbbells, reverse flies and face pulls. It drops the front raise, since both presses already work the front of the shoulder.

Gym · about 50 min

Barbell Standing Military Press4 × 5 to 8 reps
Dumbbell Seated Shoulder Press4 × 6 to 10 reps
Cable Lateral Raise3 × 12 to 20 reps
Lever Seated Reverse Fly3 × 12 to 20 reps
Cable Standing Face Pull3 × 12 to 20 reps
Dumbbell Lateral Raise3 × 12 to 20 reps

In the Akhada app: Shoulders · Volume.

Questions

How often should I train shoulders?

Once a week works. Twice a week builds more, because research finds training a muscle at least twice a week gives more growth than once. Chest presses also work the front of the shoulder, so count those too.

How long does a shoulder workout take?

The Gym version takes about 40 minutes, the Dumbbells version about 45, and the Home version about 15, each after a 5 minute warm-up.

Why so many reps on lateral raises?

The side of the shoulder is a small muscle, and heavy raises tend to turn into a swing. Muscle growth was similar with light and heavy loads when sets were taken to failure, so the raises use 12 to 20 reps with a weight you control.

Can I train shoulders at home with a band?

Yes. The Home version uses one resistance band for a press, side raises, Y raises and pull aparts. The Y raise needs the band anchored at chest height, for example in a door.

Do I need shrugs?

Shrugs train the traps, the muscle between the neck and shoulder. The Dumbbells version includes them. The Gym version leaves them out, and face pulls work the upper back there.

More routines

See all 24 routines

Sources

The Akhada team picked these exercises from our catalog of 7,000+ demonstrated movements. A strength coach reviewed the step-by-step cues for every exercise in our starter routines. The schedule, rep ranges and progression follow the research below.

  1. Training each muscle twice a week builds more muscle than once a week. That is why there is a twice-a-week schedule.

    Schoenfeld, Ogborn and Krieger. Effects of resistance training frequency on measures of muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 2016.

  2. Muscle growth was similar with light and heavy loads when every set was taken to failure, while strength favoured heavier loads. That is why the presses stay heavier and the raises use lighter weights for more reps.

    Schoenfeld, Grgic, Ogborn and Krieger. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2017.

  3. Multi-joint lifts go before single-joint ones, and load goes up 2 to 10 percent once you beat the target reps. That is why the press comes first, and the progression rule here.

    American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults (position stand). Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 2009.