Cable Shoulder Press

How to do the Cable Shoulder Press

1. Move the cables to the bottom of the towers and select an appropriate weight.
2. Stand directly in between the uprights. Grasp the cables and hold them at shoulder height, palms facing forward. This will be your starting position.
3. Keeping your head and chest up, extend through the elbow to press the handles directly over head.
4. After pausing at the top, return to the starting position and repeat.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	shoulders
Secondary	triceps
Equipment	cable machine
Difficulty	beginner
Type	compound

No cable machine? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Handstand Push-Ups Bodyweight Shoulder Press - With Bands Resistance Bands Arnold Dumbbell Press Dumbbell Dumbbell One-Arm Shoulder Press Dumbbell Dumbbell Shoulder Press Dumbbell Seated Dumbbell Press Dumbbell

Harder than the Cable Shoulder Press

Push Press expert · Barbell Clean and Jerk expert · Barbell Circus Bell expert · Other Equipment

Superset the Cable Shoulder Press with

Opposing lats work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown lats Kneeling High Pulley Row lats Kneeling Single-Arm High Pulley Row lats One Arm Lat Pulldown lats

Common questions

What muscles does the Cable Shoulder Press work?

The Cable Shoulder Press primarily works the shoulders, with the triceps as secondary movers. Alternating Cable Shoulder Press, Alternating Kettlebell Press, and Anti-Gravity Press train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Cable Shoulder Press?

A Cable Machine. Without a cable machine, Handstand Push-Ups, Shoulder Press - With Bands, and Arnold Dumbbell Press train the same muscle, and 10 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Cable Shoulder Press suitable for beginners?

Yes, the Cable Shoulder Press is rated beginner. Push Press, Clean and Jerk, and Circus Bell are the progressions from here.

Where should the Cable Shoulder Press go in a workout?

Early — the Cable Shoulder Press is compound, working 2 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown and Kneeling High Pulley Row later.

Similar exercises

Alternating Cable Shoulder Press Cable Machine Alternating Kettlebell Press Kettlebell Anti-Gravity Press Barbell Arnold Dumbbell Press Dumbbell Barbell Shoulder Press Barbell Bradford/Rocky Presses Barbell