By equipment
Pick the row that matches what you actually have access to.
| Equipment | Exercises | |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell | 36 | Browse all Dumbbell → |
| Kettlebell | 22 | Browse all Kettlebell → |
| Barbell | 22 | Browse all Barbell → |
| Cable Machine | 13 | Browse all Cable Machine → |
| Bodyweight | 10 | Browse all Bodyweight → |
| Other Equipment | 9 | Browse all Other Equipment → |
| Resistance Bands | 6 | Browse all Resistance Bands → |
| Machine | 5 | Browse all Machine → |
| Medicine Ball | 4 | Browse all Medicine Ball → |
Ready-made shoulders routines
Dumbbell shoulders workout 32 exercises · full routine Kettlebell shoulders workout 17 exercises · full routine Barbell shoulders workout 22 exercises · full routine Cable Machine shoulders workout 13 exercises · full routine
Best shoulders exercises with no equipment
Nothing required but floor space.
Beginner shoulders exercises
Alternating Cable Shoulder Press Cable Machine Alternating Deltoid Raise Dumbbell Anti-Gravity Press Barbell Back Flyes - With Bands Resistance Bands Backward Medicine Ball Throw Medicine Ball Band Pull Apart Resistance Bands Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise Barbell Barbell Rear Delt Row Barbell Battling Ropes Other Equipment Bent Over Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise With Head On Bench Dumbbell Bent Over Low-Pulley Side Lateral Cable Machine Bradford/Rocky Presses Barbell
Common questions
What is the best shoulders exercise?
There is no single best one — the right pick depends on your equipment and level. Of the 127 shoulders exercises catalogued here, 76 are compound movements, which recruit the most muscle per set and are usually the highest-value place to start. Alternating Cable Shoulder Press is a common first choice.
How many shoulders exercises can you do without equipment?
10 of the 127 shoulders exercises here need no equipment at all, and 78 can be done with home-gym kit such as dumbbells, kettlebells or bands.
Where should beginners start with shoulders training?
73 of these 127 exercises are rated beginner. Alternating Cable Shoulder Press is one of the more accessible entry points. Start with a movement you can control through a full range, then progress load or difficulty before adding volume.
All 127 shoulders exercises
Alternating Cable Shoulder Press Cable Machine · beginner Alternating Deltoid Raise Dumbbell · beginner Alternating Kettlebell Press Kettlebell · intermediate Anti-Gravity Press Barbell · beginner Arm Circles Bodyweight · beginner Arnold Dumbbell Press Dumbbell · intermediate Back Flyes - With Bands Resistance Bands · beginner Backward Medicine Ball Throw Medicine Ball · beginner Band Pull Apart Resistance Bands · beginner Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise Barbell · beginner Barbell Rear Delt Row Barbell · beginner Barbell Shoulder Press Barbell · intermediate Battling Ropes Other Equipment · beginner Bent Over Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise With Head On Bench Dumbbell · beginner Bent Over Low-Pulley Side Lateral Cable Machine · beginner Bradford/Rocky Presses Barbell · beginner Cable Internal Rotation Cable Machine · beginner Cable Rear Delt Fly Cable Machine · beginner Cable Rope Rear-Delt Rows Cable Machine · beginner Cable Seated Lateral Raise Cable Machine · beginner Cable Shoulder Press Cable Machine · beginner Car Drivers Barbell · beginner Chair Upper Body Stretch Other Equipment · beginner Circus Bell Other Equipment · expert Clean and Jerk Barbell · expert Clean and Press Barbell · intermediate Crucifix Other Equipment · beginner Cuban Press Dumbbell · intermediate Double Kettlebell Jerk Kettlebell · intermediate Double Kettlebell Push Press Kettlebell · intermediate Double Kettlebell Snatch Kettlebell · expert Dumbbell Incline Shoulder Raise Dumbbell · beginner Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise Dumbbell · intermediate Dumbbell Lying Rear Lateral Raise Dumbbell · intermediate Dumbbell One-Arm Shoulder Press Dumbbell · intermediate Dumbbell One-Arm Upright Row Dumbbell · intermediate Dumbbell Raise Dumbbell · beginner Dumbbell Scaption Dumbbell · beginner Dumbbell Shoulder Press Dumbbell · intermediate Elbow Circles Bodyweight · beginner External Rotation Dumbbell · beginner External Rotation with Band Resistance Bands · beginner External Rotation with Cable Cable Machine · beginner Face Pull Cable Machine · intermediate Front Cable Raise Cable Machine · beginner Front Dumbbell Raise Dumbbell · beginner Front Incline Dumbbell Raise Dumbbell · beginner Front Plate Raise Other Equipment · intermediate Front Two-Dumbbell Raise Dumbbell · beginner Handstand Push-Ups Bodyweight · expert Internal Rotation with Band Resistance Bands · beginner Iron Cross Dumbbell · intermediate Jerk Balance Barbell · intermediate Kettlebell Arnold Press Kettlebell · intermediate Kettlebell Pirate Ships Kettlebell · beginner Kettlebell Seated Press Kettlebell · intermediate Kettlebell Seesaw Press Kettlebell · intermediate Kettlebell Thruster Kettlebell · intermediate Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up (Lunge style) Kettlebell · intermediate Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up (Squat style) Kettlebell · intermediate Kneeling Arm Drill Bodyweight · beginner Landmine Linear Jammer Barbell · intermediate Lateral Raise - With Bands Resistance Bands · beginner Leverage Shoulder Press Machine · beginner Log Lift Other Equipment · intermediate Low Pulley Row To Neck Cable Machine · beginner Lying One-Arm Lateral Raise Dumbbell · intermediate Lying Rear Delt Raise Dumbbell · intermediate Machine Shoulder (Military) Press Machine · beginner Medicine Ball Scoop Throw Medicine Ball · beginner One-Arm Incline Lateral Raise Dumbbell · beginner One-Arm Kettlebell Clean and Jerk Kettlebell · intermediate One-Arm Kettlebell Jerk Kettlebell · intermediate One-Arm Kettlebell Military Press To The Side Kettlebell · intermediate One-Arm Kettlebell Para Press Kettlebell · intermediate One-Arm Kettlebell Push Press Kettlebell · intermediate One-Arm Kettlebell Snatch Kettlebell · expert One-Arm Kettlebell Split Jerk Kettlebell · intermediate One-Arm Kettlebell Split Snatch Kettlebell · expert One-Arm Side Laterals Dumbbell · beginner Power Partials Dumbbell · beginner Push Press Barbell · expert Push Press - Behind the Neck Barbell · intermediate Rack Delivery Barbell · intermediate Return Push from Stance Medicine Ball · beginner Reverse Flyes Dumbbell · beginner Reverse Flyes With External Rotation Dumbbell · intermediate Reverse Machine Flyes Machine · beginner Round The World Shoulder Stretch Other Equipment · beginner Seated Barbell Military Press Barbell · intermediate Seated Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise Dumbbell · intermediate Seated Cable Shoulder Press Cable Machine · beginner Seated Dumbbell Press Dumbbell · beginner Seated Front Deltoid Bodyweight · expert Seated Side Lateral Raise Dumbbell · beginner See-Saw Press (Alternating Side Press) Dumbbell · intermediate Shoulder Circles Bodyweight · beginner Shoulder Press - With Bands Resistance Bands · beginner Shoulder Raise Bodyweight · beginner Shoulder Stretch Bodyweight · beginner Side Lateral Raise Dumbbell · beginner Side Laterals to Front Raise Dumbbell · beginner Side Wrist Pull Bodyweight · beginner Single-Arm Linear Jammer Barbell · intermediate Single Dumbbell Raise Dumbbell · beginner Sled Overhead Backward Walk Other Equipment · beginner Sled Reverse Flye Other Equipment · beginner Smith Incline Shoulder Raise Barbell · beginner Smith Machine One-Arm Upright Row Machine · beginner Smith Machine Overhead Shoulder Press Machine · beginner Standing Alternating Dumbbell Press Dumbbell · beginner Standing Barbell Press Behind Neck Barbell · intermediate Standing Bradford Press Barbell · beginner Standing Dumbbell Press Dumbbell · beginner Standing Dumbbell Straight-Arm Front Delt Raise Above Head Dumbbell · intermediate Standing Front Barbell Raise Over Head Barbell · intermediate Standing Low-Pulley Deltoid Raise Cable Machine · beginner Standing Military Press Barbell · beginner Standing Palm-In One-Arm Dumbbell Press Dumbbell · beginner Standing Palms-In Dumbbell Press Dumbbell · intermediate Standing Two-Arm Overhead Throw Medicine Ball · beginner Straight Raises on Incline Bench Barbell · beginner Two-Arm Kettlebell Clean Kettlebell · intermediate Two-Arm Kettlebell Jerk Kettlebell · intermediate Two-Arm Kettlebell Military Press Kettlebell · intermediate Upright Barbell Row Barbell · beginner Upward Stretch Bodyweight · beginner
Build a shoulders workout in one tap
Tell the generator your equipment and how long you have. It picks from these 127 exercises and sets your reps. Free, no signup.
Build a free workout