Exercises/Shoulders

The best shoulder exercises, rated

20 shoulder exercises, from the highest rated to the most situational. Each one with how to do it, the rep range and alternatives.

Rating A: Great choices 9

Rating ACableCable Lateral RaiseStable and easy to load, but at equal range of motion it gave the same side-delt growth as the dumbbell version.How to do it Rating ACableCable Y-RaiseGood tension in the stretch for the side delts, but trickier to set up.How to do it Rating ADumbbellDumbbell Lateral RaiseDoable anywhere and in direct research gave the same side-delt growth as the cable version.How to do it Rating AMachineIso-Lateral Shoulder PressPlate-loaded shoulder press with independent arms: stable and easy to load heavily without balance or back stress.How to do it Rating AMachineMachine Lateral RaiseStable with even tension.How to do it Rating AMachineMachine Shoulder PressStable, safe to failure and easy to load.How to do it Rating ADumbbellSeated Dumbbell Lateral RaiseSame exercise as the standing lateral raise, but seated you can cheat less with your legs and torso.How to do it Rating ADumbbellSeated Dumbbell Shoulder PressGood front-delt exercise with a stretch.How to do it Rating ADumbbellSide-Lying Lateral RaiseShifts the dumbbell tension to the stretched position: the best side-delt option with dumbbells.How to do it

Rating B: Good choices 9

Rating BDumbbellArnold PressFine variation, but no proven advantage over a regular dumbbell press.How to do it Rating BBarbellBarbell Overhead PressStrong strength exercise, but less stable for hypertrophy, and the front delts already get a lot from bench pressing.How to do it Rating BDumbbellIncline Dumbbell Y-RaiseChest support limits swinging.How to do it Rating BBarbellLandmine PressShoulder-friendly alternative for anyone with pain pressing overhead.How to do it Rating BDumbbellLean-Away Dumbbell Lateral RaiseLeaning away adds tension at the bottom, but cable vs dumbbell gave the same growth at equal range, so that advantage is unproven.How to do it Rating BBodyweightPike Push-UpUsable home option for overhead pressing, but limited loading.How to do it Rating BKettlebellSingle-Arm Kettlebell Overhead PressA good shoulder exercise at home.How to do it Rating BMachineSmith Machine Shoulder PressStable, but the fixed path doesn't sit well in everyone's shoulders.How to do it Rating BDumbbellStanding Dumbbell Shoulder PressWorks well at home without a bench, but standing your torso limits how much you can press.How to do it

Rating C: Situational 2

Rating CCableCable Upright Row (Wide Grip)Works the side delts, but arm elevation with internal rotation is shoulder-sensitive.How to do it Rating CDumbbellDumbbell Front RaiseFront delts already get plenty of volume from pressing.How to do it

Also trains your shoulders

Exercises for other muscles where your shoulders help.

Rating ABarbellBarbell Bench PressExtensive evidence and easy to load.How to do it Rating ABarbellClose-Grip Bench PressHeavily loadable compound for triceps and strength.How to do it Rating ADumbbellDumbbell Bench PressMore stretch than the barbell, but getting into position and jumps in weight are harder.How to do it Rating ABarbellIncline Barbell Bench PressGood upper-chest emphasis and highly progressable.How to do it Rating ACableIncline Cable FlyTension through the whole range, including the stretch, with emphasis on the upper chest.How to do it Rating ADumbbellIncline Dumbbell PressStrong upper-chest exercise with a good stretch.How to do it

Plan your training

Knowledge base
What is progressive overload?Four ways to keep making progress, and how fast to go.Read How many sets per muscle per week?The weekly volume that builds muscle.Read One-rep max calculatorYour max from any hard set, and the weight for 2 to 12 reps.Read

How we rate exercises

Mitta rates every exercise from S to C, based on research where it exists and on how the exercise loads the muscle. When Mitta builds your plan it picks from S, A and B exercises and prefers ones that load the muscle at long length. C exercises are never picked automatically, but you can still choose them yourself.

Questions about
shoulder training

What is the best shoulder exercise?

There is no single best one. In Mitta’s library, the highest rated shoulder exercises are the cable lateral raise, cable Y-raise, dumbbell lateral raise and iso-lateral shoulder press. Pick the one that suits your equipment and feels best.

Can I train my shoulders at home?

Yes. Exercises that need little more than dumbbells or your body weight include the dumbbell lateral raise, seated dumbbell lateral raise, seated dumbbell shoulder press and side-lying lateral raise.

How many shoulder exercises should I do?

One or two per workout is enough for most people. What matters more is the number of hard sets per week. How many sets per muscle per week?

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