1. Exercises
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EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

Shoulder Exercises for Strength

Strengthen your deltoids, rotator cuff, and trapezius muscles with shoulder exercises that increase size and improve stability, power, and lifting performance.

Nurudeen performs a shoulder exercise: seated overhead presses

Best Shoulder Exercises

Recommended by Nurudeen Tijani (Bodybuilder and Pain Relief Fitness Coach)

I’ve been lifting weights for over 10 years, and I’ve personally performed every exercise below to build strength and transform my body. You can see my results. The recommended shoulders exercises below work—and you can find full instructions and video demonstrations in the JEFIT Exercise Library.


  1. Clean and Press: A full-body compound lift where you first lift the barbell from the floor to your shoulders (clean) and then press it overhead, engaging the legs, back, shoulders, and arms. This is my favorite shoulder exercise. 

  2. Push Press: A shoulder and upper-body exercise where you use a slight leg drive to press a barbell overhead, targeting the deltoids, triceps, and upper chest while allowing heavier loads than a strict press. This is another favorite.

  3. Overhead Barbell Press: A compound lift where you press a barbell overhead, engaging the shoulders, triceps, and upper chest.
  4. Dumbbell Shoulder Press: Similar to the barbell press but with dumbbells, allowing for a more natural range of motion to target the deltoids.
  5. Lateral Raises: A shoulder isolation exercise where you lift dumbbells out to the sides, focusing on the lateral deltoid for width.
  6. Front Raises: Performed by lifting dumbbells or a barbell in front of you, engaging the anterior deltoid.
  7. Rear Delt Flyes: A movement targeting the rear deltoids and upper back by lifting weights outward from a bent-over position.
  8. Arnold Press: A shoulder press variation where you rotate the dumbbells as you press up, working all three heads of the deltoids.
  9. Upright Rows: A barbell or dumbbell lift where you pull the weight up along your torso, targeting the deltoids and traps.
  10. Dumbbell Shrugs: An isolation movement where you shrug your shoulders with dumbbells, focusing on the traps.
  11. Cable Lateral Raises: A lateral raise using a cable machine, providing consistent tension through the entire range of motion.
  12. Face Pulls: A cable or band exercise where you pull the handles toward your face, engaging the rear delts, traps, and upper back.
  13. Landmine Press: An angled press with one end of a barbell anchored, targeting the front deltoids and upper chest.
  14. Pike Push-Ups: A bodyweight push-up variation with hips elevated, focusing on shoulder strength and stability.
  15. Dumbbell Pullover: An exercise often targeting the chest and lats, but also engaging the shoulders as you pull the weight from overhead to chest level.
  16. Machine Shoulder Press: A shoulder press performed on a machine, providing stability and isolating the deltoids.
  17. External Rotation: A shoulder stability exercise using a light weight or resistance band, where you rotate the arm outward, strengthening the rotator cuff.


Helpful Tip: Do you feel shoulder pain when doing shoulder exercises?

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