8 Best Shoulder Exercises: A Beginner’s Guide

The shoulder muscles. Often overlooked and underused, these muscles hold a ton of tension for most of us, especially with so many hours spent hunched over our computer and phone screens.

That’s why exercising your shoulders is essential to achieve a balanced upper body, alleviate stress, and avoid long-term issues like the dreaded "tech neck." Having strong shoulder muscles not only improves your posture but also supports a lot of common daily activities. 

This beginner’s guide will explore the benefits of shoulder workouts, the major shoulder muscles to target, and the best exercises to kickstart your journey to stronger shoulders. 

Don’t feel like you have to face your fitness journey alone. Find a local gym for support and expert guidance when you need it.

Benefits of Shoulder Workouts

Shoulders work hard from morning to night, whether you’re lifting objects, playing catch, or just trying to sit up straight. That’s why doing exercises specifically focused on your shoulder muscles are fundamental for anyone looking to achieve a balanced upper body. Spending time strengthening these muscles brings a ton of benefits, a few of which include longer-lasting mobility as the body ages and the ability to lift heavy objects without a second thought. What more could you ask for? 

What are the Major Shoulder Muscles?

Your shoulder joint is a remarkable structure known as a ball-and-socket joint—just like the hips—which gives your shoulder a wide range of motion, allowing for movements like rotation. The ball-and-socket also allows extension and flexion, which is just a fancy way to say movements that extend away from and flex toward the body.

In order to provide this exceptional range of motion, shoulders are made up of many muscles working together, including:

• Rotator Cuff: You’ve likely heard of this area, but what is it? Made up of four separate muscles, the individual parts of your rotator cuff work together to perform overhead movements—like lifting objects or reaching upward—and movements that involve rotating the arm, such as throwing a ball or swinging a racket.
• Rhomboids: Nestled between the shoulder blades, the rhomboid muscles work tirelessly to retract the shoulder blades, aiding in posture and shoulder stability. These are the muscles that weaken when we're hunched over our screens!
• Trapezius: The trapezius muscle—sometimes called your traps—across the upper back and neck help maintain your posture. Your traps are used in subtle everyday movements like turning or tilting your head as well as shrugging your shoulders.
• Deltoid: At the top of the shoulder, the deltoid muscle works hard to stabilize the shoulder joint and lift the arms in various directions, including forward, sideways, and overhead movements.

One simple body part with a lot going on! Altogether, these muscles form the complicated network that supports the shoulder joint. Adding targeted exercises to your routine can improve the strength and stability of each part of the shoulder for a wider range of motion and function.

8 Best Shoulder Exercises for Beginners

There are many examples of shoulder exercises to choose from, but not all are the perfect fit for beginners. It’s important not to get too complicated too quickly. Here are eight of the best shoulder exercises for beginners to add to your routine using strength machines, dumbbells, or your own bodyweight: 

1. Dumbbell Shoulder Press

The dumbbell shoulder press is an exercise that covers a lot of area, including the shoulders, triceps, and elbow joints. As with all the exercises we explore today, always begin with a lighter weight than you think you can handle in order to perfect your technique first!

First, begin in a seated or standing position with your spine straight. Grip dumbbells with an overhand grip, palms facing down. Then, bend the elbows and bring hands to shoulder height, rotating the palms. Push dumbbells up until arms fully extend overhead—bring the biceps close to your ears. Finally, pause briefly at the top to maximize muscle engagement and slowly return dumbbells to the starting position.

2. Shoulder Press Machine

A great option for your workout routine is the shoulder press machine. To begin, adjust the weight and adjust the seat to a comfortable position with flat feet and your back against the seat. Hold the handles with relaxed palms with arms bent at 90 degrees for stability and control. 

Keep core muscles engaged throughout the exercise. Push upward until arms fully extend overhead. Pause briefly at the top. Then, lower the handles back to the starting position. 

3. Smith Machine Shoulder Press

The Smith Machine Shoulder Press may look intimidating initially, but you just have to know how to use it. Adjust the incline bench to a 90-degree angle and position yourself beneath the bar 6 inches from your nose for optimal range of motion. Maintain a straight back against the bench for spinal alignment and stability. 

Remember to keep the elbows forward to avoid being too far back on the bench. Tilt the bar backward to unlock, then lower the bar to the upper chest, allowing elbows to bend naturally. Finally, press the bar upward to raise the weight back to the starting position. Pause briefly to engage the shoulder muscles before gradually lowering the bar back to chest level.

4. Arm Circles

You probably recognize this exercise. A long-standing favorite, begin standing upright with feet shoulder-width apart to establish a stable base. Raise the arms until parallel to the ground, aligned with the shoulders and palms facing down. Initiate movement by making small circles with the arms. As you continue, gradually increase the size of the circles while maintaining control and stability throughout. 

This isn’t about speed! In order to make this simple move most effective, focus on feeling the stretch in your shoulder muscles as you perform the arm circles, allowing for a gentle and controlled range of motion. Adjust the size and speed of the circles based on your comfort level and flexibility. This exercise can help improve shoulder mobility and flexibility while also serving as a dynamic warm-up for upper-body workouts.

5. Dumbbell Chest Press

A version of the bench press, the dumbbell chest press, involves holding a free weight in each hand while lying on a flat bench. For stability, maintain contact with the surface at all times. 

Position dumbbells at each side of your chest, with elbows forming a 90-degree angle. Straighten the arms and raise the dumbbells above the chest while exhaling. Pause briefly to engage the chest muscles and inhale as you lower the dumbbells down, maintaining control throughout the descent. 

6. Cable Lat Pulldown

Find the cable tower in your gym to give the cable lat pulldown a try. While the seat may appear strange at first, you can easily adjust it to ensure comfort under the support pads. 

After adjusting to your desired weight, grab the bar with an overhand grip with your feet planted on the floor. If you’re not able to reach the bar while seated, just stand and grab the bar before sitting back down. Begin by engaging muscles in the lower back, leaning forward at a slight angle. Lower the bar to the chin, pause for a moment, then slowly raise the bar back up, maintaining control and resisting the weight pulling you back up. 

7. Cable Row 

While you’re at the cable tower, navigate to the cable row. Start by adjusting the weight to your fitness level and goals. Place your feet on the footrests and grasp the cable's handle. Propel backward using your legs, keeping your back straight and chest lifted. Pull the handle towards your chest, engaging your back muscles. Reverse the motion by extending arms and returning to the starting position. Repeat for desired repetitions, focusing on smooth, controlled movements.

8. Dumbbell Lateral Raise

For our final exercise, begin by holding a dumbbell in each hand with a normal grip, maintaining a neutral spine position, and engaging core muscles. Raise arms to the sides, creating a "T" shape with arms parallel to the ground. Avoid rotating the shoulders, focusing instead on engaging the shoulder muscles. Pause briefly at the top to fully engage your shoulder muscles before lowering the dumbbells back to the starting position.

Beginner Shoulder Workout Routines

With a list of stellar shoulder workouts to choose from, here are some quick examples of how to combine these moves into beginner shoulder routines. 

Incorporate these workouts into your regular routine, but be sure to take breaks and focus on a blend of upper body, lower body, and cardio throughout the week. And of course, you can always customize this in a way that works best for you using your favorite exercises.

Workout 1: Strength and Stability

Begin with the Dumbbell Shoulder Press, performing four sets of 8-10 reps to target the deltoids and triceps. Then, perform four sets of 8-10 reps to engage the chest muscles on the Dumbbell Chest Press. Next, complete three sets of 10-12 reps for the back and biceps on the Cable Lat Pulldown. Finally, conclude the first session with 3 sets of 15-20 reps of Arm Circles, both forward and backward, to promote shoulder mobility and stability.

Workout 2: Increase Muscle Mass

Start with 4 sets of 10-12 reps on the Shoulder Press Machine followed by 4 sets of 12-15 reps on the dumbbell lateral raise to isolate the lateral deltoids. Then, transition to the Cable Row Machine for 3 sets of 10-12 reps, engaging the back muscles. Finish the session with the Dumbbell Chest Press, performing 3 sets of 10-12 reps to further target the chest and triceps.

Workout 3: Endurance and Conditioning

Kick off the workout with the Smith Machine Shoulder Press, executing three sets of 12-15 reps to enhance shoulder endurance. Move to the Dumbbell Lateral Raise, completing three sets of 15-20 reps to promote deltoid endurance. Then, transition to the Cable Lat Pulldown for three sets of 12-15 reps, focusing on engaging the back. Finally, wrap up the routine with three sets of 20-25 Arm Circles—in both directions!—to maintain shoulder mobility and promote circulation.

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