Search for the ‘best shoulder exercises’ and you’ll find plenty of lists claiming that certain exercises are essential.
The less exciting – but more useful – answer is:
There is no single best shoulder exercise.
The best exercises depend on what you want to improve. The latest resistance-training evidence supports a flexible approach: many different ways of training can improve strength and muscle size, with consistency and progressive training generally more important than finding a ‘perfect’ exercise.
So rather than ranking individual exercises from best to worst, here is my practical hierarchy based on how much time and exercise variety you want.
Level 1: If you only have time for two upper-body exercises
Start with:
1 push + 1 pull
For example:
Push
- Push-up
- Bench press
- Chest press
- Shoulder press
Pull
- Seated row
- Bent-over row
- Lat pulldown
- Chin-up
There is nothing magical about pairing a push and a pull, and research has not established this as the ‘optimal’ two-exercise program.
I like it because it is simple and time-efficient. Between the two movements, you can train a lot of the upper-body musculature with very few exercises.
If you are short on time, that may be all you need.
Level 2: A more well-rounded program
If you have more time and want greater exercise variety, I would expand this into five movement categories:
1. Horizontal push
Examples:
- Push-up
- Bench press
- Chest press
These predominantly train the chest, front of the shoulder and triceps.
2. Horizontal pull
Examples:
- Seated row
- Bent-over row
These train the upper back, back of the shoulder and biceps.
3. Vertical push
Example:
- Shoulder press
This adds pressing above your head, with greater emphasis on the shoulder muscles while also training the triceps.
4. Vertical pull
Examples:
- Lat pulldown
- Chin-up
These provide another pulling direction and train the back and biceps.
5. Lateral raise
Examples:
- Dumbbell lateral raise
- Cable lateral raise
- Machine lateral raise
This provides more direct training for the side of the shoulder.
Put together:
horizontal push + horizontal pull + vertical push + vertical pull + lateral raise
This is not a scientifically proven ‘perfect five’. It is simply a practical way to train the shoulder and surrounding upper-body muscles through several different movements without needing dozens of exercises.
Level 3: Get specific
Once the basics are covered, add exercises when there is a reason to.
You might add:
- external or internal rotation for more targeted rotator cuff strengthening
- additional exercises for a muscle you particularly want to develop
- explosive exercises for sporting power
- exercises in positions specific to your sport, work or other goals
- rehabilitation exercises targeting a particular deficit
This reflects a basic principle of training: you tend to get better at what you practise. Strength can carry over to similar tasks, but the greatest improvements generally occur in movements that resemble what you actually train.
So, the more specific your goal becomes, the more specific your training should become.
Do I need isolated rotator cuff exercises?
Not necessarily – but they can be useful.
Your rotator cuff works during many pressing, pulling and lifting tasks. However, exercises such as resisted external and internal rotation can be useful when you specifically want to improve shoulder rotation strength, such as during rehabilitation or for an overhead sport.
For rotator cuff-related shoulder pain, exercise can improve strength and function, but current evidence does not establish one particular exercise as universally best.
What if I have shoulder pain?
Generic ‘best exercise’ lists become even less useful when pain or injury is involved.
Exercise is commonly used for rotator cuff-related shoulder pain, but research has not identified one exercise program that is clearly best for everyone. Different approaches can help, and comparisons between specific exercise types remain uncertain.
Rehabilitation should instead consider your symptoms, current capacity and what you want to return to, then progressively build what you need. If your pain relates to a specific problem – such as shoulder impingement, a rotator cuff tear, frozen shoulder or instability after a dislocation – the right approach may differ, and it's worth having it assessed.
What about shoulder mobility exercises?
You do not automatically need a separate shoulder mobility routine.
If you already have enough movement for everything you need and want to do, there may be little reason to spend additional time trying to become more mobile.
Resistance training itself can also improve range of motion.
Dedicated shoulder mobility exercises can still be useful if you have a meaningful restriction or need greater mobility for a particular activity.
How hard should shoulder strengthening exercises be?
There is no special repetition range required for shoulder exercises.
A wide range of resistance-training approaches can build strength and muscle. Heavier loads tend to produce greater maximal-strength gains, while muscle growth can occur across a broader range of loads. Training to failure is also not required for good results.
The important part is choosing an appropriate challenge and progressively developing it over time.
So, what are the best shoulder exercises?
There isn't one best exercise.
If you want to keep things very simple:
1 push + 1 pull
For something more well-rounded:
1 horizontal push + 1 horizontal pull + 1 vertical push + 1 vertical pull + 1 lateral raise
Then become more specific as your goals become more specific.
Choose exercises that suit your goals, train them consistently and progressively, and make your program only as complicated as it needs to be.
Frequently asked questions
What is the single best shoulder exercise?
There isn't one. Different exercises train different movements and muscles. If you only have time for a small amount of upper-body training, one push and one pull is a simple, time-efficient starting point.
What are the best shoulder strengthening exercises?
Push-ups, presses, rows, lat pulldowns, chin-ups and lateral raises are all useful options. External and internal rotation exercises can also be useful when more targeted rotator cuff strengthening is appropriate.
Are machines or free weights better for shoulders?
Neither is universally better. Both can effectively build strength and muscle.
However, strength is somewhat specific to how you train. If you want to become as strong as possible at a particular task, it makes sense to practise and progressively strengthen that task. Strength gained from one exercise can carry over to similar movements, but that carryover is not complete.
Choose machines, free weights or a combination based on what you want to get better at.
Do I need shoulder mobility exercises?
Not necessarily. If you already have enough mobility for your activities, separate mobility exercises may not be necessary. Resistance training itself can also improve range of motion.
What are the best shoulder rehab exercises?
There is no universal list. Exercise selection should reflect what is being rehabilitated, your current capacity and what you want to return to. Current evidence does not establish one exercise program as best for everybody with rotator cuff-related shoulder pain. If you're recovering from surgery, a rotator cuff repair rehab guide and shoulder replacement recovery guide walk through how loading is progressed after an operation.
If shoulder pain, weakness or stiffness is affecting your training or daily life, a physiotherapy assessment can help you build a program around your goals.
This content provides general information only and is not a substitute for individual healthcare advice.
