Here are 5 top exercises for building strong and stable shoulders. I bet you haven’t tried many of these exercises before! These exercises will be beneficial to your pull-up, push-up, and muscle-up performance (and how your body feels), and countless other exercises, sports, and daily activities.
You can do these exercises as part of your warm-up, during your main workout as filler/active rest exercises, or as part of your main workout.
#1) Single Arm Floor Presses + Posterior Band Resistance
This exercise strengthens the rotator cuff muscles, particularly the subscapularis. The subscapularis is the biggest and strongest rotator cuff muscle. It is responsible for the internal rotation and adduction of the humerus, and stabilizes the shoulder.
Coaching Tips:
- Attach a band so it’s behind you, and hold the band in your hand (or loop it around your wrist). In the same hand, hold a kettlebell in a regular position (or dumbbell).
- Lie on the floor, and bend your knees.
- Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace), and squeeze your glutes.
- Now perform a single arm press.
- Gain a moment of control when you are in the top position, and then return the kettlebell to the starting position with control.
- In the bottom position, do not allow your elbow to flare out.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to shrug, or shoulder blades to elevate.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked/level position.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps per side.
#2) Push-Up + Press-Back
This push-up variation also strengthens the serratus anterior muscle, improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, overhead mobility, and lumbo-pelvic stability (think core).
As I talk about a lot, the serratus anterior is a key muscle that is overlooked by countless people! The serratus upwardly rotates, protracts, and posteriorly tilts the shoulder blades. If you struggle to get your arms into an overhead position, the serratus anterior might be the culprit!
If you can’t do this from the floor, perform a modified variation where you elevate your hands on a stable surface like you would with regular hands elevated push-ups.
Coaching Tips:
- Get into a plank position from your hands and feet.
- Position your hands so they are shoulder width apart or slightly wider. Figure out what hand width and positioning works and feels best for you.
- At the top of the push-up, your shoulders, elbows and wrists should be in a relatively stacked position.
- Your weight should be evenly distributed throughout your full hands and fingers, not just at the base of your hands/wrists. Pretend you are trying to spread your full hands and fingers to the floor (or elevated surface if you are modifying).
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), and squeeze your glutes.
- Descend into the push-up and retract your shoulder blades. Think about lightly drawing your shoulder blades together and towards your spine as you are performing the eccentric component, but do not overdo this movement. Imagine you are pulling or “rowing” your body down to the surface. Do not just drop down.
- In the bottom position, your elbows should be positioned over your wrists, and forearms in a vertical position. Do not allow your elbows to flare out. In the bottom position, your body and arms should resemble an “arrow,” not a “T”.
- Once your upper arms are approximately parallel to the floor (or elevated surface if you are modifying), press your body diagonally/back, and get your arms into an overhead position. Your hips should also pike.
- When you are pressing your body diagonally/back and are getting your arms into an overhead position, really think about spreading your shoulder blades apart and moving them away from your spine, around your ribcage, and away from your opposite hip. Do not keep them pinned. In this movement you should be getting significant scapular protraction, upward rotation, and posterior tilt.
- Then return your body to the top/starting position of the push-up, and do a proper reset (breath in, brace, glute squeeze, etc) before performing the next rep.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked/level position.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 8-15 reps.
Modified variation:
#3) Superman Pull-Aparts
This exercise strengthens the traps (most notably, the mid and low traps), and improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility (and stability on the planted side).
Coaching Tips:
- Lie on the floor in a prone position. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position, and legs fully extended (you can also bend your knees/have your thighs in a vertical position). Keep your chin lightly tucked and neck in a neutral(ish) position (and a few inches off the floor).
- Hold a long band in both hands. You will not need to use much resistance for this to be both challenging and effective.
- Start so your arms are in an overhead “I” position, and are a few inches off the floor. They should remain off the floor/at the same height for 100% of the exercise.
- While keeping your wrists and elbows still (do not allow them to bend), use the muscles around your shoulder blades to bring your arms down so your torso and arms form a “t.” As you are doing so think about moving your shoulder blades in towards your spine and down towards your opposite hip.
- Pause for a count in the ‘’t” position and flex/squeeze the muscles around your shoulder blades.
- Then perform the reverse movements and return your arms to the overhead “I” position. As you are doing so think about moving your shoulder blades away from your spine, around your ribcage, and away from your opposite hip.
- Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. They are meant to move.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to shrug/elevate towards your ears.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked/level position.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps.
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#4) Hollow Body + Band Pull-Aparts
This exercise improves lumbo-pelvic stability (think core), and shoulder and scapular controlled mobility.
Coaching Tips:
- Lie on the floor. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Lift up your legs so they are in a vertical position, fully extend your knees, point your feet away from you (plantarflex).
- Hold a long resistance band in each hand. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise.
- Keep your neck in a neutral position, chin tucked, and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt).
- Before you go, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core muscles (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt).
- Now slowly lower your legs towards the floor, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form (and feel your anterior core muscles). Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.
- While keeping your body still, and elbows straight (but not hyperextended), move your shoulder blades in towards your spine (retract). When you do this your hands will spread apart.
- Once you hit your end range pause for a count and really contract the muscles around your shoulder blades.
- Now perform the reverse movement and spread your shoulder blades apart from your spine and move them around your ribcage (protract). When you do this your hands will come together (stop when your hands are in line with your armpits).
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to shrug, or shoulder blades to elevate.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked/level position.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine). You can also flex your glutes and quads if you want to make this more specific to pull-ups and muscle-ups.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps.
#5) Band Resisted Multidirectional Taps From Single Leg Partial Squat + Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Hold
This unique exercise strengthens the glutes, the muscles in the foot and lower leg, improves shoulder and scapular stability, grip, and lumbo-pelvic stability (think core).
Coaching Tips:
- Place a band around your ankles. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise.
- Hold a kettlebell in a bottoms-up position, and so it’s in the bottom position of an overhead press. Do not allow your elbow to flare out.
- Your forearm should be vertical, and wrist in a neutral position. Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.
- Get into a single leg partial squat stance. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position. Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.
- On the planted side, keep your weight centered over the middle of your foot the entire time. Your heel and the base of your big and baby toes should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.
- Perform taps in multiple directions. Aside from this moving leg, the rest of your body should remain still for the duration of the exercise.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot. Lightly press your leg out against the band.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to shrug, or shoulder blades to elevate.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked/level position.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 8-15 reps per side (of the taps).
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