10 Best Shoulders Exercises for Beginners

How to Do It 

1. To start, raise an adjustable bench vertically, and sit against it with a dumbbell in each hand. 
2. Hold the weights at shoulder level, palms facing out, then press them straight overhead. 
3. Bring your arms back down to the starting position. 
4. That’s 1 rep. 
5. Complete 3 to 5 sets of 6 to 12 reps, resting 60 to 90 seconds in between each set. 

Pro Tip

“Don’t let your elbows drop below your ears, and keep your arms bent at a 90-degree angle,” Ventriglia advises.

How to Do It 

1. Stand with dumbbells in each hand in front of your thighs, shoulders back, palms facing in, to start. 
2. Engage your deltoids to raise your arms out in front of you, stopping when wrists are aligned with shoulders.
3. Pause briefly. 
4. Return the weights down with control. That’s 1 rep.
5. Perform 4 to 6 sets with 1 to 5 reps, resting 1 to 3 minutes between sets. 

Pro Tip

Be sure to control the weight and avoid excess arm swing on the descent. Also, avoid leaning to either side during the movement, Ventriglia adds.

How to Do It 

1. To start, hold a dumbbell in one hand, and stand beside a pole or sturdy piece of machinery (like a squat rack). 
2. Place your feet together, close to your anchor point, and grab the anchor (with the hand closest to it). 
3. Lean away from the anchor, keeping a straight line from your ankles, hips, and shoulders. 
4. Raise the dumbbell, laterally, to eye level, then repeat. 
5. Complete 1 to 3 sets with 12 to 20 reps with a 0 to 60 second rest period in between each set. 

Pro Tip

“Avoid collapsing at the hips and swinging the weight rapidly or uncontrollably. Use a lighter weight if necessary,” Ventriglia says.

How to Do It 

1. To start, grab a dumbbell in each hand, and stand with feet hip-width apart or assume a staggered stance. 
2. Hinge at your hips, and bring the weights together so they’re touching, palms facing one other. 
3. Turn the dumbbells so your palms face down, and your elbows are in line with your shoulders. 
4. Return back to the starting position, and repeat. 
5. Complete 1 to 3 sets of 12 to 20 reps with 0 to 60 second rest between sets. 

Pro Tip

You can also do this while lying down on a bench, which removes your ability to assist your shoulders with your hips, and therefore isolates your rear deltoids even more.

How to Do It

1. Attach a rope handle to the top pulley of a cable station, to start.
2. Grasp an end in each hand with palms facing each other.
3. Step back to place tension on the cable.
4. Squeeze shoulder blades together and row the rope toward your face, leading the pull with your elbows.
5. Hold the contraction for 1 second, then reverse.
6. That’s 1 rep.
7. Complete 1 to 3 sets of 12 to 20 reps, resting 0 to 60 seconds between sets.  

How to Do It

1. Grasp a barbell with an overhand grip, hands placed shoulder-width apart or a little wider, to start.
2. You can lift the barbell from a squat rack positioned at chest height, or clean the bar from the floor to your chest.
3. Keep your elbows tucked and facing forward, so they don’t bow out to the sides.
4. Without using any momentum, lift the barbell up in front of your face, lock out your arms, and then descend down, making sure you go no lower than your chin.
5. That’s 1 rep.
6. Perform 3 to 5 sets with 6 to 12 reps, resting 60 to 90 seconds in between.

Pro Tip

“Be careful not to jut your head forward when lifting the weight up, and avoid arching your lower back,” Ventriglia says. Tighten your abs when you lift.

How to Do It

1. If you don’t have a landmine device, wedge one end of an Olympic bar into the corner of a wall, with sandbags underneath to keep it in place, to start.
2. Load the other end of the barbell with your desired weight.
3. Stand or kneel, then grab the end of the bar with both hands, using an overhand grip.
4. Press the bar from the top of your chest to overhead, locking out your elbows.
5. Lower to chest level, then repeat.
6. Complete 4 to 6 sets with 1 to 5 reps, resting 1 to 3 minutes between sets.

Pro Tip

Wrap the end of the Olympic bar in a towel so it doesn’t scratch up the wall.

How to Do It

1. To start, stand with your feet together.
2. Grab an EZ curl bar of desired weight with an overhand grip, palms facing down and shoulders just shy of shoulder-width apart.
3. Row the bar up the front of your body to your chin, then lower.
4. Return to your waist and repeat.
5. Perform 4 to 6 sets of 1 to 5 reps with a 1 to 3 minute rest period in between.

Pro Tip

“Avoid excess arching in the lower back, bowing out your elbows, and losing control of the movement,” Ventriglia says.

How to Do It

1. To start, grab a plate of your desired weight.
2. Fully extend your arms out in front of you, locking out at the elbows.
3. Rotate the plate fully left, then fully right as if you were turning a steering wheel.
4. That’s 1 rep.
5. Keep the motion slow and controlled, and don’t drop your arms.
6. Perform 1 to 3 sets for 1 minute, resting anywhere from 0 to 60 seconds between sets. 

How to Do It

1. Grab a dumbbell in each hand, and stand with feet hip-width apart or assume a staggered stance, to start.
2. Hinge at your hips, and bring the weights together so they’re touching, palms facing one other.
3. Bring your arms up until your elbows are in line with your shoulders and the dumbbells are in line with your ears.
4. At this point, your palms should be facing down and your upper body will resemble a W.
5. Return back to the starting position, and repeat.
6. Perform 1 to 3 sets of 12 to 20 reps, resting 0 to 60 seconds between sets.