Shoulders exercises.
31 exercises that put shoulders first, and the weekly set targets Swole.fit uses to grow them.
How many sets a week for shoulders?
Swole.fit plans 8 hard sets a week as the point where shoulders starts to grow, 12 to 20 sets as the sweet spot for most lifters, and 26 as the most you can usually recover from. About 6 sets a week to keep what you built. Sets where shoulders only helps count as half a set.
Compound shoulders exercises
Multi-joint lifts. Heavier loads, more muscle per set, and the backbone of a plan.
- Band Face PullKettlebell, band and specialty bar, with traps, back
- Barbell Behind Neck PressBarbell, with triceps, traps
- Barbell Military PressBarbell, with triceps, abs
- Barbell Overhead PressBarbell, with triceps, abs
- Barbell Push PressBarbell, with triceps, quadriceps
- Barbell Upright RowBarbell, with biceps
- Cable Face PullCable, with traps, back
- Cable Shoulder PressCable, with triceps
- Cable Upright RowCable, with biceps
- Dumbbell Arnold PressDumbbell, with triceps
- Dumbbell Shoulder PressDumbbell, with triceps
- Dumbbell Upright RowDumbbell, with biceps
- EZ Bar Upright RowKettlebell, band and specialty bar, with biceps
- Kettlebell Clean and PressKettlebell, band and specialty bar, with abs, triceps
- Kettlebell SnatchKettlebell, band and specialty bar, with abs, glutes
- Kettlebell Turkish Get-UpKettlebell, band and specialty bar, with glutes, quadriceps
- Landmine PressKettlebell, band and specialty bar, with triceps, abs
- Machine Shoulder PressMachine, with triceps
- Pike Push-upsBodyweight, with triceps
- Smith Machine Shoulder PressMachine, with triceps
Isolation shoulders exercises
Single-joint moves. Less fatigue per set, so they fill the gap between growth and the recovery limit.
- Band Pull-ApartKettlebell, band and specialty bar, with traps
- Cable Front RaiseCable
- Cable Lateral RaiseCable
- Cable Rear Delt FlyCable
- Chest Supported Dumbbell Rear Delt RowDumbbell, with back, traps
- Dumbbell Front RaiseDumbbell
- Dumbbell Lateral RaiseDumbbell
- Dumbbell Rear Delt FlyDumbbell
- Dumbbell Reverse FlyDumbbell, with traps
- Machine Lateral RaiseMachine
- Machine Rear Delt FlyMachine
Lifts where shoulders helps
Each set of these counts as half a set toward your weekly total.
- Assisted Dip
- Barbell Bench Press
- Barbell Close-Grip Bench Press
- Barbell Drag Curl
- Barbell Incline Press
- Burpees
- Cable Chest Press
- Dead Hang
- Decline Push-ups
- Diamond Push-ups
- Dips
- Dumbbell Bench Press
- Dumbbell Incline Press
- L-Sit
- Landmine Rotation
- Machine Chest Press
- Machine Dip
- Machine Incline Chest Press
- Mountain Climbers
- Plank
- Push-ups
- Ring Dips
- Side Plank
- Smith Machine Bench Press
- Smith Machine Incline Press
- Trap Bar Farmer's Walk
- Weighted Plank
- Wide-Grip Push-ups
Programs that bring up shoulders
Free splits from the Swole.fit library with extra focus here.
- Arm Blaster3 days a week
- Athletic Power3 days a week
- Beach Emergency3 days a week
- Core Four3 days a week
- Pump & Circumstance3 days a week
- Push Pull Legs3 days a week
- Upper Body Classic3 days a week
- Weekend Warrior3 days a week
- Arm & Delt Destroyer4 days a week
- Functional Mass4 days a week
- Powerbuilder Classic4 days a week
- Push Pull Legs Upper4 days a week
- Shoulder Boulder4 days a week
- Upper/Lower Classic4 days a week
- Volume Ascending4 days a week
- Arm & Boulder Shoulders5 days a week
- Classic Physique5 days a week
- Corporate Crusher5 days a week
- Peak Week5 days a week
- Push Pull Legs Upper Lower5 days a week
- Shoulder Salvation5 days a week
- Strength Circuit5 days a week
- Upper Body Blast5 days a week
- Volume Vortex5 days a week
- Arnold Split Plus6 days a week
- Cardio Hater6 days a week
- Full Body Madness6 days a week
- Functional Athlete6 days a week
- Guns & Boulders6 days a week
- Minimalist Beast6 days a week
- Old School Cool6 days a week
- Push Pull Legs6 days a week
- Upper Body Elite6 days a week
- Volume Psycho6 days a week
Let the app count your shoulders sets.
Swole.fit tallies every set for shoulders across the week, shows where you sit against these targets and adds volume as the cycle builds.