Shoulder
Rotator Cuff exercises
Centers and controls the shoulder joint during arm movement.
42
Exercises
10
Primary target
Related exercise guides
Home equipment tiers prioritize bodyweight, walls, chairs, towels, bands, and household loads before gym-only equipment.
Band Face Pull
Pull a band toward your face to strengthen the back of your shoulders. Great for fixing rounded shoulders.
Band Face Pull
Pull a band toward your face to strengthen rear shoulders and upper back. Excellent for countering forward head posture.
Band Pull-Apart
Hold band in front and pull it apart by squeezing shoulder blades. Simple but effective.
Band Pull-Aparts
Hold a resistance band in front of you and pull it apart to chest level. Simple but effective for posture and shoulder health.
Band Row
Pull a band toward your body like rowing a boat. Builds back strength.
Band Row
Pull a resistance band to strengthen mid-back and help support neck posture. Keep neck long throughout the movement.
Band Row - Standing
Pull a resistance band toward your body while standing. Builds upper back strength which helps posture and reduces back strain.
Band Shoulder Press
Press a band overhead while standing on it. Builds basic shoulder pressing strength.
Band Triceps Pressdown
Push a resistance band down to straighten elbows. Good triceps exercise that's easy on the elbow joint.
Battle Ropes
Create waves with heavy ropes for conditioning and arm power. High-intensity exercise for return to sport.
Behind-Back Shoulder Stretch
Clasp hands behind back and lift to stretch front of shoulders and chest.
Bent-Over Dumbbell Row
Hinge at the hips and row dumbbells to your ribs. Fundamental free-weight back exercise.
Bent-Over Reverse Fly
Bend over and raise dumbbells out to sides. Works rear shoulders and upper back.
Bent-Over Row
Bend forward and row two dumbbells or barbell. Major back builder.
Biceps Wall Stretch
Stretch your biceps using a wall. Good for improving elbow extension and reducing front-of-elbow tightness.
Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Hold
Hold kettlebell upside down overhead. Extreme stability challenge for shoulder and grip.
Cable Chop (Anti-Rotation)
Diagonal pulling pattern for rotational core strength. Trains controlled rotation through upper back while protecting SI joint.
Cable Chop - High to Low
Pull a cable from high to low diagonally across your body. Builds rotational core strength with controlled movement.
Cable Face Pull
Pull cable rope toward face with elbows high. Great for rear shoulders and rotator cuff.
Cable Lift (Anti-Rotation)
Diagonal pushing pattern for rotational core strength. Complements the chop pattern for balanced rotational training.
Cable Lift - Low to High
The opposite of the chop - pull a cable from low to high across your body. Builds upward rotational power.
Cable Seated Row
Use a cable machine to perform seated rows. Gold standard gym exercise for mid-back strength.
Cable/Band Row
Horizontal pulling exercise for upper back and trunk stability. Improves posture and trunk stability for SI joint protection.
Cat-Cow with Shoulder Focus
Classic cat-cow movement with extra focus on shoulder blade movement and chest opening.
Chest-Supported Row
Row on incline bench with chest supported. Takes low back out of the equation.
Copenhagen Plank (Short Lever)
Side plank variation with adductor emphasis using elevated leg position. Short lever version for beginners.
Corner Pec Stretch
Stand in a corner and stretch both pecs at once. Great for opening up the chest after long periods of sitting.
Counter Push-Up
Push-up performed against a counter or elevated surface. Intermediate step between wall and floor push-ups.
Counter-Top Push-Up
Push-up against kitchen counter or sturdy surface. Progression from wall push-ups, more wrist loading.
Cross-Body Shoulder Stretch
Pull arm across your body to stretch back of shoulder. Classic shoulder stretch.
Cuban Press
Three-part movement: upright row, external rotation, then press. Advanced rotator cuff exercise.
Dead Bug Arm Reach
Lie on back and reach arms overhead while keeping back flat. Works core and shoulder control together.
Dead Bug with Band Pull
Dead bug with added resistance from band pull-down. Increases challenge to core stability and anti-extension control.
Front Squat
Barbell squat with bar in front rack position. Emphasizes quadriceps and requires upright torso.
Full Can Raise
Raise arm to side with thumb up (like holding a full can). Safer variation of empty can raise.
Inverted Row
Row your body up to a bar while lying under it. Like a reverse push-up.
Quadruped Thoracic Rotation
On hands and knees, place one hand behind your head and rotate to open up your chest. Simple yet effective rotation drill.
Seated Dumbbell Press
Press dumbbells overhead while seated. The seated position helps prevent cheating.
Side Plank (Lateral Chain Stability)
Trains the lateral stabilizers of the spine including quadratus lumborum and obliques. Critical for spine health and injury prevention.
Standing Dumbbell Press
Press dumbbells overhead while standing. Requires more core control than seated version.
Straight Arm Pulldown
Pull cable down with straight arms. Isolates lats without bicep involvement.
Supine Shoulder Flexion with Neck Focus
Raise arms overhead while lying down, focusing on keeping neck neutral. Combines shoulder mobility with neck awareness.