Shoulder
Upper Trapezius exercises
Scapular upward rotation and elevation.
48
Exercises
18
Primary target
Related exercise guides
Home equipment tiers prioritize bodyweight, walls, chairs, towels, bands, and household loads before gym-only equipment.
Arnold Press
Press with rotation - start palms facing you, rotate as you press. Hits all three shoulder heads.
Band Push Press
Stand on a looped resistance band holding the handles at shoulder height. Dip with soft knees, then extend the legs quickly to drive the handles overhead.
Band-Resisted Neck Extension
Use a band for gentle resistance during neck extension. Use caution and small range.
Band-Resisted Neck Side Bend
Use a band for gentle resistance during neck side bending. Strengthens lateral neck muscles.
Barbell Shrug
You stand tall holding a barbell in front of your thighs with both hands, arms straight. You raise your shoulders straight up toward your ears. Then you lower them back down.
Barbell Upright Row
You stand holding a barbell with an overhand grip, a little narrower than shoulder width, with the bar in front of your thighs. You pull the bar straight up close to your body, then lower it.
Bulgarian Bag Front-Rack Military Press
You stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a crescent-shaped Bulgarian bag at the front of your shoulders. You press the bag straight overhead, then lower it back.
Cable Shoulder Press
You stand between two cable towers holding one handle in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing forward. You press both handles straight overhead, then lower them back to your shoulders.
Cable Shrugs
You stand close to a low cable pulley, gripping a cable bar with both hands and your arms straight in front of you. You lift the bar by raising your shoulders as high as you can while breathing out. Then you lower them slowly.
Calf-Machine Shoulder Shrug
You stand under the shoulder pads of a calf-raise machine with your arms hanging at your sides. You lift your shoulders straight up toward your ears, then lower them.
Cervical Side Bend (Ear to Shoulder)
Gently tilt your head to bring ear toward shoulder. Improves lateral neck mobility without straining muscles.
Double Kettlebell Push Press
You stand with two kettlebells resting at your shoulders. You bend your knees slightly, then drive up through your legs and press both kettlebells overhead. You lower them back to your shoulders.
Dumbbell Front Raise
Raise dumbbells in front of you to shoulder height. Works front of shoulders.
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Raise dumbbells out to your sides to shoulder height. Works side of shoulders.
Foam Water-Dumbbell Lateral Raise
You stand in chest-deep pool water holding a foam water dumbbell in each hand. You lift both straight arms out to the sides, then lower them.
Head Harness Neck Extension
Use a head harness with weight for neck extension strengthening. Requires caution and light weights.
High Pull with Band
Pull band from low to high with elbows leading. Works rear shoulders and upper back.
Kettlebell Arnold Press
You stand with a kettlebell at your right shoulder, elbow bent and palm facing in. You press the kettlebell up while your wrist rotates. Then you finish with your arm straight overhead.
Kettlebell Front Raise, Two-Handed
You stand tall and hold one kettlebell by its handle with both hands, so it hangs in front of your thighs. You raise it straight forward to shoulder height with nearly straight arms, then lower it back with control.
Kettlebell Lateral Raise
You stand holding a kettlebell by its handle at your side with your palm toward your body. You lift it straight out to the side to shoulder height with a slight elbow bend, then lower it. You repeat on the other side.
Kettlebell Shrug, a Bell in Each Hand
You stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell by its handle in each hand at your sides with straight arms. You lift your shoulders straight up toward your ears, then lower them.
Kettlebell Upright Row
You stand holding one kettlebell with both hands by its handle, in front of your hips. You pull it straight up close to your body to chest height, then lower it.
Landmine Lateral Raise
You stand beside a barbell anchored at one end, holding the free end in the hand farthest from the anchor in front of your hip. You raise your arm out to the side to shoulder height, then lower it. You repeat on the other side.
Landmine Press
Press a barbell anchored in a corner. The angle is easier on shoulders than straight overhead.
Landmine Shoulder-to-Shoulder Press
Hold an anchored landmine bar with both hands at one shoulder. Press up through the centre, lower to the other shoulder, and keep alternating.
Levator Scapulae Stretch (Smell Your Armpit)
Targets the levator scapulae muscle that lifts the shoulder blade and often gets tight with stress and desk work.
Medicine Ball Front Raise
You stand holding a medicine ball between both palms in front of your body, arms slightly bent. You raise the ball forward and up, then lower it back down.
Medicine Ball Overhead Press
You stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent, holding a medicine ball at chest level with both hands. You press the ball overhead, then lower it back to your chest.
One-Arm Landmine Upright Row
You stand side-on to a barbell whose far end sits in a landmine fixture, holding the free end in one hand in front of your thigh. You pull the bar up toward your chest, then lower it.
Overhead Carry
Walk while holding weight overhead. Challenges shoulder stability and core together.
Overhead Press - Standing
Press weight overhead while standing. Requires good core stability to protect the lower back during the movement.
Pike Push-Up
Push-up with hips high in the air. More shoulder focus than regular push-up.
Plate-Loaded Lateral Raise
You sit in a lateral raise machine with your elbows against the pads close to your body. You push the pads out and up to the side, then lower them.
Push Press Behind the Neck
Rest a barbell on the back of the shoulders. Dip the knees slightly, then drive through the heels to launch the bar straight up overhead.
Safety Squat Bar Overhead Press
You stand with a safety squat bar resting on your collarbones and your hands on the handles. You press the bar straight overhead, then lower it back to your collarbones.
Sandbag Overhead Press
You stand holding a soft sandbag at your chest with both hands. You press the bag straight overhead until your arms are straight, then lower it back to your chest.
Sandbag Sumo Deadlift High Pull
You stand over a sandbag in a wide stance and grip it with both hands, chest up. You drive through your legs and hips to stand tall with straight arms. Then you bend your elbows and pull the sandbag up toward your chest.
Shoulder Shrugs (Light)
Light shoulder shrugs to strengthen upper trapezius. Keep light to avoid excessive tension patterns.
Side Laterals to Front Raise
Raise two dumbbells out to the sides to shoulder height, bring them together in front of the body at the top, and lower them through the front.
Smith Machine Standing Military Press
You stand inside a Smith machine with the bar at upper-chest height, gripped slightly wider than shoulders. You press the bar overhead until your arms are straight, then lower it back to the chest.
Suitcase Carry
Single-sided loaded carry that trains anti-lateral-flexion. Builds the core stability needed to resist side-bending during daily activities.
TRX Y Raise
Using TRX straps, lean back and pull yourself up with arms in Y position. Advanced back exercise.
Trap Bar Standing Shrug
You stand inside a loaded trap bar and grip its handles at your sides with straight arms. You lift your shoulders straight up toward your ears, then lower them.
Trap Bar Suitcase Carry
You stand the trap bar up on its side, load it with plates, then grip the middle of the bar with one hand and lift it clear of the floor. You walk while keeping your body upright. You repeat with the other hand.
Upper Trap Ball Release
Use a ball against a wall to release tight upper trapezius muscles. Good for desk workers with shoulder tension.
Upper Trapezius Stretch
Gentle stretch for the upper trapezius muscle that runs from neck to shoulder. Helps relieve tension from desk work and stress.
Viking Press, the Lever-Arm Overhead Press
A strongman overhead press on a lever-arm machine. The handles are gripped at shoulder height and pressed along the set arc of the arm to lockout, then lowered with control.
Weight Plate Shoulder Press
You stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a weight plate in both hands at chest level. You press the plate straight overhead until your arms are straight, then lower it back.