Gym Shoulders Workout for Intermediate
A gym shoulders workout for intermediate that you can do in a commercial gym. 6 exercises, about 47 minutes, targeting shoulders.
| Level | Intermediate |
| Equipment | Gym |
| Time | About 47 minutes |
| Muscles | Shoulders |
The workout
| Exercise | Sets / reps |
|---|---|
| 1. Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 4 × 8–12 |
| 2. Face Pull | 4 × 8–12 |
| 3. Front Dumbbell Raise | 4 × 8–12 |
| 4. Barbell Rear Delt Row | 4 × 8–12 |
| 5. Low Pulley Row To Neck | 4 × 8–12 |
| 6. Cable Internal Rotation | 4 × 8–12 |
See each exercise
How to do this workout
- Warm up for 5 minutes: brisk walk or easy cardio, then one light set of the first exercise.
- Do the exercises in order. Finish all sets of one before moving on.
- Pick a weight that leaves about 1–2 reps in the tank on the last set. Rest 60–120 seconds on big lifts, 45–60 seconds on smaller ones.
- Do this workout 1–2 times a week, with at least one rest day before training the same muscles again.
How to progress
When you can do every set with good form at the top of the rep range, add one rep per set the next week, or a small amount of weight (1–2.5 kg). Progress slowly — consistent small jumps beat big ones. For fat loss, pair this with a small calorie deficit and around 1.6–2 g of protein per kg of body weight.
Exercise notes
1. Dumbbell Shoulder Press
While holding a dumbbell in each hand, sit on a military press bench or utility bench that has back support. Place the dumbbells upright on top of your thighs. Now raise the dumbbells to shoulder height one at a time using your thighs to help propel them up into position.
2. Face Pull
Facing a high pulley with a rope or dual handles attached, pull the weight directly towards your face, separating your hands as you do so. Keep your upper arms parallel to the ground.
3. Front Dumbbell Raise
Pick a couple of dumbbells and stand with a straight torso and the dumbbells on front of your thighs at arms length with the palms of the hand facing your thighs. This will be your starting position. While maintaining the torso stationary (no swinging), lift the left dumbbell to the front with a slight bend on the elbow and the palms of the hands always facing down. Continue to go up until you arm is slightly above parallel to the floor. Exhale as you execute this portion of the movement and pause for a second at the top. Inhale after the second pause.
4. Barbell Rear Delt Row
Stand up straight while holding a barbell using a wide (higher than shoulder width) and overhand (palms facing your body) grip. Bend knees slightly and bend over as you keep the natural arch of your back. Let the arms hang in front of you as they hold the bar. Once your torso is parallel to the floor, flare the elbows out and away from your body. Tip: Your torso and your arms should resemble the letter "T". Now you are ready to begin the exercise.
5. Low Pulley Row To Neck
Sit on a low pulley row machine with a rope attachment. Grab the ends of the rope using a palms-down grip and sit with your back straight and your knees slightly bent. Tip: Keep your back almost completely vertical and your arms fully extended in front of you. This will be your starting position.
6. Cable Internal Rotation
Sit next to a low pulley sideways (with legs stretched in front of you or crossed) and grasp the single hand cable attachment with the arm nearest to the cable. Tip: If you can adjust the pulley's height, you can use a flat bench to sit on instead. Position the elbow against your side with the elbow bent at 90° and the arm pointing towards the pulley. This will be your starting position.
Weekly plans that use this workout
More workouts like this
Gear for this workout
Gym duffel bagShoe compartment and space for everything.See it on Amazon →
Gym glovesBetter grip and fewer calluses.See it on Amazon →Stop if anything hurts (sharp pain is different from muscle burn). If you have an injury or health condition, check with your GP or a physio first.