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Exercises

Compound shoulder exercises: presses and rows for all three delts

Published October 29, 2026

The best compound shoulder exercises are the standing barbell overhead press, seated dumbbell press, Arnold press and dumbbell push press for the front delts and triceps; the upright row for the side delts and traps; and the rear-delt row and face pull for the back of the shoulder. At home, the pike push-up covers the press. Do one heavy press first for 5 to 8 reps, a second press for 8 to 12, then an upright row and a rear-delt row for 10 to 15. That is 10 to 14 hard sets a week, stopping 1 to 2 reps short of failure.

  1. Barbell Overhead Press Shoulders
  2. Dumbbell Shoulder Press Shoulders
  3. Arnold Press Shoulders
  4. Dumbbell Push Press Shoulders
  5. Landmine Press Shoulders
  6. Cable Upright Row Shoulders, Traps
  7. Dumbbell Rear Delt Row Shoulders
  8. Pike Push-Up Shoulders

Barbell overhead presses

Pressing a bar overhead loads the front delts and triceps the heaviest. Standing makes the trunk and legs hold you steady; seated takes them out so the shoulders do more of the work.

Front delts and triceps, standing press

Barbell Overhead Press

Shoulders

The standing press is the heaviest way to train the shoulders overhead and makes the trunk and glutes brace the whole time. Use it as the first lift on shoulder or upper-body days.

How to do it

  1. Set the bar in a rack at collarbone height and grip it just outside your shoulders, wrists stacked over your elbows.
  2. Unrack it onto your upper chest, take one step back and set your feet about hip width apart.
  3. Squeeze your glutes, brace your abs so your ribs stay down, and take a big breath.
  4. Press straight up, pulling your chin back so the bar clears your face.
  5. Once the bar passes your forehead, push your head through until the bar sits over the middle of your foot with your arms locked.
  6. Lower it along the same line to your upper chest and re-brace before the next rep.

Cues

  • Glutes tight, ribs down
  • Chin back, bar straight up
  • Head through at the top

Common mistakes

  • Leaning back to finish reps, which turns the lift into an incline press: lower the weight until your torso stays vertical for the whole set.
  • Pressing the bar forward around your face: pull your chin back and keep the bar close enough to brush your nose.
  • Stopping short of lockout: finish every rep with the bar over your mid-foot and your arms straight, or the rep doesn't count in your log.

Swap for: Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Landmine Press, Machine Shoulder Press

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Front delts, seated barbell press

Seated Barbell Overhead Press

Shoulders

Sitting against a pad removes leg drive and lower-back arching, so every rep is shoulders and triceps. A good main press if standing presses bother your back.

How to do it

  1. Set a bench upright inside a rack with the bar at about head height when seated.
  2. Sit with your back against the pad, feet planted, and take the bar from the hooks.
  3. Lower it to your upper chest.
  4. Press it straight overhead to lockout.

Cues

  • Back on the pad
  • Elbows under the bar
  • Full lockout

Common mistakes

  • Arching hard off the pad, which turns it into an incline press.
  • Stopping the bar at chin height.

Swap for: Machine Shoulder Press, Dumbbell Shoulder Press

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Shoulders and legs, explosive dumbbell press

Dumbbell Push Press

Shoulders

A short dip and drive from the legs lets you press heavier dumbbells than you can strictly, and you control the lowering. It builds power and overloads the top of the press.

How to do it

  1. Stand with the dumbbells resting at your shoulders and feet about hip-width apart.
  2. Dip by bending your knees a few inches, keeping your torso upright.
  3. Straighten your legs explosively and use that drive to push the dumbbells overhead.
  4. Lower them under control back to your shoulders.

Cues

  • Short dip, straight down
  • Legs start it, arms finish it
  • Biceps by the ears at the top

Common mistakes

  • Dipping so deep it turns into a squat, which wastes the drive.
  • Leaning back to finish the press instead of pushing your head through.

Swap for: Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Alternating Dumbbell Shoulder Press, One-Arm Dumbbell Snatch

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Dumbbell, machine and landmine presses

These are easier on the shoulder joint than a straight bar and let you push sets harder. The Arnold press turns the palms through the rep, and the landmine press moves up and forward at an angle rather than straight overhead.

Front and side delts, seated dumbbell press

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Shoulders

Dumbbells let each arm find its own path and lower a little deeper than a bar. Use it as the main press for size or the second press after a barbell.

How to do it

  1. Set a bench upright or one notch back from vertical, sit with your feet flat, and rest a dumbbell on each thigh.
  2. Kick one knee up at a time to bring the dumbbells to shoulder height, then set your back against the pad.
  3. Turn your elbows slightly forward so they sit a little in front of your torso, palms facing forward or angled in.
  4. Drive both weights overhead on a slight inward arc until your elbows are straight, keeping your ribs down and your back on the pad.
  5. Lower slowly until the dumbbells are around ear height or a bit below, then press again.

Cues

  • Ribs down, back on the pad
  • Elbows a little forward
  • Press up and slightly in

Common mistakes

  • Arching your lower back off the pad to finish reps: that turns it into an incline press, so lighten the weight and keep your ribs stacked over your hips.
  • Flaring the elbows straight out at shoulder height: bring them a little forward so the shoulder joint stays comfortable at the bottom.
  • Stopping each rep well above your ears: lower to around ear height so the delts work through a full range.

Swap for: Machine Shoulder Press, Arnold Press, Landmine Press

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Front and side delts, rotating dumbbell press

Arnold Press

Shoulders

Turning the palms from facing you to facing forward takes the shoulder through more range than a normal press. Use lighter dumbbells for 8 to 12 reps.

How to do it

  1. Sit on a bench or chair with your back supported, two dumbbells held at chin height, palms facing you and elbows in front.
  2. Press the dumbbells up while turning your palms to face forward, so they finish forward at the top.
  3. Straighten your arms overhead without letting the dumbbells clang together.
  4. Lower slowly, turning your palms back toward you as the dumbbells return to chin height.

Cues

  • Turn and press in one motion
  • Ribs down, back against the pad
  • Slow on the way down

Common mistakes

  • Arching your lower back to get the weights up: brace your stomach and pick lighter dumbbells.
  • Turning the palms only at the very top: start rotating as soon as the press begins.

Swap for: Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Band Overhead Press

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Shoulders, machine press

Machine Shoulder Press

Shoulders

A fixed path means you can take sets close to failure with no spotter. It is a strong second press or the main one for beginners.

How to do it

  1. Set the seat so the handles start at about shoulder height.
  2. Sit with your back flat against the pad, feet planted, and grip the handles.
  3. Press up until your arms are nearly straight overhead.
  4. Lower the handles back to shoulder height under control and press again.

Cues

  • Back stays on the pad
  • Press up, not forward
  • Control the way down

Common mistakes

  • Arching hard off the backrest to finish a rep: lighten the stack and keep your ribs down.
  • Cutting the rep short at the top: finish each press with your arms almost fully straight.
  • Letting the stack rest between reps: stop the handles just above it so your shoulders stay loaded.

Swap for: Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Smith Machine Shoulder Press, Landmine Press

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Shoulders and upper chest, angled press

Landmine Press

Shoulders

With both hands on the end of the bar, you press up and forward along its arc instead of straight overhead, which suits shoulders that dislike a vertical press. Standing, your glutes and abs hold your ribs down the whole set.

How to do it

  1. Wedge one end of an empty barbell into a landmine or a corner, and load the free end with plates.
  2. Stand facing the loaded end, feet about shoulder width, and lift the end of the bar to your upper chest.
  3. Wrap both hands around the sleeve end, elbows under the bar and close to your ribs.
  4. Squeeze your glutes and keep your ribs down, then press the bar up and forward along its arc until your arms are straight.
  5. Let your shoulder blades reach forward at the top, then lower under control until the bar is back at your chest.

Cues

  • Both hands on the sleeve
  • Press where the bar wants to go
  • Ribs down, glutes tight

Common mistakes

  • Leaning back to finish the rep: if your chest tips back as the set goes on, take a plate off and keep your ribs stacked over your hips.
  • Pushing straight up against the arc: the bar is fixed at the floor, so aim up and forward and let it travel its own path.
  • Elbows flaring out wide: keep them under the bar so the press stays in line with your shoulders.

Swap for: Single-Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Machine Shoulder Press

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Bodyweight overhead press

With your hips piked high, a push-up turns into an overhead press with your own bodyweight. It is the compound shoulder exercise when there is no equipment.

Shoulders and triceps, bodyweight press

Pike Push-Up

Shoulders

Hips high and head toward the floor turns the push-up into an overhead press. Raise your feet on a box to make it harder as you get stronger.

How to do it

  1. Start in a push-up position with your hands a bit wider than your shoulders and fingers spread.
  2. Walk your feet toward your hands and raise your hips until your body forms an upside-down V, with your weight leaning over your hands.
  3. Bend your elbows and lower the top of your head toward a point a few inches in front of your hands, so your head and hands form a triangle.
  4. Bend your elbows out to the sides and stop when your head lightly touches the floor or just above it.
  5. Press the floor away and straighten your arms, pushing your hips back up to the V.

Cues

  • Hips stay high
  • Head forward of hands
  • Push the floor away

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hips drop as you lower: that turns it back into a regular push-up; keep the hips stacked over your shoulders as much as you can.
  • Lowering your head straight between your hands: aim slightly forward so your forearms stay close to vertical.
  • Cutting the range short: lower until your head is near the floor, using a yoga block or book as a target if you need one.

Swap for: Handstand Hold, Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Push-Up

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Compound pulls for the side and rear delts

Presses train the front delts most. Upright rows bring in the side delts and traps, and rear-delt rows and face pulls train the back of the shoulder, so the whole delt grows evenly.

Side delts and traps, barbell upright row

Upright Row

Shoulders, Traps

Pulling the bar up with the elbows leading trains the side delts and traps together, and it is the compound answer for wider shoulders. Stop when the elbows reach shoulder height.

How to do it

  1. Let the bar hang at arm's length, hands about shoulder width apart.
  2. Pull your elbows up and out, keeping the bar close to your body.
  3. Stop when your elbows reach shoulder height.
  4. Lower the bar to straight arms.

Cues

  • Elbows lead
  • Bar close
  • Stop at shoulder height

Common mistakes

  • Pulling the bar up to your chin with a narrow grip, which crowds the front of the shoulder.
  • Bouncing it up with the hips.

Swap for: Cable Upright Row, Dumbbell Upright Row

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Side delts and traps, cable upright row

Cable Upright Row

Shoulders, Traps

The cable keeps tension on the side delts all the way down, so it works well for 10 to 15 reps after the presses.

How to do it

  1. Attach a straight bar to the low pulley and hold it with an overhand grip about shoulder width.
  2. Stand close to the machine with the bar against your thighs.
  3. Pull it up along your body, elbows leading, until your elbows reach shoulder height and the bar is near your upper chest.
  4. Lower it back to your thighs.

Cues

  • Elbows lead
  • Elbows to shoulder height
  • Wide enough grip

Common mistakes

  • Hands rising higher than your elbows: lead with the elbows the whole way and stop when they reach shoulder height.
  • Gripping close together: a shoulder-width grip lets the elbows rise out to the side.

Swap for: Upright Row, Dumbbell Upright Row, Cable Lateral Raise

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Rear delts, one-arm row with the elbow out

Dumbbell Rear Delt Row

Shoulders

Flaring the elbow out turns a row into a rear-delt exercise, so the back of the shoulder gets heavy work that presses never give it.

How to do it

  1. Put one knee and one hand on a flat bench with your back flat.
  2. Let the dumbbell hang under your shoulder, palm facing your feet.
  3. Pull it toward your upper chest with your elbow pointing out to the side.
  4. Lower it to a long arm, finish the set, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Elbow out wide
  • Pull to the chest line
  • Flat back

Common mistakes

  • Tucking the elbow to your side: that makes it a lat row instead of a rear delt row.
  • Twisting the torso open at the top: keep the shoulders square to the floor.

Swap for: Face Pull, Kettlebell Rear Delt Row

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Rear delts and rotator cuff, rope pull

Face Pull

Shoulders, Upper Back

Pulling a rope to your face trains the rear delts and the muscles that rotate the shoulder out, balancing all the pressing.

How to do it

  1. Set the pulley at or just above head height and attach a rope. Grab it with your thumbs pointing back toward you.
  2. Step back until your arms are straight and the stack lifts, then stagger your feet or sit on a bench so you can lean back slightly without swaying.
  3. Pull the middle of the rope toward your forehead by driving your elbows out and back, keeping them at shoulder height or higher.
  4. As the rope reaches your face, pull the ends apart and rotate your hands back until your fists sit beside your ears, like a double-biceps pose.
  5. Hold that position for a beat, then let your arms straighten under control until your shoulder blades slide forward again.

Cues

  • Elbows high, hands finish behind them
  • Pull the rope apart, not just back
  • Reach forward at the start of every rep

Common mistakes

  • Loading it like a row and leaning back to move the stack: drop the weight until you can hold the end position for a second without your torso rocking.
  • Letting the elbows drop below your shoulders: the pull turns into a row and your lats and biceps take the work. Raise the pulley or lighten the load.
  • Stopping when the rope touches your face: the outward rotation at the end is what the face pull adds, so finish with your fists beside your ears.

Swap for: Band Face Pull, Reverse Pec Deck, Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly

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Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in.

Session 1

Shoulder day at the gym, once a week

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts1× a week
  • Working sets15 a week
  • Per workout~45 min
  • EquipmentBarbells, Dumbbells, Adjustable Cable

You train on a body-part or push-pull-legs split and have one session where the shoulders get most of the work.

About 15 sets: 7 for pressing, 3 for the side delts and 5 for the rear delts. All three heads get a full week of compound work in one session.

Shoulder day
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Barbell Overhead Press2 warm-up sets first 4 × 5–8 2 3 min
Arnold Press 3 × 8–12 1 2 min
Cable Upright Row 3 × 10–15 1 90 s
Dumbbell Rear Delt RowPer arm. 3 × 10–15 1 75 s
Face Pull 2 × 15–20 1 1 min
How to run it
Keep it at least two days from chest day so the front delts are fresh for the overhead press. About 60 minutes.
How to progress
Double progression: add weight when every set reaches the top of its rep range at the target reps in reserve. Overhead presses move slowly, so use 2.5 lb plates or the next dumbbell up.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Pressing twice a week on an upper-lower split

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets18 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Landmine, Barbells, Shoulder Press +1

You train four days on an upper-lower split and want a stronger overhead press as well as bigger shoulders.

Each upper day starts with a different press: a heavy push press on one day, a seated barbell press on the other. About 9 shoulder sets per day, 18 a week, with upright rows and rear-delt work alternating.

Upper A: Push press
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Dumbbell Push Press2 warm-up sets first 4 × 4–6 2 2:30 min
Landmine Press 3 × 8–10 2 90 s
Upright Row 2 × 8–12 1 90 s

Open Upper A: Push press in the session builder

Upper B: Seated press
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Seated Barbell Overhead Press2 warm-up sets first 3 × 6–8 2 2:30 min
Machine Shoulder Press 3 × 10–12 1 90 s
Face Pull 3 × 15–20 1 1 min

Open Upper B: Seated press in the session builder

How to run it
Run Upper A at the start of the week and Upper B three or four days after it. Put the shoulder press first or right after your bench.
How to progress
Add weight to the push press when all sets reach 6 reps at 2 reps in reserve. On the seated press and the rows, fill the rep range first. RIRLift picks the next weight from the reps in reserve you log.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

At home with dumbbells, no barbell

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets20 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells

You train at home with a pair of adjustable dumbbells and a bench, and want rounded shoulders without a rack.

Pike push-ups and dumbbell presses cover pressing, and the rear-delt row covers the back. Ten sets, twice a week, gives about 20 weekly shoulder sets.

Home shoulders
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Pike Push-Up 3 × 5–12 2 90 s
Dumbbell Shoulder Press1 warm-up set first 4 × 8–12 1 2 min
Dumbbell Rear Delt RowPer arm. 3 × 12–15 1 75 s
How to run it
Two days a week with a day or more between them, before any chest or arm work.
How to progress
Add reps until every set reaches the top of the range, then add weight. For pike push-ups, raise your feet higher once you reach 12 reps.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What are compound shoulder exercises?

Exercises that move the shoulder and at least one other joint, usually the elbow: overhead presses, push presses, upright rows and rear-delt rows.

What compound exercises work the side delts?

The upright row hits the side delts and traps most. Wide-grip and dumbbell overhead presses use them too. Lateral raises, an isolation lift, still add the most side delt work per set.

How often should I do shoulder workouts?

Two times a week suits most people: one heavy press day and one lighter session, or shoulder work on each of two upper-body days.

What is a good workout to combine with shoulders?

Chest and triceps on a push day, or the whole upper body on an upper-lower split. Legs also pair well because they share no muscles with the shoulders.

Is the overhead press the best shoulder exercise?

For overall shoulder strength, yes. For complete delts, combine it with an upright row and a rear-delt exercise.

Can I build shoulders at home?

Yes. Pike push-ups, dumbbell presses and rear-delt rows cover all three heads. Raise your feet on pike push-ups and use heavier dumbbells as you progress.