Technique Library - Shoulder Exercises

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The shoulder muscles attach to the scapula, humerus, and clavicle. Your shoulder can move in many different ways that help us live and get work done. It is very important to properly train your shoulder structures so that they are healthy and so that you don’t create imbalances, which lead to injury or pain down the road.

Below are cues with short videos to help you with your form so you can reach your goals faster with less pain! 

 DB Alternating Shoulder Press Cues

1. Sit on a bench with it inclined straight up or slightly back
2. Keep your feet on the ground, and then keep your butt and back against the bench at all times
3. Raise the dumbbells up where they are both extended fully over your head
4. Slowly lower one dumbbell while you fight to keep your other arm straight in the start position
5. When the dumbbell gets to your shoulder then push it back up, restacking your wrist over your elbow over your shoulder.
6. Repeat other side

DB Arnold Shoulder Press Cues

1. Sit on a bench with it inclined straight up or slightly back
2. Keep your feet on the ground, and then keep your butt and back against the bench at all times
3. Raise the dumbbells up where they are both extended fully over your head
4. Slowly lower both dumbbells to your shoulders
5. Then bring them out in front of your face and touch the dumbbells keeping your elbows high
6. Bring them back to your shoulders and press them back up

DB Shoulder Press Cues

1. Sit on a bench with it inclined straight up or slightly back
2. Keep your feet on the ground, and then keep your butt and back against the bench at all times
3. Raise the dumbbells up where they are both extended fully over your head
4. Slowly lower the dumbbells straight down
5. Press them straight back up, restacking your wrist over your elbow over your shoulder.

Front Raises Cues

1. Stand tall with your feet at hip-width apart
2. Hold the dumbbells with your palms resting on the fronts of your hips/quads
3. Raise the dumbbells up to shoulder height (your palms should always face down)
4. Slowly lower back to the start position

Half-Kneeling landmine Press Cues

1. Attach the landmine and put your barbell into the landmine attachment
2. Get down on one knee with the other leg out front
3. The knee that is down is the arm you will press with
4. Have the end of the barbell in your hand
5. Press the barbell away until your arm is fully extended
6. Slowly lower back down

*Make sure your wrist, elbow, and shoulder are aligned. I should be able to draw a straight line down them at all times!

KB Half Kneeling Press Cues

1. Get down on one knee with the other leg out front
2. The knee that is down is the arm you will press with
3. Have kettlebell in your hand
4. Core tight
5. Press the kettlebell straight up fully extending your arm
6. Slowly lower back down

KB Split Stance Press Cues

1. Get into a split position. Sink down into a stable position
2. The leg that is back is the same side you will press with
3. Press the kettlebell straight up fully extending your arm
4. Slowly lower back down

KB Standing Press Cues

1. Stand tall with a kettlebell in your hand
2. Bottoms up (like in my videos) are more challenging. If this is to difficult you can also use a dumbbell)
3. Core tight and glutes engaged
4. Press the kettlebell straight up fully extending your arm
5. Slowly lower back down

KB Tall Kneeling Press Cues

1. Get down on both knees, get tall, and squeeze your core and glutes
2. Have kettlebell in your hand
3. Press the kettlebell straight up fully extending your arm
4. Slowly lower back down

Push Press Cues

1. Set the height of your barbell to a height where you don’t need to raise up onto your toes to get the barbell off the rack
2. Hands even on the bar
3. Stand tall with the bar on your upper chest
4. Press the bar up over your head (don’t hit your chin)
5. As you push up try not to use your legs as much
6. Extend your arms fully and punch your head through the window
7. Slowly lower back down

Rear Delt Flies Cues

1. Soft knees and push your butt back (like and RDL)
2. When your chest is parallel with the ground
3. Keep your palms facing your pockets
4. Raise your elbows back and up to the ceiling
5. Squeeze your rear delts and back
6. Slowly lower

Saber Pulls Cues

1. Attach a band or resistance band with a handle to your rack
2. Stand tall and reach across your body to grab the handle
3. Like a lightsaber, pull the band across your body
4. Show your watch at all times and keep your arm straight
5. Squeeze your back and shoulder at the top
6. Slowly lower

Side Raises Cues

1. Stand tall with your feet at hip-width apart
2. Hold the dumbbells at your sides with your palms in your pockets
3. Raise the dumbbells up to shoulder height (your palms should always face down)
4. Elbows high and tilt the dumbbell slightly forward at the top (pour your tea at the top)
5. Slowly lower back to the start position

 Side to Front Raises Cues

1. Stand tall with your feet at hip-width apart
2. Hold the dumbbells at your sides with your palms in your pockets
3. Raise the dumbbells up to shoulder height (your palms should always face down)
4. Elbows high and tilt the dumbbell slightly forward at the top (pour your tea at the top)
5. Slowly lower back to the start position
6. Then Raise the dumbbells up to shoulder height (your palms should always face down)
7. Slowly lower back to the start position

Side to Front Sweeps Cues

1. Stand tall with your feet at hip-width apart
2. Hold the dumbbells at your sides with your palms in your pockets
3. Raise the dumbbells up to shoulder height (your palms should always face down)
4. When you get to the top of your side raise sweep to the top of your front raise
5. Slowly lower back down to the front of your hips
6. Front raise up then sweep back to the top of the side raise
7. Slowly lower back down

Snatch Press Cues

1. Get your grip width correct
2. The rule for snatch is that you should hold the barbell in your hands and the bar should rest around your pubic bone below your belly button. (The closer I bring my hands together on the barbell, the further it will sit down my legs when I am holding it)
3. Hands even with a snatch grip
4. The bar will rest on your traps similar to a back squat
5. Stand tall
6. Press the bar away, squeeze your traps and try to break the bar at the top
7. Slowly lower, keep it controlled and help absorb the force with your legs 

Split Stance Landmine Press Cues

1. Attach the landmine and put your barbell into the landmine attachment
2. Get into a split position. Sink down into a stable position
3. Have the end of the barbell in your hand
4. Press the barbell away until your arm is fully extended
5. Slowly lower back down

 *Make sure your wrist, elbow, and shoulder are aligned. I should be able to draw a straight line down them at all times!

Standing Landmine Press Cues

1. Attach the landmine and put your barbell into the landmine attachment
2. Stand tall with your core and glutes tight
3. Have the end of the barbell in your hand
4. Press the barbell away until your arm is fully extended
5. Slowly lower back down

*Make sure your wrist, elbow, and shoulder are aligned. I should be able to draw a straight line down them at all times!

Tall Kneeling Landmine Press Cues

1. Attach the landmine and put your barbell into the landmine attachment
2. Get down on both knees, get tall, and squeeze your core and glutes
3. Have the end of the barbell in your hand
4. Press the barbell away until your arm is fully extended
5. Slowly lower back down

 *Make sure your wrist, elbow, and shoulder are aligned. I should be able to draw a straight line down them at all times!