Shoulders General Fitness Workout - 45min Intermediate
You will build powerful shoulders and defined triceps using this strategically layered upper body session. By starting with heavy overhead movements and transitioning into high-volume isolation work, you maximize muscle fiber recruitment and metabolic stress. This handle-only routine is designed for intermediate lifters who want an efficient but high-intensity workout.
This workout is designed for intermediate trainees or recreational athletes looking to improve overhead pressing strength and arm aesthetics. It is particularly beneficial for swimmers or climbers needing better shoulder stability.
Equipment
Workout Plan
Rest 90s between your heavy overhead presses, 60s for accessory movements, and 30s before the finisher.
Waiter March
Obliques, Shoulders, Glutes
Keep your elbow locked at 90 degrees and walk with a tall spine to challenge shoulder stability.
Standing Incline Press
Shoulders, Chest, Triceps
Press at a 45-degree angle to target the upper chest and front deltoids simultaneously.
Lateral Raise
Shoulders
Keep a slight bend in your elbows and imagine reaching for the side walls to maximize lateral delt tension.
Reverse Fly
Back, Shoulders
Pull the handles apart and squeeze your shoulder blades together to hit the posterior deltoids.
Triceps Kickback
Triceps
Lock your elbow against your ribs and fully extend the arm to achieve a peak tricep contraction.
Standing Overhead Press
Shoulders, Triceps
Drive the handles straight up and use Tonal's Spotter Mode to safely push your final two reps.
Half Kneeling Single Arm Overhead Press
Shoulders, Obliques
Engage your core to resist the offset pull of the cable as you press one handle overhead.
Skull Crusher
Triceps
Lower the handles toward your forehead slowly to utilize Tonal's constant digital tension on the eccentric.
Why this order
The workout begins with heavy bilateral pressing to move the most digital weight while fresh. It then transitions into unilateral work to correct imbalances and finishes with high-rep isolation and a stability-focused carry to fully exhaust the triceps and deltoids.
Want this personalized for you?
This is a template workout. Connect your Tonal and the AI coach adjusts weights to your strength scores, swaps exercises around injuries, and progresses you week over week.
Start Free with AI CoachFrequently Asked Questions
What should I do if the digital weight feels too heavy during lateral raises?
Since lateral raises involve a long lever arm, even a small increase in weight is significant. Use the Weight Dial to drop the resistance by 1-2 pounds if you feel your traps taking over the movement.
Can I use Spotter Mode on all of these exercises?
Spotter Mode is most effective on the Standing Overhead Press and Bench Press. For isolation moves like Skull Crushers, Tonal's Burnout Mode is a better choice to help you finish the set.
How often should I perform this shoulder and tricep session?
For best results in general fitness and hypertrophy, aim to run this workout once or twice per week, ensuring at least 48 hours of rest between sessions targeting the same muscle groups.