Shoulders Strength Workout - 60min Intermediate
You will build massive pressing power and shoulder stability with this comprehensive strength session. This workout prioritizes heavy barbell compounds before transitioning into targeted isolation movements to ensure complete hypertrophy for the deltoids and triceps. By leveraging Tonal's digital resistance, you can safely push to your limits on every heavy set.
Ideal for intermediate lifters looking to improve their overhead pressing strength or athletes who need stable, powerful shoulders for overhead sports. It is perfect for those who want a structured, high-volume upper body day.
Equipment
Workout Plan
Rest 120-180s between heavy barbell compounds to allow for full recovery. Rest 60-90s between accessory movements and isolation exercises.
Barbell Bench Press
Chest, Triceps, Abs
Lower the barbell slowly to your mid-chest, feeling the digital weight resist you on the negative phase.
Close Grip Barbell Bench Press
Triceps, Chest
Keep your elbows tucked close to your ribs to shift the load from your chest onto your triceps.
Standing Barbell Overhead Press
Shoulders, Triceps
Engage your glutes and core to provide a stable base for the barbell as you press toward the ceiling.
Front Raise
Shoulders, Abs
Control the handles on the way down to maximize Tonal's constant cable tension on your front delts.
Standing Pallof Press
Obliques
Fight the lateral pull of the cable to keep the handles centered as you press straight out.
Single Arm Triceps Extension
Triceps
Focus on the mind-muscle connection as you lock out the elbow at the bottom of the movement.
Standing Face Pull
Back, Shoulders
Pull the rope toward your forehead, separating the ends to engage your rear delts and upper back.
Overhead Triceps Extension
Triceps
Keep your upper arms stationary next to your ears and extend the rope fully at the top.
Why this order
The session begins with the most taxing barbell compound movements to maximize absolute strength gains while the central nervous system is fresh. We then move into higher-rep accessory work grouped by equipment, using the handles and rope to fully fatigue the triceps and target all three heads of the deltoid.
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
Which Tonal weight modes should I use for the barbell press?
For the heavy compounds like the Overhead Press and Bench Press, use Eccentric or Chains mode. These modes capitalize on Tonal's ability to vary resistance throughout the range of motion.
What if my ceiling height prevents a standing overhead press?
If you are restricted by ceiling height, you can easily substitute the Standing Barbell Overhead Press for the Barbell Seated Overhead Press using the Tonal bench.
How do I know if I should increase the weight on isolation moves?
If you can complete the final rep of a 12-rep set with perfect form and a full range of motion, use the Tonal display to increase the digital weight by 1-2 pounds for the next set.