Carrying every grocery bag in one trip is basically an Olympic sport. But without strong shoulders, you’ll feel it halfway to the kitchen.
So let’s fix that with this shoulder workout for women, which packs 10 dumbbell exercises into 10 minutes. Plus, your biceps and triceps join in too.
And don’t stress about heavy weights, since slow reps and pulses make light ones feel HEAVY. Now grab a pair and try this shoulder workout routine!
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Bicep Curl and Rotate
Your biceps get the first turn, since this is really an arms and shoulders workout.
And that little wrist twist makes them work harder than a basic curl would.
So skip the swinging, and you’ll feel your forearms pitching in too.
How to perform:
- Stand with your feet about hip-width apart.
- Soften your knees slightly.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms down, palms facing forward.
- Keep your elbows tucked in by your sides.
- Curl both dumbbells about 3/4 of the way up.
- Rotate your wrists inward, then rotate them back out.
- Lower both dumbbells back down with control.
- Focus on squeezing your biceps through each rep.
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Tricep Extension + Fly
Next, your triceps take over, but this move doesn’t stop at the backs of your arms.
Since the fly works the backs of your shoulders, you’ll also feel it across your upper back.
Even better, it helps balance out the presses still to come.
How to perform:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and knees soft.
- Hinge forward from your hips with a flat back.
- Hold the dumbbells with your elbows drawn back by your ribs.
- Extend both arms straight back behind you.
- Bend your elbows to bring the weights back in.
- Lift your bent elbows out to the sides in a fly.
- Lower your elbows back in to start the next rep.
- Move with control and avoid swinging your arms.
Pulse Pulse Shoulder Press
No shoulder workout routine would be complete without an overhead press, so here’s your first one.
But the quick pulses keep your shoulders holding the weight longer, which makes it extra tough.
And if your arms start shaking near the end, that’s totally normal!
How to perform:
- Stand tall with your feet slightly wider than hip-width.
- Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height, elbows bent out wide.
- Point the weights up with palms facing forward.
- Press up a few inches and lower for 2 small pulses.
- Press both dumbbells fully overhead.
- Lower back down to shoulder height.
- Keep your shoulders down and your neck long and relaxed.
Slow Wide Bicep Curl
Round two for your biceps, and the wider grip works them from a slightly new angle.
The slow lowering is the hardest part, though, so that’s where you’ll feel it most.
If the weights drop too fast, just grab a lighter pair.
How to perform:
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width.
- Hold the dumbbells low, palms facing up.
- Set your hands wide, slightly outside your hips.
- Curl both dumbbells up in 1 quick count.
- Lower them back down slowly over 3 counts.
- Resist the weight the whole way down.
- Keep your elbows close to your sides throughout.
Half + Full Overhead Extension
This time, your triceps work overhead, so the backs of your arms get a nice deep stretch.
And mixing half and full reps keeps them busy the whole time.
Just keep it controlled, because the weights pass right behind your head.
How to perform:
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width.
- Press both dumbbells overhead, palms facing in.
- Keep your elbows about shoulder-width apart.
- Bend your elbows halfway, lowering the weights behind your head.
- Extend your arms straight up again.
- Bend your elbows fully, lowering the weights all the way down.
- Extend back up to complete one half and full rep.
- Draw your ribs in to keep your core engaged.
Slow Punch Cross
Who says a shoulder workout can’t borrow a few moves from boxing?
But going slow is way harder than it sounds, because your shoulders can’t lean on speed.
And since you twist with every punch, your core gets in on the action.
How to perform:
- Stand with your feet wider than hip-width, knees soft.
- Hold the dumbbells at your ribs with elbows drawn back.
- Pivot on your back foot and rotate your torso.
- Punch one dumbbell slowly across your body.
- Keep the other dumbbell tucked by your ribs.
- Pull the punching arm back to your ribs.
- Pivot and punch across with the other arm.
- Keep alternating sides and engage your core.
Half Curl and Rotate Out
This might look like an arm move, but it’s great for building strong shoulders.
That’s because rotating out works the small muscles around your shoulders that are easy to overlook.
Meanwhile, your biceps hold through every rotation, so you’ll feel them working too.
How to perform:
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width.
- Hold the dumbbells low, palms facing up.
- Curl both dumbbells halfway, elbows at 90 degrees.
- Keep your elbows pinned to your sides.
- Rotate your forearms out wide to the sides.
- Bring your forearms back in to the center.
- Lower the dumbbells back down to the start.
- Breathe steadily through each rep.
Tricep Kickback Pulses
Your triceps get one last move, and those little pulses at the top add up fast.
Want an extra challenge? Try option 2, since the leg taps also test your balance.
But if balance feels tricky, option 1 works your arms just as well.
How to perform:
- Hinge forward from your hips with a flat back.
- Hold the dumbbells with your elbows bent by your ribs.
- Extend both arms straight back behind you.
- Pulse the weights up at the top for 3 counts.
- Bend your elbows back to the start.
- For option 2, tap one leg straight back behind you.
- Switch legs each rep, alternating sides.
Alternating Wide Press
Pressing one arm at a time earns its spot in any toned shoulder workout, and here’s why.
For one, your other arm stays up, so neither shoulder really gets a break.
Plus, it’s easier to tell if one side is weaker than the other.
How to perform:
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width.
- Raise both dumbbells to shoulder height, elbows bent out wide.
- Point the weights up with palms facing forward.
- Exhale and press one dumbbell straight overhead.
- Keep the other arm still at shoulder height.
- Inhale and bend that arm back down to the start.
- Press with the other arm and keep alternating.
Front Raise to V Raise
Hang in there, since you’ve reached the final move of this shoulder workout for women!
And switching between front and V raises works the fronts and sides of your shoulders.
Just save some energy for that last hold, because it’s tougher than it looks.
How to perform:
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width.
- Hold the dumbbells at your sides, palms facing up.
- Keep a slight bend in your elbows throughout.
- Lift both arms forward and together to chest height for 2 counts.
- Lower them back down for 2 counts.
- Lift both arms out at an angle into a V.
- Lower them back down for 2 counts.
- Keep your shoulders down and your upper body long.
- For the last 10 seconds, hold your arms up and breathe.
Article Medically reviewed by
I’m fitness coach Ashley Castleberry, an NASM-certified personal trainer and nutritionist, as well as a coach on an established YouTube Channel with over 1 million followers. With certifications from major fitness brands, I specialize in athletic, HIIT, and strength training. Leveraging my experience coaching clients on lifestyle changes, I provide customized exercise and nutrition guidance to help people reach their fitness goals, whether that be weight loss, muscle gain or overall health improvement.
