7 exercises22 setsabout 50 mina full gym: barbells, dumbbells, cables and machines
A session for the muscles that get the leftovers in most programs. An overhead press comes first, then the side and rear of the shoulder, then biceps and triceps in alternation so each rests while the other works.
With a full gym you can open with a heavy barbell lift and finish on cables and machines, which let you push close to failure without technique being the thing that gives out.
Start this workout free
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The workout
Overhead Press4 × 8Squeeze your glutes and brace. Press the bar straight up, moving your head through once it clears your forehead.2 min rest
Lateral Raise3 × 15Lead with the elbows and raise to shoulder height. Go lighter than you think and lower under control.60 s rest
Face Pull3 × 15Rope at face height. Pull towards your eyes and finish with your hands apart and elbows high.60 s rest
Barbell Curl3 × 10Elbows stay by your sides. Curl without leaning back and lower for a full two seconds.90 s rest
Triceps Pushdown3 × 10Elbows pinned to your sides. Push down to full lockout and let the weight back up slowly.90 s rest
Hammer Curl3 × 12Palms face each other the whole way. Curl to shoulder height without swinging.60 s rest
Overhead Triceps Extension3 × 12One dumbbell held in both hands behind your head. Keep the elbows pointing forward and extend fully.60 s rest
Muscles worked
FrontBack
Shoulders10
Triceps8
Biceps6
Traps5
Forearms4.5
Upper back3
Abs2
Sets per muscle. A muscle that only assists in an exercise counts half.
How to run it
Before the first exercise, do two lighter sets of it: one at about half your working weight and one at three quarters. Rest for the time shown next to each exercise; the heavy lifts at the top need more than the smaller ones at the end.
Aim to finish each set with one or two reps left in you. If every set reaches its target easily, the session is too light. Add the smallest plate you can to the barbell lifts, and move up one pin on machines and cables once every set reaches the target.
Once a week, as a fourth day next to chest, back and leg sessions, or as the arm-focused day of an upper and lower split.
If something is taken
Overhead Press→Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Face Pull→Dumbbell Reverse Fly
Barbell Curl→Dumbbell Curl
Triceps Pushdown→Skull Crusher
Overhead Triceps Extension→Close-Grip Bench Press
Keep the same number of sets. In the app you can swap an exercise for one session without changing the program.
In myreplog
It is already set up. These 7 exercises arrive in your account as a program, with the sets and reps above.
Tap, do not type. Set your weights the first time, then mark each set done as you finish it.
Records count themselves. From your second session, a lift that beats your best is marked as a personal record on the spot.
See what you trained. The session ends with this muscle map, drawn from the sets you actually did.
Logging is free for good. The first 14 days also include Pro, where a coach reviews each session and suggests the weights for the next one. No card needed.
Questions
How long does this shoulders and arms workout take?
About 50 minutes. That is 22 working sets with the rests listed next to each exercise, plus five minutes to warm up.
What muscles does it work?
Mostly the shoulders, triceps and biceps. The traps, forearms, upper back and abs assist. The map on this page shades each muscle by the number of sets that reach it.
What equipment do I need?
A full gym: barbells, dumbbells, cables and machines.
Can I train shoulders and arms on the same day?
Yes. Neither is a large muscle group, so the session is not exhausting, and alternating a biceps exercise with a triceps exercise keeps the rests short.
How many sets do arms need per week?
Counting the work they get from presses and rows, most people grow well on 10 to 14 direct sets a week for biceps and the same for triceps.