Shoulders Athletic Workout - 60min Intermediate
You will develop explosive shoulder power and refined triceps definition through a blend of heavy barbell lifts and functional handle movements. This session prioritizes overhead stability and pushing strength to improve your performance in overhead sports and daily athletic movements. You will finish with rotational work to ensure your strength translates into real world power.
Ideal for intermediate lifters or overhead athletes like volleyball and tennis players who need both raw strength and joint stability. It is also perfect for anyone looking to build a powerful, athletic upper body frame.
Equipment
Workout Plan
Rest 90-120s between heavy barbell sets, 60s for handle accessories, and 30s for the final athletic finishers.
Close Grip Barbell Bench Press
Triceps, Chest
Keep your elbows tucked near your ribs to maximize triceps recruitment on the barbell press.
Standing Barbell Overhead Press
Shoulders, Triceps
Engage your glutes and core to create a stable base for the digital weight while pressing.
Standing Incline Press
Shoulders, Chest, Triceps
Press the handles upward and slightly forward, resisting the cable's pull on the way down.
Lateral Raise
Shoulders
Lead with the elbows and pause at the top to feel the digital tension in your lateral deltoids.
Tall Kneeling Pallof Press
Obliques, Abs, Shoulders
Fight the lateral pull of the cable by keeping the handle centered in front of your chest.
Reverse Grip Triceps Extension
Triceps, Forearms
Keep your palms up and fully extend your arms to lock out the triceps with a focused squeeze.
Single Arm Rotational Punch
Abs, Shoulders, Obliques, Triceps, Chest
Drive from your hips and core to snap the handle forward with explosive intent on every rep.
Half Kneeling Single Arm Overhead Press
Shoulders, Obliques
Keep your torso upright and avoid leaning away from the active handle during the single arm press.
Why this order
This workout follows a top down approach, starting with high output barbell compounds to maximize motor unit recruitment while you are fresh. We then transition to handle based isolation and unilateral work to address asymmetries and finish with rotational stability to translate strength into athletic power. This equipment grouping minimizes transition time between the bar and handles.
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
How heavy should I go on the initial barbell press?
Tonal will suggest a weight based on your profile, but for an athletic goal, choose a resistance that allows you to complete 6 reps with 1 to 2 reps left in the tank.
Can I do this workout if I have shoulder sensitivity?
Use Tonal's Weight Dial to lower the resistance on overhead movements or engage Spotter Mode for extra safety during the heavy presses.
Why are there rotational punches in a shoulder workout?
To translate your shoulder and triceps strength into functional, athletic power that mimics real world movements like throwing or punching.