Shoulders General Fitness Workout - 60min Advanced
This high-intensity session prioritizes shoulder boulders and sleeve-stretching triceps through a sophisticated progression of heavy barbell work and high-volume isolation. You will leverage Tonal's digital weight to master heavy overhead pressing before moving into targeted fatigue-based finishers. This workout is specifically designed for advanced trainees who want to improve both overhead power and upper body aesthetics.
Advanced trainees and overhead athletes looking to increase pressing strength while building significant muscle mass in the deltoids and triceps. It is ideal for those who have hit a plateau with traditional free weights and want to exploit Tonal's dynamic resistance modes.
Equipment
Workout Plan
Rest 120s for heavy barbell compounds, 60-90s for handle-based accessories, and 45s for high-rep rope finishers.
Close Grip Barbell Bench Press
Triceps, Chest
Keep your elbows tucked to your ribs to maximize triceps engagement against the digital resistance.
Standing Barbell Overhead Press
Shoulders, Triceps
Drive the bar straight up and use Tonal's Spotter mode to push through those final heavy reps.
Lateral Raise
Shoulders
Maintain a slight bend in your elbows and focus on pulling the handles out rather than up.
Front Raise
Shoulders, Abs
Control the weight on the way down to fight Tonal's constant tension on your front delts.
Seated Single Arm Overhead Press
Shoulders, Triceps
Engage your core to prevent leaning away from the active cable arm during the press.
Skull Crusher
Triceps
Lower the handles toward your temples, keeping your upper arms vertical and fixed in space.
Upright Row
Shoulders, Biceps
Pull the rope handles toward your chin while keeping your shoulders depressed and elbows high.
Standing Face Pull
Back, Shoulders
Pull the rope towards your forehead and imagine pulling the ends apart at the finish.
Overhead Triceps Extension
Triceps
Fully extend your arms at the top and keep your elbows pointing forward throughout the set.
Why this order
We begin with the most taxing barbell movements to capitalize on peak neurological energy while maximizing total load. The session then transitions to unilateral handle work to address side-to-side imbalances and concludes with rope-based isolation to maximize time under tension and drive metabolic stress into the target muscles.
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 weight should I start with if Tonal's suggestions feel too light for the barbell press?
For advanced overhead pressing, use the weight dial to increase the load by 5-10 percent but ensure Spotter Mode is active so the machine can automatically reduce weight if you reach technical failure.
Can I substitute the barbell exercises for handles if I prefer a different feel?
While handles offer more freedom of movement, the barbell is programmed here to allow for the highest possible total loading, which is critical for the strength-focused lead compound movements in this session.
How often should I perform this specific shoulder and triceps workout?
Given the high volume and advanced intensity, performing this session once or twice per week is ideal, ensuring at least 48 hours of recovery between upper body pushing days.