Building a strong and well-defined upper body is a common goal for many fitness enthusiasts. The chest and shoulders are cornerstone muscle groups that contribute significantly to upper-body strength, aesthetics, and overall functional fitness. However, training them effectively and safely requires a solid understanding of anatomy, biomechanics, and smart programming.
This guide will provide a detailed, science-backed approach to structuring your chest and shoulder workout. We’ll explore how these muscle groups function, how to pair them for optimal results, and how to design a balanced routine that minimizes injury risk while maximizing gains. Let’s dive into the specifics of creating a powerful and sustainable training plan.
What Is the Chest Best Paired With?
The chest muscles, primarily the pectoralis major and minor, are responsible for many different arm movements, including pushing movements, horizontal adduction (bringing your arms across your body), flexion (lifting your arm overhead), and internal rotation (moving your arm inward toward your body) (1). Due to their function, they’re often trained alongside other “pushing” muscles.
The most common and effective pairings for chest day are:
- Triceps: The triceps brachii are the primary muscles on the back of your upper arm. They are heavily involved in extending the elbow (2), which is a key action in nearly all chest-pressing exercises such as the bench press and push-ups. As they are already activated during your chest workout, training them on the same day is an efficient way to target them directly while they’re already warm and engaged. This is a classic “push day” split.
- Shoulders: The anterior (front) deltoids of the shoulder are also prime movers in most chest-pressing exercises (3). Training chest and shoulders together makes biomechanical sense, as they work synergistically. We’ll explore this combination in much more detail throughout this article.
- Back: Pairing chest with back creates a “push-pull” workout. This involves alternating between exercises for antagonist muscle groups. For example, you might perform a set of bench presses (a push) followed by a set of rows (a pull). This approach ensures that you’re not fatiguing synergistic muscles and can help maintain muscular balance around the shoulder joint (4).
Ultimately, the best pairing depends on your training split, recovery capacity, and personal goals. For many, a dedicated chest and shoulder day is a highly effective way to structure their training week.
For more ideas on how to organize your training, you might find our guide to creating an upper-body workout schedule useful.
Can I Train Shoulders and Chest Together?
Yes, you can and absolutely should train your chest and shoulders together. From an anatomical and biomechanical perspective, it’s one of the most logical pairings.
The shoulder is a complex ball-and-socket joint, involving the humerus (upper arm bone), scapula (shoulder blade), and clavicle (collarbone). A group of muscles known as the rotator cuff – comprising the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis – is crucial for stabilizing and moving this highly mobile joint. The larger deltoid muscle, which gives the shoulder its rounded shape, has three heads (5):
- Anterior Deltoid (Front): Involved in shoulder flexion (raising your arm forward).
- Lateral Deltoid (Side): Responsible for shoulder abduction (raising your arm out to the side).
- Posterior Deltoid (Rear): Helps with shoulder extension and horizontal abduction (pulling your arm back).
Reasons why BetterMe is a safe bet: a wide range of calorie-blasting workouts, finger-licking recipes, 24/7 support, challenges that’ll keep you on your best game, and that just scratches the surface! Start using our app and watch the magic happen.
During most chest exercises, particularly pressing movements, the anterior deltoids are heavily engaged to assist the pectoralis major. For example, a 2022 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research analyzed the biomechanics of various chest exercises. It confirmed that exercises such as the bench press place a significant load not just on the chest, but also on the shoulder and elbow joints (6).
By training chest and shoulders in the same session, you can take advantage of this synergy. You can start with compound movements that hit both muscle groups, such as the incline bench press, and then move to isolation exercises to target specific heads of the deltoid.
This approach is efficient and can lead to significant gains in both strength and size, which makes it a great strategy for a chest and shoulder workout for mass.
How to Structure a Chest and Shoulder Workout
Structuring your workout properly is the key to maximizing results and minimizing injury risk. The order of exercises matters as it impacts your energy levels, strength output, and ability to maintain proper form (7).
Here’s a logical and effective way to structure your chest and shoulder workout:
- Start with Compound Chest Movements: Start your session with heavy, multi-joint exercises that target the chest. These movements also engage the anterior deltoids and triceps as secondary movers. Placing them first allows you to lift the heaviest weight with proper form when you are fresh.
- Examples: barbell bench press, incline dumbbell press.
- Follow with Compound Shoulder Movements: After your primary chest work, move on to a compound exercise that focuses on the shoulders. This continues to work the upper body with multi-joint movements, but shifts the primary focus to the deltoids.
- Examples: overhead press (barbell or dumbbell), Arnold press.
- Incorporate Isolation Chest Exercises: Next, include exercises that isolate the pectoral muscles. These movements allow you to focus on the mind-muscle connection and target specific areas of the chest, such as the inner or upper chest, without fatiguing other muscle groups.
- Examples: dumbbell flyes, cable crossovers.
- Finish with Isolation Shoulder Exercises: End your workout with isolation movements for the shoulders. This is the perfect time to target the lateral and posterior deltoids, which don’t get as much work during pressing movements. This is essential for developing well-rounded, 3D-looking shoulders and preventing muscular imbalances.
- Examples: lateral raises, bent-over dumbbell raises, face pulls.
This structure ensures you dedicate your peak energy to the most demanding exercises first. It progresses from heavy compound lifts to lighter isolation work, which allows for a thorough and balanced training stimulus across both muscle groups.
This type of routine can be adapted for a chest and shoulder workout with dumbbells, making it accessible even if you train at home.
Read more: 8 Exercises To Lift Breasts And What You Really Need To Know
What Is a Balanced Chest and Shoulder Workout?
A balanced workout goes beyond just lifting heavy. It involves targeting all the relevant muscles from different angles, using a variety of rep ranges, and prioritizing joint health. An unbalanced program, such as one that overemphasizes pressing movements, can lead to postural issues and increase the risk of injury.
A 2017 review in the Journal of Applied Bionics and Biomechanics highlighted that many resistance training programs may overdevelop the large “mirror muscles” such as the pecs and anterior deltoids while neglecting the smaller stabilizers (8). This can lead to muscular imbalances, such as tight pectoral muscles and weak posterior deltoids, which are common precursors to shoulder injuries (8).
A balanced chest and shoulder workout should include:
- Pressing Movements: At least one horizontal press (such as a flat bench press) and one incline press (such as an incline dumbbell press) to target the sternal and clavicular heads of the pectoralis major, respectively.
- Flying Movements: An exercise such as a dumbbell or cable fly to work the chest through a different range of motion, emphasizing horizontal adduction.
- Vertical Pressing: An overhead press to primarily target the anterior and lateral deltoids.
- Lateral Abduction: An exercise like lateral raises to isolate and build the medial (side) deltoids, which are key for shoulder width.
- Posterior Deltoid Work: Exercises that target the rear deltoids, such as face pulls or bent-over raises. This is essential for shoulder health, posture, and creating a 3D look.
Here’s a sample program for a balanced chest and shoulder workout:
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest (seconds) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compound movements | |||
| Incline dumbbell press | 4 | 6-10 | 90-120 |
| Flat barbell bench press | 3 | 8-12 | 90-120 |
| Seated dumbbell shoulder press | 3 | 8-12 | 90 |
| Isolation movements | |||
| Cable crossover | 3 | 12-15 | 60 |
| Dumbbell lateral raise | 4 | 12-15 | 60 |
| Face pull | 3 | 15-20 | 60 |
This routine is also an effective chest and shoulder workout for women, as it focuses on building balanced strength and lean muscle without excessive volume.
Exercise Instructions
Incline Dumbbell Press
- Set an adjustable bench to an incline angle of 30-45 degrees. A 30-degree angle tends to emphasize the upper chest more without overly engaging the anterior deltoids.
- Sit on the bench with a dumbbell in each hand, resting on your thighs.
- Lie back and use your thighs to help kick the dumbbells up to the starting position, holding them at your shoulders with your palms facing forward.
- Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended, but not locked out. Keep the dumbbells slightly apart at the top to maintain tension on the chest.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position, feeling a stretch in your chest.
Flat Barbell Bench Press
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet firmly on the floor. Your eyes should be directly under the barbell.
- Grip the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. A 2017 article in the Strength & Conditioning Journal suggests a grip no wider than 1.5 times your biacromial width (the distance between the bony points on top of your shoulders) to reduce stress on the joint (9).
- Lift the bar off the rack and position it over your chest with your arms extended.
- Lower the bar in a controlled manner to your mid-chest. Your elbows should be tucked at roughly a 45-degree angle, not flared out to 90 degrees.
- Press the bar back up to the starting position, driving through your chest, shoulders, and triceps.
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
- Sit on a bench with back support, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height. Your palms should be facing forward.
- Keep your core tight and press the dumbbells directly overhead until your arms are fully extended.
- Avoid clanging the dumbbells together at the top.
- Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position at your shoulders.
BetterMe will shake off your mental funk, rid you of your energy-zapping habits, and help you sculpt the body of your dreams. Intrigued? Hurry up and change your life for the better!
Cable Crossover
- Set the pulleys on a cable machine to a high position. Grab a handle in each hand.
- Take a step forward and stand with a slight bend in your torso. Your arms should be extended out to the sides with a slight bend in your elbows.
- Pull the handles down and across your body in a wide arc, squeezing your chest muscles as your hands come together in front of your chest.
- Hold the peak contraction for a moment before slowly returning to the starting position.
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides with your palms facing in. This can be adapted for a chest and shoulder workout at home.
- Keeping your arms almost straight (a very slight bend in your elbows), raise the dumbbells out to your sides until they’re at shoulder level.
- Focus on leading with your elbows to ensure your lateral deltoids are doing the work.
- Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position in a controlled manner.
Face Pull
- Attach a rope handle to a cable pulley set at chest height.
- Grab the rope with an overhand grip, with your thumbs pointing toward you.
- Step back to create tension and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Pull the rope toward your face, aiming to bring your hands to either side of your head. As you pull, externally rotate your shoulders so your knuckles are facing the ceiling at the end of the movement.
- Squeeze your rear deltoids and upper back muscles before returning to the start.
For those who are interested in bodyweight training, many of these principles can be applied to a shoulder workout calisthenics routine by modifying push-up variations and incorporating movements such as pike push-ups.
Explore our guide to an upper-body bodyweight workout for more.
Read more: 8 Forearm Dumbbell Exercises to Improve Grip Strength
Are 3 Shoulder Exercises Enough?
The number of exercises you need depends on your training goals, volume, and intensity. For most people, three well-chosen shoulder exercises are sufficient for a comprehensive workout, as long as they target all three heads of the deltoid.
A typical three-exercise shoulder routine could look like this:
- An Overhead Press: (e.g. dumbbell or barbell press) to target the anterior and lateral deltoids.
- A Lateral Raise: to isolate the lateral deltoids for shoulder width.
- A Rear Deltoid Exercise: (e.g. face pulls or bent-over raises) to target the posterior deltoids for health and balance.
This combination ensures that you hit the shoulder from all angles. The total volume (sets x reps) is more important than the number of different exercises. A high-volume approach with these three exercises is more effective than performing six different exercises with low intensity and poor form.
A 2022 review in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health emphasizes the importance of proper technique and avoiding overuse to prevent common fitness center injuries, which reinforces the idea that quality trumps quantity (10).
If you’re structuring your training correctly, you’ll find that a few key exercises are all you need. For more on this, review our recommendations for a good upper-body workout routine.
It’s generally recommended to train your chest before your shoulders. Chest exercises, particularly heavy presses, also fatigue the anterior deltoids. By performing your primary chest movements first, you can lift the heaviest loads and provide the greatest stimulus to your pectoral muscles. If you pre-fatigue your shoulders with heavy overhead presses, your performance on chest exercises such as the bench press will likely suffer. For many beginners, two exercises can be sufficient to stimulate chest growth, as long as they’re compound movements that allow for progressive overload. For example, a combination of an incline press and a flat press would target both the upper and middle portions of the chest. However, for more intermediate to advanced lifters aiming to maximize development, adding a third isolation exercise (such as a fly or crossover) is beneficial for targeting the muscle from a different angle and increasing total training volume. Signs of overtraining your chest are similar to overtraining any other muscle group, and include: There are no hard and fast rules, but some pairings are less optimal than others. For example, training your back and biceps immediately before a heavy deadlift day may not be ideal, as your grip strength (biceps and forearms) will be fatigued. Similarly, training your legs the day before a sport that requires a lot of running can hinder your performance. The best approach is to create a split that allows for adequate recovery between sessions and doesn’t create synergistic fatigue that compromises your main lifts.Frequently Asked Questions
Should I train my chest or shoulders first?
Are 2 exercises enough for the chest?
What are signs of overtraining your chest?
Which muscles shouldn’t be trained together?
The Bottom Line
A well-structured chest and shoulder workout is about more than just moving weight – it’s about understanding the synergy between these muscle groups, choosing exercises that promote balance and joint health, and executing them with precision.
By applying the principles of compound lifting followed by targeted isolation work, you can build a strong, functional, and aesthetically-pleasing upper body. Prioritize form, listen to your body, and remain consistent, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving your goals.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not serve to address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for making any kind of decision-making. Any action taken as a direct or indirect result of the information in this article is entirely at your own risk and is your sole responsibility.
BetterMe, its content staff, and its medical advisors accept no responsibility for inaccuracies, errors, misstatements, inconsistencies, or omissions and specifically disclaim any liability, loss or risk, personal, professional or otherwise, which may be incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and/or application of any content.
You should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or your specific situation. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of BetterMe content. If you suspect or think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor.
SOURCES:
- Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Pectoral Muscles (2023, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Triceps Brachii Muscle (2020, sciencedirect.com)
- Activation of the three deltoid muscle portions during common strengthening exercises: A systematic review (2024, sciencedirect.com)
- Superset Versus Traditional Resistance Training Prescriptions: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Exploring Acute and Chronic Effects on Mechanical, Metabolic, and Perceptual Variables (2025, link.springer.com)
- Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Shoulder (2023, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Understanding Bench Press Biomechanics—The Necessity of Measuring Lateral Barbell Forces (2022, journals.lww.com)
- Resistance training exercise selection: efficiency, safety and comfort analysis method (2021, researchgate.net)
- Isokinetic Assessment of Shoulder Joint Strength Ratios in Male Recreational Weightlifters: A Cross-Sectional Study (2022, onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
- The Affect of Grip Width on Bench Press Performance and Risk of Injury (2017, journals.lww.com)
- Exercise Selection and Common Injuries in Fitness Centers: A Systematic Integrative Review and Practical Recommendations (2022, mdpi.com)
Reviewed by 
Reviewed by 
