An upper body workout with shoulder pain should keep you pressing and pulling, but through angles and ranges your shoulder tolerates. This plan uses two upper-body sessions a week, does two pulling sets for every pressing set, and replaces flat barbell and overhead pressing with the landmine press, neutral-grip dumbbells and the floor press until they’re comfortable. A short range test at the start of each session tells you how deep to press that day, and the eight-week progression only brings overhead work back once the angled press is pain-free.
Get these checked before training
Following NHS guidance on shoulder pain that needs urgent attention, see a doctor promptly, rather than training, if you have sudden or very bad pain, can’t move your arm, the shoulder has changed shape or is badly swollen, you have pins and needles that won’t go away or no feeling in the arm, the pain started after a fall or accident, or you feel feverish or unwell.
Shoulder or arm discomfort together with chest pressure, sweating, shortness of breath, nausea or light-headedness can be a sign of a heart attack. Call 911.
For ordinary aches when lifting, see a physiotherapist if the shoulder gets worse or hasn’t improved after a couple of weeks, or if it’s very hard to move the arm. Shoulder pain when lifting covers common patterns.
The rules this plan runs on
- Two pulls per push. Each session has twice as many pulling sets as pressing sets.
- Neutral grips first. Palms facing each other on presses and pulldowns.
- Angled, not flat or vertical. Landmine and incline presses before flat bench and overhead.
- Range is earned. You press as deep as the range test allows that day.
- Pain ceiling. Discomfort during a set is acceptable up to about 3 out of 10 if it doesn’t build from set to set and is back to your normal level within 24 hours.
The range test (two minutes)
Before the first press of each session, lie on the floor with a light dumbbell in each hand (about 4 to 8 kg) and do 5 floor presses with a neutral grip. Then 5 on a 30-degree incline bench, lowering only to the depth that’s comfortable.
| Result | That day’s pressing |
|---|---|
| Both pain-free | Full session as written |
| Floor press fine, incline uncomfortable | Floor press instead of incline press; landmine stays |
| Both uncomfortable | Skip pressing today; do the pulling, rotator cuff and carry work only |
Session A
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half-kneeling landmine press | 3 × 8 per arm | 90 s | Press up and slightly forward |
| Chest-supported row, neutral grip | 3 × 10 | 90 s | Shoulder blades back and down |
| Neutral-grip lat pulldown | 3 × 10–12 | 90 s | Stop at chin height |
| Cable external rotation at waist height | 2 × 12–15 per arm | 45 s | Elbow pinned to side with a towel |
| Face pull | 3 × 15 | 45 s | Pull to forehead, thumbs back |
| Farmer’s carry | 3 × 30 m | 60 s | Shoulders tall, not shrugged |
Pressing sets: 3. Pulling sets: 9 (plus face pulls and carries).
Session B
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incline dumbbell press, neutral grip, 30 degrees | 3 × 8–10 | 2 min | Depth from the range test |
| One-arm seated cable row | 3 × 10–12 per arm | 60 s | Let the shoulder blade move |
| Push-up on handles or a bench | 2 × 8–12 | 60 s | Hands slightly narrower than shoulders |
| One-arm dumbbell row | 3 × 10 per arm | 60 s | |
| Band pull-apart | 3 × 15–20 | 30 s | Arms straight, light band |
| Side-lying dumbbell external rotation | 2 × 12 per arm | 45 s | 1–3 kg |
| Bottoms-up kettlebell carry | 2 × 15 m per arm | 60 s | Light bell, wrist straight |
Pressing sets: 5. Pulling sets: 9 (plus pull-aparts and rotator cuff work).
The weekly layout
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Monday | Session A |
| Tuesday | Lower body (for example the knee-friendly leg workout) or rest |
| Thursday | Session B |
| Friday | Lower body or rest |
| Other days | Walking, cycling |
Eight-week progression
| Week | Pressing | Pulling | Overhead |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moderate load, 3 reps in reserve | As written, 2–3 in reserve | None |
| 2 | Add reps toward the top of the range | Add reps | None |
| 3 | +1–2 kg per dumbbell or +2.5 kg on the landmine if pain ceiling held | Add load at the top of the range | None |
| 4 | Same rule | Same rule | None |
| 5 | Lighter week: 2 sets each, same weights | 2 sets each | None |
| 6 | Continue; try 45-degree incline if 30 has been pain-free for 2 weeks | Continue | Landmine press from standing |
| 7 | Same rule | Same rule | Add 2 sets of high-incline press (about 60 degrees) |
| 8 | Retest the range at both angles | Same rule | If pain-free: seated neutral-grip dumbbell press, 2 × 8, light |
If pain rises above the ceiling at any stage, go back one week and stay there until it settles.
Warm-up
Five minutes on a rower or bike with an easy arm swing, then 10 wall slides, 10 band pull-aparts, 10 band external rotations per arm and 8 slow scapular push-ups. Then the range test.
Swaps if something still hurts
| Painful exercise | Swap |
|---|---|
| Landmine press | Floor press with dumbbells, neutral grip |
| Incline press | Cable chest press from a standing split stance |
| Push-up | Push-up with hands on a higher bench, or skip |
| Lat pulldown | Straight-arm cable pulldown, or the chest-supported row only |
| Face pull | Prone Y raise on an incline bench, no weight |
| Farmer’s carry | Suitcase carry with the good arm only |
How to tell it’s working
By week 8 you should be pressing heavier at the same or a greater depth, the range test should be pain-free on most days, and everyday reaches, like the top shelf or a seatbelt, should bother you less. If you’re stuck at “skip pressing today” for more than two weeks, or night pain is waking you, stop progressing and see a physiotherapist or your doctor.
Bottom line
Most sore shoulders tolerate more training than you’d expect when the angles, grips and pulling balance are right. Earn your range, then earn overhead. For general upper-body training once your shoulders are calm, move on to the upper body workout for men over 40. If you’d like a coach to adjust the plan session by session alongside your physiotherapist’s advice, weekly 1:1 coaching starts from $99 a week.
Questions people also ask
Can I work out my upper body with shoulder pain?
Often yes, if you can move the arm and the pain is mild. Choose pressing angles and grips that don't provoke it, keep loads moderate, and do more pulling than pushing. If pain is severe, or the arm is weak or numb, get it assessed first.
What upper body exercises are easiest on the shoulders?
For many men: the landmine press, neutral-grip dumbbell presses, floor press, chest-supported rows, face pulls and neutral-grip pulldowns. Behind-the-neck presses, deep dips and wide-grip barbell bench are common irritants.
Should I stop bench pressing if my shoulder hurts?
Pause the barbell bench for now and press with dumbbells or a landmine, where your hands and elbows can find a comfortable path. Many men bring the bench back later with a narrower grip and a shorter range.
How long before I can press overhead again?
It varies with the cause. In this plan, overhead work comes back only after the landmine press is pain-free at a moderate load, usually not before week 6. If it still hurts then, ask a physiotherapist before forcing it.