If you landed on this article, you’re probably in one of two camps: you’re the kind of lifter who actually wants to understand how your shoulder works, or your shoulder has started sending you those “hey buddy, we need to talk” signals.
Either way, you’re in the right place. The supraspinatus is one of the four rotator cuff muscles, and it plays a big role in shoulder abduction (raising your arm out to the side, like a lateral raise) and keeping the ball of your upper arm centered in the socket as you move.
Take Your Fitness To The Next Level
When it’s weak, irritated, or overloaded, things get annoying fast: pressing can feel sketchy, overhead work can pinch, and even simple “reach up and grab that” life stuff can start barking. The goal with supraspinatus training isn’t to chase PRs. It’s to build resilient, stable shoulders so you can train hard, move well, and stay out of the injury spiral.
Quick note: If you have sharp pain, noticeable weakness, pain that wakes you up at night, or you can’t lift your arm normally, get evaluated by a qualified medical pro before you start loading the shoulder. These drills are great for strengthening and “prehab,” but they’re not a substitute for diagnosis.
7 Best Supraspinatus Exercises
Below are seven of my favorite supraspinatus exercises in no particular order. I always use 2-3 of them in my dynamic warm ups before working out.
1. Supraspinatus Isometric Hold
The supraspinatus isometric hold is a targeted exercise designed to strengthen and stabilize the supraspinatus muscle. Isometric exercises like this help improve shoulder stability and prevent injuries, especially for those involved in overhead movements.
How To:
- Stand with your arm by your side.
- Hold a light dumbbell or resistance band and raise your arm about 30 degrees away from your body, maintaining a slight bend in the elbow.
- Hold for 10–15 seconds and repeat for 3 sets.
2. Full Can Exercise
The Full Can exercise is a great movement for strengthening the supraspinatus muscle. By mimicking the motion of pouring out a can with your arms elevated, you specifically target the rotator cuff while minimizing stress on the shoulder joint. It's a great choice for injury prevention, rehabilitation, or enhancing overall shoulder strength.
How To:
- Hold a light dumbbell in each hand with your thumbs pointing upward.
- Raise your arms to shoulder height in a "Y" position (approximately 30 degrees forward).
- Slowly lower them back to your sides.
3. Empty Can Exercise
Similar to the full can exercise above but this movement internally rotates the shoulder, which is a more aggressive isolation of the supraspinatus. This can aggrevate shoulder injuries so be mindful of your current situation before attempting it.
How To:
- Hold a dumbbell or weight in each hand with your thumbs pointing down (as if you're emptying a can).
- Raise your arms in a "Y" position
- Lower them slowly.
4. Side-Lying External Rotation
The Side-Lying External Rotation is common exercise to strengthen the rotator cuff, especially for people who partake in activities that involve overhead motions. It's a great addition to both rehabilitation programs and strength training routines to promote healthy shoulders.
How To:
- Lie on your side with a light dumbbell in the hand of the top arm.
- With your elbow bent at 90 degrees, rotate your arm outward, lifting the dumbbell toward the ceiling.
- Return to the starting position.
5. Prone Horizontal Abduction
The Prone Horizontal Abduction helps to strengthen the upper back and shoulder muscles. You can improve your posture, improve shoulder mobility and enhace upper body strength. It's great for people looking to counteract the effects of slouching or forward shoulder rotation.
How To:
- Lie face down on a bench or flat surface.
- With your arms hanging down and palms facing inward, raise your arms straight out to the sides until they're parallel with the floor.
- Lower and repeat.
6. Band External Rotation
The Band External Rotation is a simple exercise for warm ups and to strengthen the rotator cuff. This is a common movement you'll see at the gym thanks to its effectiveness.
How To:
- Attach a resistance band to a stable surface.
- Stand with the band at waist height and hold it in the hand farthest from the anchor point.
- Keep your elbow bent at 90 degrees and rotate your arm outward against the band's resistance.
7. Wall Angels
Wall angels are perfect for a number of things including activating and stretching the shoulders, upper back and chest. They also can aid in improving posture, shoulder mobility and upper back strength. Use them in your warm ups or rehab routine.
How To:
- Stand with your back against a wall, arms raised at 90 degrees to your sides (like a goalpost).
- Press your arms against the wall and slide them upward, keeping your back and arms in contact with the wall.
- Lower and repeat.
How to Incorporate Supraspinatus Exercises Into Your Routine
Now that you know what to do, the next step is using these exercises in a way that actually helps your shoulders instead of irritating them. Think of supraspinatus work as “shoulder insurance.” A little goes a long way when it’s done consistently.
- Warm-up: Add 1-2 movements before upper body sessions (and yes, leg days too). Start with very light band work, wall angels, or controlled scaption raises to “wake up” the cuff and get blood into the area.
- Frequency: Aim for 2-3 sessions per week. Most lifters do best with 2-4 sets of 12-20 reps per exercise (or 20-30 reps total if you’re keeping it super light). You do not need all seven exercises every time. Pick 2-3 and rotate them.
- Progression: Start light and earn the right to go heavier. The goal is clean reps, smooth tempo, and zero “pinchy” feelings. Add load slowly, or progress by adding a pause at the top, slowing the lowering phase, or increasing range of motion. We’re not trying to break records. We’re trying to make sure you don’t break.
- Placement: If your shoulders feel cranky, do this work early as part of your warm-up. If you feel fine and want “maintenance,” you can also do it at the end as a finisher. Either way, keep the effort around a 6-8 out of 10. You should finish feeling more stable, not smoked.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Performing Supraspinatus Exercises
Piggybacking off the “start light” theme, here are the biggest mistakes people make when they first start doing supraspinatus-focused work:
- Using Too Much Weight: The supraspinatus is small and easy to irritate. If you’re swinging reps, shrugging hard, or “cheating” the weight up, it’s too heavy. Ditch the ego. Own the movement.
- Incorrect Arm Path: A lot of people crank straight out to the side and drift into a painful pinch. Most lifters feel best in the scaption plane (about 20-30 degrees forward from directly out to the side). Watch your form in a mirror and keep the motion smooth.
- Letting the Shoulder Shrug Up: If your traps take over, the cuff stops doing its job. Keep your shoulder blade “set” (down and back slightly) and avoid jamming your shoulder toward your ear.
- Working Through Sharp Pain: Mild muscle burn is fine. Sharp pain, pinching, or radiating pain is not. Reduce range of motion, lighten the load, switch variations, or stop and get assessed if it keeps happening.
- Neglecting the Rest of the Rotator Cuff: This article focuses on the supraspinatus, but the cuff is a team sport. Pair these with external rotation work and scapular control so the entire shoulder complex gets stronger together.
Wrap-Up
Rotator cuff injuries are the worst kind of “I didn’t know it mattered until it did.” The good news is that most lifters can dramatically improve shoulder comfort and stability with a small amount of consistent supraspinatus and rotator cuff work.
Start light, keep your reps smooth, and treat these movements like skill work. Your shoulders should feel more stable after your sessions, not more irritated. Stick with it, and future-you will be very grateful when your training partners are missing workouts and you’re still in the game.
Check out more rotator cuff articles:
References
- Pennmedicine.org, 2023, www.pennmedicine.org/for-patients-and-visitors/find-a-program-or-service/orthopaedics/shoulder-pain/rotator-cuff-tear-treatment-and-diagnosis.
0 comments