Teres major and teres minor do not get much attention, but they matter more than most lifters realize. These two muscles help control shoulder movement, support upper body strength, and contribute to a stronger, more athletic-looking upper back.
If you want healthier shoulders, better pulling strength, and a wider upper-body look, understanding these muscles is worth your time. They are small compared to the lats and delts, but they play a big role in how your shoulder functions.
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This guide covers what the teres major and teres minor do, how they differ, the best exercises to train them, and what to know if you are dealing with pain or tightness in that area.
Quick Answer
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What Is the Difference Between the Teres Major and Teres Minor?
These muscles sit close to each other on the back of the shoulder, which is why they are often confused. But they are not the same muscle and they do not have the same job.
Teres major works closely with the lats. It helps pull the arm down and back, making it important for rows, pulldowns, pull-ups, and climbing-style movements.
Teres minor is part of the rotator cuff. Its job is less about moving the most weight and more about stabilizing the shoulder joint and assisting external rotation. That makes it especially important for shoulder health, overhead training, and balanced upper body development.
What Are the Teres Major and Teres Minor?
Both muscles attach from the scapula to the humerus, but their functions differ based on where they attach and how they line up with the shoulder joint.
Teres Major
- Located near the lower portion of the back of the shoulder blade
- Works closely with the latissimus dorsi
- Helps with shoulder extension, adduction, and internal rotation
- Not part of the rotator cuff
- Often called the lats' little helper
Teres Minor
- Sits above the teres major and below the infraspinatus
- One of the four rotator cuff muscles
- Helps externally rotate the shoulder
- Plays an important role in shoulder stability
So while the names sound similar, the teres major is more of a pulling muscle and the teres minor is more of a stabilizer and external rotator.
Functions of the Teres Muscles
Teres Major Functions
- Extends the arm from a flexed position
- Adducts the arm toward the body
- Internally rotates the humerus
- Assists in strong pulling movements
Because of these actions, the teres major gets trained anytime you perform movements like rows, chin-ups, pulldowns, and pullovers.
Teres Minor Functions
- Externally rotates the shoulder
- Helps hold the head of the humerus in the shoulder socket
- Assists with shoulder stability during pressing, pulling, and overhead work
The teres minor is especially important for lifters and athletes who do a lot of pressing, throwing, or overhead movement. If this muscle is weak or irritated, shoulder mechanics can get messy fast.
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Top 15 Teres Major and Teres Minor Exercises
You cannot truly isolate the teres major or teres minor the way you can isolate a biceps peak. These muscles work with the lats, rear delts, traps, rhomboids, and rotator cuff. That means the best way to train them is through smart upper body pulling and shoulder-stability work.
Here are 15 of the best exercises to strengthen them.
1. Dumbbell Pullover
- Lie across a bench so your upper back is supported
- Hold one dumbbell with both hands above your chest
- Keep a slight bend in your elbows
- Lower the dumbbell behind your head in a controlled arc
- Pull it back over your chest
- Repeat for the desired reps
Tip: Keep your ribcage down and core braced so the movement comes from the shoulder, not your low back.
2. Cable Straight Arm Pulldown
- Set a cable above head height with a straight bar or wide handle
- Grab the handle with both hands using an overhand grip
- Hinge forward slightly
- With your elbows softly bent, pull the bar down toward your thighs
- Control the return
- Repeat for the desired reps
Tip: Focus on driving with your shoulders and lats, not your arms.
3. Inverted Row
- Set a bar at about waist height
- Lie under it and grab it with an overhand grip
- Keep your body straight from shoulders to heels
- Pull your chest toward the bar
- Lower under control
- Repeat for the desired reps
Tip: Think shoulder blades back and down on every rep.
4. Underhand Yates Row
- Grab a barbell with an underhand grip at shoulder width
- Hinge forward slightly with soft knees
- Pull the bar toward your waist
- Squeeze your upper back at the top
- Lower with control
- Repeat for the desired reps
Tip: Keep your torso stable and lead with your elbows.
5. Underhand Grip Lat Pulldown
- Sit at a pulldown station and grab the bar with an underhand grip
- Keep your chest up and shoulders down
- Pull the bar toward your upper chest
- Slowly return to the top
- Repeat for the desired reps
Tip: Great option for hitting the lats and teres major with a slightly different arm path.
6. Lat Pulldown
- Grab the bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder width
- Pull the bar to your upper chest
- Drive your elbows down and back
- Control the return
- Repeat for the desired reps
Tip: Switch grips occasionally to vary the emphasis on the upper back and lats.
Related:
7. Pull-Up
- Grab the bar with an overhand grip
- Start from a dead hang
- Pull your chest toward the bar
- Pause briefly at the top
- Lower under control
- Repeat for the desired reps
Tip: Start each rep by setting the shoulder blades instead of yanking with the arms.
8. Chin-Up
- Grab the bar with an underhand grip
- Start from a dead hang
- Pull yourself up until your chin clears the bar
- Lower with control
- Repeat for the desired reps
Tip: Chin-ups usually give you a little more biceps assistance, but they still hammer the teres major and lats.
Related: Pull-Ups vs Chin-Ups
9. Single Arm Dumbbell Row
- Brace one hand and one knee on a bench
- Hold the dumbbell in the opposite hand
- Row the dumbbell toward your hip
- Squeeze your shoulder blade back
- Lower under control
- Repeat for the desired reps
Tip: Do not twist your torso. Let your back do the work.
10. Seated Cable Row
- Sit tall and grab the handle
- Pull it toward your navel or lower ribs
- Keep your chest up
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together
- Control the return
- Repeat for the desired reps
Tip: Pull through the elbows instead of curling the weight in.
Related: Seated Cable Row Alternatives
11. High Cable Reverse Crossover Fly
- Set both pulleys at about head height
- Grab the opposite handles so your arms cross
- Pull your elbows out and back
- Squeeze the rear delts and upper back
- Return slowly
- Repeat for the desired reps
Tip: Excellent for the rear shoulder and teres minor side of the shoulder complex.
12. Cable Supine Reverse Fly
- Place a bench between two low pulleys
- Grab the opposite handles and lie back
- Start with arms crossed above your chest
- Open your arms out to the sides under control
- Bring them back together slowly
- Repeat for the desired reps
Tip: Keep the movement smooth and avoid turning it into a press.
Related: Best Cable Shoulder Exercises
13. Dumbbell Reverse Fly
- Hinge forward with a dumbbell in each hand
- Keep a slight bend in your elbows
- Raise the dumbbells out and back
- Pause briefly at the top
- Lower under control
- Repeat for the desired reps
Tip: Great accessory for the rear delts and external rotators.
14. Band Pull-Apart
- Hold a resistance band at shoulder height
- Keep your arms mostly straight
- Pull the band apart by squeezing your shoulder blades together
- Return slowly
- Repeat for the desired reps
Tip: High-rep band pull-aparts are a great low-stress move for teres minor and upper back endurance.
15. Face Pull
- Set the cable at face height
- Grab the rope attachment
- Pull it toward your face with elbows high
- At the end, rotate your hands slightly back
- Return slowly
- Repeat for the desired reps
Tip: One of the best exercises here for the rear delts, rotator cuff, and teres minor.
Related: Face Pull Alternatives
How to Program Teres Training
You do not need a special teres day. These muscles respond best when they are trained as part of a smart upper body or back program.
- For teres major: prioritize pulldowns, pull-ups, rows, chin-ups, and pullovers
- For teres minor: prioritize face pulls, reverse flyes, band pull-aparts, and other external-rotation-friendly work
- Weekly target: 8 to 15 total quality sets of pulling and rear-delt work is plenty for most lifters
- Rep ranges: use 6 to 12 reps on bigger pulling moves and 12 to 20 reps on flyes, face pulls, and band work
The sweet spot is usually to combine heavy pulls with lighter shoulder health work. That gives you strength, size, and better long-term shoulder function.
Addressing Teres Major Pain
Pain in the teres major area is usually felt along the back of the shoulder or near the back edge of the armpit. It can show up after a lot of pulling, throwing, swimming, climbing, or repetitive overhead work.
Sometimes the issue is true muscle irritation. Other times it is simply tightness, overload, or nearby shoulder structures getting angry. That is why it is better to think in terms of the whole shoulder rather than assuming the teres major is always the culprit.
Common Aggravators
- Repeated overhead activity
- Big jumps in pulling or throwing volume
- Poor posture and long hours of desk work
- Weakness in the upper back and rotator cuff
What to Do First
- Reduce or modify painful overhead and pulling movements for a few days
- Use gentle range-of-motion work instead of trying to push through sharp pain
- Return gradually to rows, pulldowns, and shoulder-stability work
- Keep the surrounding muscles strong, especially the upper back and rotator cuff
Helpful Relief Strategies
Soft tissue work: A massage ball or lacrosse ball can help relax tight tissue around the back of the shoulder and scapula. Use gentle pressure, not torture.
Stretching: Light stretching can help if the area feels stiff. Dead hangs, overhead side reaches, and gentle wall stretches are all reasonable options as long as they do not increase pain.
Dealing With Teres Minor Pain
Because the teres minor is part of the rotator cuff, pain in this area is often tied to general rotator cuff irritation rather than a stand-alone teres minor problem.
People often notice discomfort with overhead reaching, weakness during pulling or pressing, or a dull ache around the back or side of the shoulder.
Common Signs That the Shoulder Needs Attention
- Pain with overhead motion
- Weakness during pressing, reaching, or rotating the arm
- Shoulder stiffness or loss of motion
- Pain that lingers at night or keeps getting worse
Recovery Basics
- Back off painful movements: especially repetitive overhead work
- Use gentle mobility: pain-free range of motion is the goal
- Strengthen the support muscles: face pulls, band pull-aparts, cable reverse flyes, and controlled rowing variations can help
- Stretch carefully: crossbody stretches and gentle shoulder mobility can help if they feel good, but do not force range
If your shoulder pain persists, worsens, or comes with weakness or reduced range of motion, get evaluated by a qualified medical professional. Shoulder pain can come from several structures, and guessing is not a great rehab plan.
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How to Keep the Teres Muscles Healthy
- Balance pressing with enough rowing and upper back work
- Do not neglect rear-delt and rotator cuff accessories
- Warm up before heavy upper body sessions
- Progress pulling volume gradually instead of making huge jumps
- Keep your shoulders moving well if you spend long hours at a desk
Small muscles love consistency. A few sets of face pulls, reverse flyes, or band pull-aparts done regularly go a long way.
FAQs About the Teres Major and Teres Minor
Is the teres major part of the rotator cuff?
No. The teres major helps move the shoulder, but it is not one of the four rotator cuff muscles.
Is the teres minor part of the rotator cuff?
Yes. The teres minor is one of the four rotator cuff muscles and helps with external rotation and shoulder stability.
What exercises hit the teres major best?
Pull-ups, chin-ups, lat pulldowns, rows, and pullovers are all strong choices.
What exercises hit the teres minor best?
Face pulls, reverse flyes, band pull-aparts, and other rear-delt and external-rotation-friendly exercises are some of the best options.
Can weak teres muscles contribute to shoulder issues?
They can be part of the picture, especially if your upper back and rotator cuff are undertrained. Usually it is a broader shoulder-strength and movement issue rather than one tiny muscle acting alone.
Final Note
The teres major and teres minor may be small, but they matter for upper body strength, shoulder stability, posture, and overall shoulder health.
If your goal is to build a stronger back, healthier shoulders, and a better upper body look, they deserve some attention. The easiest way to do that is by combining big pulling exercises with a little consistent rear-delt and rotator cuff work.
More Resources on Back Strengthening Exercises:
4 comments
Great article! You just answered all the questions I had about these muscles. Hoping these activities will finally help my shoulder pain.
Really great article! I am very grateful for helping me realize that I have additional excercise options to help my shoulder heal.
1. Get a length of inner tube from the front wheel of a small motorbike, say 150 cc. Grasp tube with both hands 2-3 inches apart, hands supinated, pronated or mixed. Shoulders back and down. Pull tube apart with 100% effort for 6-10 second quadi-isometric holds.Daily, as often as you wish.Shoulder pain will disappear in a few weeks.
2. Back bridges. Work to the point where you can straighten your arms and hold for 60 secs. Push throughout. Strengthen and mobikize spine, back, and teres minor and major.
Awesome article!!
Thank you for sharing. Well done!!