Ultimate Back and Shoulder Workout with Dumbbells w/PDF

If you’re looking for the best exercises to forge back and shoulder muscles with dumbbells only, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, I’ve shared the top 10 dumbbell exercises for back and shoulder, plus five workout routines.

Whether you’re a beginner or pro, male or female, you can do these dumbbell exercises to build up and tone your back and shoulder muscles at home.

A Little About Back and Shoulder Muscle

The back is one of the largest upper body muscles made up of multiple muscle groups, such as latissimus dorsi, trapezius, and lumbar spine, and these muscles support the spine, maintain posture, and help perform various activities.

The shoulder is also an important muscle of the torso. It is made of mainly three muscles – front, medial, and posterior deltoids and these muscles involve in different movements such as lifting, pulling, and throwing.

Training the back and shoulder is crucial when it comes to building a strong, defined, and sizable upper body.

Strong shoulders and back improve posture, minimize injuries, and improve overall performance.

Can You Train Shoulder and Back Together?

Yes, you can tr0a6in your back and shoulder together on the same day.

The back and shoulder muscles work together during several exercises, such as the upright row, reverse fly, IYT raises, and face pulls. So training both muscles on the same day wouldn’t be a bad idea.

You can train both muscles alternatively or by doing the superset. It depends on your comfort and choice. Both splits are safe, suitable, and effective.

10 Best Dumbbell Exercises for Back and Shoulders

1. Dumbbell Overhead Press
2. DB Lateral Raises
3. Dumbbell I-Y-T Raises
4. Dumbbell Upright Row
5. DB Bent Over Row
6. Single-Arm Incline Rowing
7. DB Reverse Fly
8. Dumbbell Facepull
9. Dumbbell Rear Delt Circle
10. DB Shoulder Shrug

Now, let’s see how to do each shoulder and back workout with dumbbells at home.

1. Dumbbell Overhead Press

The dumbbell overhead press is one of the favorite shoulder exercises of many bodybuilders, including Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman.

The overhead press primarily targets the front deltoid and helps build a solid and toned shoulder.

You can do it in multiple ways, such as by sitting on the bench, standing upright, and using one arm at a time.

Let’s see how you can perform a seated overhead press step-by-step:

1. Grab a pair of dumbbells and sit on a 75-degree incline bench with your back resting on it.
2. Bend your elbows and hold the dumbbells at your shoulder height with your palms facing forward.
3. Brace your core, inhale, and press the dumbbells overhead until your arms are straight. Avoid complete extension of your elbows.
4. Pause for a second, then slowly lower the dumbbells to the start. This is your one repetition.

If you want to know how to perform overhead press in other ways, you can check out this overhead press guide.

2. Dumbbell Lateral Raises

You can strengthen your side delts with the dumbbell lateral raises.

The dumbbell lateral raise hits the side deltoid and helps build symmetrical shoulders at home.

How to do lateral raises with dumbbells

1. Grab one dumbbell in each hand, and stand upright in the normal stance.
2. Keep your arms straight at your sides with your palms facing inward.
3. Raise your arms to the sides until they align with your shoulders.
4. Lower your arms back to the start. This is your one rep!

3. Dumbbell I-Y-T Raises

The IYT raise is a dumbbell compound exercise that helps bolster the back and shoulders simultaneously and develop a firm torso.

A study done by the American Council of Exercise (ACE) has shown that IYT raises overall activated muscles compared to other back exercises and suggested to include into a training program.

So when it comes to performing back and shoulder workouts with dumbbells, you should always perform IYT raises and their variations to get maximum results in less time.

It requires you to raise your arms in three directions (your body forms I, Y, and T letter shape), alternatively to complete one rep.

How to perform IYT raises:

1. Lie on an incline bench with your face down and arms straight below your shoulders.
2. Raise your arms in front of you until your body forms an I shape, then return to the start and raise your arms slightly out to form a Y shape, and in the same way, perform T raises to complete one rep.

4. Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row

The chest-supported row is an isolation exercise that primarily bolsters the posterior delt, rhomboids, and middle trapezius.

Doing it on your shoulder and back day can improve muscular symmetry and upper body strength.

Steps to perform an incline chest-supported row:

1. Holding one dumbbell in each hand, lie on a 45-degree incline bench.
2. Keep your arms straight toward the floor with your palms facing each other.
3. Driving your elbows in, row the dumbbells at your sides until you feel the contraction in your upper back muscles.
4. Pause for one second, then return the dumbbells to the start. This is your one repetition.

5. Dumbbell Bent Over Row

Rowing is one of the best exercises for the back, whether you do it with a barbell, machine, or dumbbell.

Rowing builds up and tones back muscles and helps build a bigger back.

If you train at home, you can incorporate dumbbell rowing into your shoulder and back workout routine.

Here are the steps to perform to a bent-over dumbbell row:

1. Holding a pair of dumbbells, hinge at your hips and bend your torso forward.
2. Keep your arms straight below your trunk with your palms facing inward. That’s the start.
3. Row the dumbbells at your sides until your back muscles are engaged.
4. Hold for a second, then lower your arms to the start. This is your one rep!

6. One-arm Incline Dumbbell Row

The one-arm dumbbell row is a unilateral back exercise that helps build strength and mass, improves muscle definition, and even out muscle imbalance.

The incline variation of the dumbbell row strengthens not only the back but also the posterior delt and rhomboid.

How to do single-arm dumbbell rowing:

1. Set the bench to a 30-45 degree incline, grab a dumbbell in your right hand with a neutral grip, and place your left knee on the bench.
2. Push your hips back and lean your torso forward so your chest is nearly parallel to the floor.
3. Brace your abdominal muscles, inhale, and row the dumbbell at your side until your back muscles are engaged.
4. Pause for a moment, then lower the dumbbell to the start. That is your one rep!
5. Keep your back remains flat during the entire workout.

7. Dumbbell Reverse Fly

The dumbbell reverse fly is the best exercise for developing the look of the upper back and posterior delt.

It engages multiple muscles of the shoulder and back and helps build a muscular upper body.

Here are the steps to perform a dumbbell reverse fly:

1. Grab one dumbbell in each hand and sit on the edge of a bench.
2. Bend your torso forward until your chest is nearly parallel to the floor.
3. Keep your arms straight toward the floor with your palms facing each other. This is your starting position.
4. Raise your arms out until you feel the full contraction in your upper back muscles.
5. Pause for a couple of seconds, then return to the start. This is your one rep!

You can also do it without a bench.

8. Dumbbell Face Pull

The face pull is a dumbbell compound workout that strengthens and tones shoulder and back muscles simultaneously and helps build a muscular torso.

You can follow the below steps to perform the dumbbell facepull:

1. Grab one dumbbell in each hand and stand upright in the shoulder-width stance.
2. Hinge forward from your hips to lower your trunk towards the ground until your torso is parallel.
3. Extend your arms below your upper body with your palms facing the body. That’s the beginning.
4. Keeping your core tight and back straight, pull the dumbbells outward and upward until they reach your eye level. And then reverse the move to return to the start. That’s one rep.
5. Make sure to squeeze your shoulder blades during the movement.

You can perform the dumbbell facepull and the chest-supported interchangeably to avoid repeating the same movement.

9. Dumbbell Rear Delt Circle

The rear delt circle is another excellent exercise to hit the shoulder and back simultaneously.

It requires you to lie prone on a flat bench and make a circle with your arms above your back.

You can try this exercise on your back and shoulder day to build strength, balance, and flexibility in your upper body.

Here are the steps to perform a rear delt circle:

1. Lie flat on your stomach with your arms straight in front of you.
2. Grab a pair of light dumbbells and hold it firmly. This is your starting position.
3. Bring the dumbbells all the way behind you “in a circle” until they are together over your lower back. You’ll feel the contraction in your back muscles.
4. Reverse the movement to complete your first rep.

10. DB Shoulder Shrug

The shrug exercise helps increase shoulder strength and mobility, improve posture, and build a defined upper body.

You can do a dumbbell shrug as a finisher workout when you do shoulder and back workouts with dumbbells.

Shrugs are easy to perform. Here are the steps to do it:

1. Holding one dumbbell in each hand, stand straight with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Keep your arms straight at your sides with your palms facing inward.
3. Pull your shoulders toward the ear until you feel the contraction in your delts and upper back.

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Top 5 Back and Shoulder Dumbbell Workout Routines

Let’s see how you can design workout routines to forge your back and shoulder muscles with dumbbells only.

An effective workout routine must include at least one exercise for each muscle group. And for the back and shoulders, you should include at least one exercise for the front delt, side delt, posterior delt, trapezius, and lats.

You can have a look at the following samples of routines to get some idea of how to create a well-structured back and shoulder dumbbell workout routine.

1. 30-Minute Dumbbell Shoulder and Back Superset Workout

Perform two sets of 8-12 reps with 30 seconds of rest between sets.

• Set 1 – Overhead Press and Bent-over Row
• Set 2: Side Lateral Raises and One-arm DB Row
• Set 3: Reverse Fly and Chest-Supported Row

2. 45-minute Superset Back and Shoulder Workout with Dumbbells

Perform two to three sets of 8-12 reps with 30 seconds of rest between sets.

• Set 1 – Overhead Press and Bent-over Row
• Set 2: Side Lateral Raises and One-arm DB Row
• Set 3: Reverse Fly and Chest-Supported Row
• Set 4: Shoulder Shrug and Superman Pull

3. 30-Minute Shoulder and Back Workout for Beginners

• Exercise 1: IYT Raises (sets: 2, reps: 6-8, rest: 1 min)
• Exercise 2: Bent-over Row (sets: 2, reps: 8-10, rest: 1 min)
• Exercise 3: Overhead Press (sets: 2, reps: 8-10, rest: 1 min)
• Exercise 4: Lateral Raises (sets: 2, reps: 10-12, rest: 1 min)
• Exercise 5: One-arm DB Row (sets: 2, reps: 10-12, rest: 1 min)

4. 45-Minute Back and Shoulder Workout for Intermediates

1. IYT Raises (sets: 3, reps: 6-8, rest: 1 min)
2. Bent-over Row (sets: 3, reps: 8-10, rest: 1 min)
3. Overhead Press (sets: 3, reps: 8-10, rest: 1 min)
4. Lateral Raises (sets: 3, reps: 10-12, rest: 1 min)
5. One-arm DB Row (sets: 3, reps: 10-12, rest: 1 min)

5. Advanced Back and Shoulder Dumbbell Workout

Exercise	Reps	Sets	Rest
Dumbbell IYT Raises	8-10	3	1-min
Bent-over Dumbbell Row	8-12	3	1-min
Overhead Dumbbell Press	8-12	3	1-min
Single-arm DB Rowing	8-10	3	1-min
Lateral Raises	8-12	3	1-min
Rear Delt Dumbbell Fly	8-12	3	1-min
Shoulder Shrug	8-12	3	1-min

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Download The Dumbbell Shoulder and Back Workout PDF

In this PDF, I’ve included dumbbell exercises for every back and shoulder muscle and the above five routines. You can download this file to use it offline.