Cardio Exercises for Great Shoulders Menu Verywell Fit Nutrition Weight Management Nutrition Facts Nutrition Basics Diets Meal Plans Meal Delivery Services View All News Fitness and Nutrition What to Buy How We Test Products Fitness Gear Nutrition Products Tools Recipe Nutrition Calculator Weight Loss Calorie Goal BMI Calculator Body Fat Percentage Calculator Calories Burned by Activity Daily Calories Burned Pace Calculator About Us Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Search Upper Body Workouts Cardio Exercises for Great Shoulders By Paige Waehner Paige Waehner Paige Waehner is a certified personal trainer, author of the "Guide to Become a Personal Trainer"; and co-author of "The Buzz on Exercise & Fitness." Learn about our editorial process Updated on October 31, 2021 Reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Tara Laferrara, CPT Reviewed by Tara Laferrara, CPT Tara Laferrara is a certified NASM personal trainer, yoga teacher, and fitness coach. She also created her own online training program, the TL Method. Learn about our Review Board Print Hero Images/Getty Images If you're looking to build more strength and definition in your shoulders, the results you'll get will depend on factors such as your age, sex, genetics, and body fat percentage. A strength training program that includes shoulder exercises like overhead presses and lateral raises can be very effective, but there are cardio activities that can help work and shape your shoulders as well. Best Activities for Your Upper Body Many cardio activities focus on the lower body while neglecting those important upper body muscles. Getting your arms involved will help build muscular endurance, which in turn, can help you burn more calories. Boxing/kickboxing: Hitting big heavy bags can help build a strong upper body. Find clubs in your area where you can learn to box or try videos you can do at home. Kickboxing is also an option. Adding lightweight gloves can build endurance in your upper body and burn calories. Medicine ball training: Incorporate medicine balls into your workout and burn more calories while working your upper body. Swimming: The upper body is primarily responsible for propelling you through the water during swimming. Adding a flotation device will keep your lower body stationary and provide a powerful arm workout. Trekking poles: Walking and trekking poles are great for burning extra calories, taking the strain off your ankles and knees and, of course, giving your upper body a great workout. Use them while walking, hiking, trekking, and climbing. Upper body ergometer You may have seen this machine in your gym and wondered what the heck it does. An upper body ergometer gives you a cardio workout using only your upper body. A great addition to a workout or for someone with a lower-body injury. Yoga: Many yoga poses build endurance and strength in your upper body. The bonus is that you build strength everywhere else as well while working on important things like balance, stability, and flexibility. 20 Great Exercises to Work Your Shoulders 6 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Willis LH, Slentz CA, Bateman LA, et al. Effects of aerobic and/or resistance training on body mass and fat mass in overweight or obese adults. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2012;113(12):1831-1837. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.01370.2011 Lenetsky S, Brughelli M, Harris NK. Shoulder function and scapular position in boxers. Phys Ther Sport. 2015;16(4):355-360. doi:10.1016/j.ptsp.2015.02.003 Sayers MG, Lorenzetti S. Influence of technique on upper body force and power production during medicine ball throws. J Sports Sci. 2020;38(4):470-475. doi:10.1080/02640414.2019.1706871 Shim J-M, Kwon H-Y, Kim H-R, Kim B-I, Jung J-H. Comparison of the effects of walking with and without nordic pole on upper extremity and lower extremity muscle activation. J Phys Ther Sci. 2013;25(12):1553-1556. doi:10.1589/jpts.25.1553 Reiman MP, Lorenz DS. Integration of strength and conditioning principles into a rehabilitation program. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2011;6(3):241-253. Polsgrove MJ, Eggleston BM, Lockyer RJ. Impact of 10-weeks of yoga practice on flexibility and balance of college athletes. Int J Yoga. 2016;9(1):27-34. doi:10.4103/0973-6131.171710 By Paige Waehner Paige Waehner is a certified personal trainer, author of the "Guide to Become a Personal Trainer," and co-author of "The Buzz on Exercise & Fitness." 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