Shoulder Warm-Up for Strength Training
3 exercises for better mobility, more strength and pain-free pressing
Do your shoulders feel stiff, painful or “locked up” when you train?
In most cases, the problem is not strength — it’s a poor shoulder warm-up.
At Aurora Personal Training in Eindhoven we see this every day:
strong arms, but shoulders that don’t move freely. This leads to:
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pain during bench press or overhead press
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tension in the neck and upper back
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unstable shoulders
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reduced performance
A proper shoulder warm-up can fix this in minutes.
Why shoulder problems are so common in strength training
The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the human body — which also makes it the most vulnerable.
Because of:
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long hours of sitting
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stress
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one-sided training
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poor warm-up routines
the shoulder blade loses its ability to move freely around the rib cage.
Your body then compensates — and that’s where pain and instability begin.
Inside our high-end private gym in Eindhoven we see that most shoulder pain comes from lack of mobility combined with heavy lifting.
What a proper shoulder warm-up must do
An effective shoulder warm-up should:
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increase range of motion
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improve scapular control
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activate the correct pressing muscles
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reduce the risk of pain and injury
That’s why at Aurora we always combine warm-ups with our system of
progressive strength training and
mobility & recovery.
The 3 Best Shoulder Warm-Up Exercises
These exercises are used daily with clients who have:
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shoulder pain
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instability
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limited mobility
They are ideal before:
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bench press
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overhead press
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landmine press
1. Shoulder Airplanes with Push-Ups
This drill combines:
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shoulder rotation
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load through the arms
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and core stability
What it does:
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restores free movement of the shoulder blade
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activates the rotator cuff
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improves control during pressing
This is one of the fastest ways to “unlock” stiff shoulders.
2. Rotational Toe Taps
Here we add controlled rotation.
You train:
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upward rotation of the shoulder blades
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trunk rotation
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shoulder blade movement around the rib cage
This is essential for anyone with:
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tight shoulders
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or pain during overhead movements
We use this a lot inside our
shoulder mobility & recovery programs.
3. Pike Push-Ups
This exercise builds the bridge between:
mobility → strength
It activates:
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serratus anterior
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upper trapezius
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rotator cuff
And prepares your body for vertical pressing without compressing the shoulder joint.
How often should you do this warm-up?
For most people:
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5–8 reps per exercise
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1–2 rounds
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8–10 minutes total
Use this:
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before training
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or as a short morning mobility routine
Many of our members use this together with their
personal training program.
Who is this warm-up for?
This routine is perfect for:
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people with shoulder pain
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office workers with neck & upper-back tension
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strength athletes who want to press heavier
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anyone who wants to train without injury
This is exactly the type of client we work with inside our
1-on-1 personal training studio in Eindhoven.
Why this works at Aurora Personal Training
We don’t treat muscles — we improve movement.
Our system combines:
So you:
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get stronger
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move better
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and stay pain-free long term
All inside our calm, exclusive
private gym in Eindhoven.
Want to train without shoulder pain?
Do you want to:
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press pain-free
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get stronger
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and build a body that lasts?
👉 Book a free intake session
and experience how we combine strength, mobility and recovery.
