Shoulders · Bodyweight
Shoulder - Flexion
How to do the shoulder - flexion, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- Flexion
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand tall with your arm at your side. Raise your straight arm forward and up toward overhead, leading with the front of your shoulder. Pause at the top, then lower with control and repeat on each arm.
- 1Feel the front of your shoulder lift the arm up in front of you
- 2Raise through a full arc toward overhead
- 3Keep your shoulder down and your torso steady
Common mistakes
- Do not arch your lower back to push the arm higher
- Avoid shrugging the trap as the arm rises
- Do not swing or use momentum to lift
Muscles worked
The shoulder - flexion mainly works the front delts, with the upper traps assisting.
- Front DeltsPrimary
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Upper ChestMinor
- Lower TrapsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the shoulder - flexion for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.