Shoulders · Bodyweight
Shoulder - Transverse Abduction
How to do the shoulder - transverse abduction, 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
- HorizontalPull
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Raise your arm straight out in front at shoulder height. Keeping it level, sweep the arm out to the side and back, driving from the rear shoulder. Pause at the end, then return with control and repeat on each arm.
- 1Feel the back of your shoulder pull the arm out and back at shoulder
- 2height
- 3Keep the arm level the whole way through the sweep
- 4Squeeze the shoulder blade toward your spine at the end
Common mistakes
- Do not let the arm drop below shoulder height
- Avoid shrugging the trap as you sweep back
- Do not twist your torso to extend the range
Muscles worked
The shoulder - transverse abduction mainly works the rear delts, with the mid traps and lower traps assisting.
- Rear DeltsPrimary
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
- External RotatorsMinor
Kovo programs the shoulder - transverse abduction 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.