Important disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only and is not medical advice. If you have shoulder, neck, back, elbow, or wrist pain, a recent injury or surgery, numbness or tingling, unexplained weakness, or dizziness, consult a qualified clinician before starting. Stop any exercise that causes sharp pain.
When most people think about building a strong, V-shaped back or bulletproofing their shoulders, they usually focus on the large muscles like the latissimus dorsi (lats) or the deltoids. However, tucked away in the posterior shoulder region are two smaller but critically important muscles: the teres major and teres minor. Neglecting these muscles can lead to tight shoulders, upper back pain, a weak rotator cuff, and limited overhead mobility.
If you have been struggling with a dull ache behind your shoulder or simply want to improve your upper body mechanics, targeting the teres group is essential. In this guide, we will explore the 10 best exercises to strengthen and relieve the teres muscles, complete with tips for safe form and programming. But first, let’s quickly look at where these muscles are and why they matter for your shoulder health.
Key Takeaways
- Teres major helps with shoulder extension, adduction, and internal rotation, and often grows best from strong pulling patterns and straight-arm pulldown work.
- Teres minor is part of the rotator cuff and is heavily involved in external rotation and shoulder joint stability, so it benefits from lighter, higher-control work.
- Use a two-lane approach: heavy controlled pulls for teres major and low-load external rotation and scapular control for teres minor.
- If pain is sharp, radiating, worsening, or paired with numbness or instability, stop training and seek professional evaluation.
Understanding the Teres Muscles (Teres Major & Teres Minor)
While they share a similar name and location, the teres major and teres minor serve different functions. Understanding the distinction is key to effectively training them and resolving teres muscle pain.
What is the teres major?
The teres major is often nicknamed the "lat’s little helper." It sits on the back of the shoulder blade (scapula) and connects to the upper arm bone (humerus). Its primary functions include:
- Shoulder extension: Moving the arm backward.
- Shoulder adduction: Bringing the arm down toward the body.
- Internal rotation: Rotating the shoulder inward.
Because it works closely with the latissimus dorsi and the posterior deltoid, compound pulling movements are often the best way to strengthen it.
What is the teres minor?
The teres minor is one of the four muscles that make up the rotator cuff. Its main job is to externally rotate the shoulder and provide dynamic stability to the joint. Weakness or overuse here is a common contributor to posterior shoulder pain and impingement, making specific teres minor exercises crucial for long-term joint health.
Common Issues Involving the Teres Major
People often experience tightness along the outer edge of the shoulder blade or pain during overhead lifting. Root causes typically include poor posture (rounded shoulders), overuse in pulling sports like swimming or climbing, and general muscular imbalances. Targeted training improves strength and mobility, which reduces pain and enhances overall shoulder performance.
Training Principles for Teres Muscles
Before diving into the exercises, it is important to establish a foundation of safety and technique.
Warm-Up and Mobility
Warming up increases blood flow and prepares the rotator cuff for load. A brief 2–5 minute warm-up consisting of light cardio, dynamic shoulder circles, and band pull-aparts can significantly reduce injury risk.
Technique and Safety Guidelines
- Maintain a neutral spine: Avoid rounding your back during rows.
- Controlled tempo: Do not jerk the weight; use smooth, controlled movements.
- Listen to your body: Differentiate between the "burn" of a working muscle and sharp joint pain. Stop immediately if you feel the latter.
Programming Basics
For general strength, aim to train these muscles 2–3 times per week. Perform 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps for strength exercises (like rows) and 2–3 sets of 12–15 reps with lighter resistance for stability or rehab-focused movements.
10 Best Teres Muscle Workout Exercises for Strength and Relief
Below are the top exercises specifically selected to target the teres major for power and the teres minor for stability, as well as movements for relief.
1. Single-Arm Dumbbell Row (Elbow Close to Body)
Focus: Teres major, lats, mid-back.
How to do it:
- Place one knee and hand on a bench for support, keeping your back flat.
- Hold a dumbbell in the free hand, letting it hang straight down.
- Pull the dumbbell up toward your hip, keeping your elbow close to your torso.
- Squeeze the muscles behind your shoulder at the top, then lower slowly.
Common Mistake: Pulling the weight toward the chest or shrugging the shoulder, which engages the upper traps instead of the teres major.
2. Straight-Arm Cable Pulldown
Focus: Teres major and lats (isolation).
How to do it:
- Stand facing a cable machine with a straight bar or rope attachment.
- Start with your hands at shoulder height, arms nearly straight.
- Engage your lats and teres muscles to push the bar down toward your thighs.
- Control the return phase as your arms rise back to shoulder height.
Tip: Keep a slight bend in the elbows but lock the position; do not turn it into a triceps pushdown.
3. Lat Pulldown with Narrow/Neutral Grip
Focus: Teres major, lats, lower traps.
How to do it:
- Sit at a lat pulldown machine using a V-bar or neutral grip attachment.
- Lean back slightly and pull the handle down to your upper chest.
- Focus on driving your elbows down and back.
Common Mistake: Using momentum to swing the weight down or pulling the bar too low (to the stomach).
4. Incline Bench Dumbbell Row (Chest-Supported)
Focus: Teres major and mid-back without lower-back strain.
How to do it:
- Set an incline bench to roughly 45 degrees.
- Lie chest-down on the bench holding a dumbbell in each hand.
- Row the weights upward, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top.
Tip: This variation prevents you from using body English to cheat the rep, ensuring the teres muscles do the work.
5. Face Pulls
Focus: Teres minor, rear delts, external rotators.
How to do it:
- Set a rope attachment at face height on a cable machine.
- Grip the rope with thumbs facing backward.
- Pull the rope toward your face, separating your hands so they end up near your ears.
- Focus on externally rotating your shoulders (thumbs pointing back) at the peak of the movement.
Relief Angle: This is excellent for balancing the shoulder joint if you do a lot of pressing exercises.
6. Side-Lying Dumbbell External Rotation
Focus: Teres minor and joint stability.
How to do it:
- Lie on your side on a mat or bench.
- Tuck the elbow of your top arm against your side, bent at 90 degrees.
- Holding a light dumbbell, rotate your forearm upward toward the ceiling while keeping the elbow pinned to your hip.
- Lower slowly.
Tip: Use very light weight; the goal is control, not maximum load.
7. Prone Y Raise
Focus: Lower traps and teres muscles as stabilizers.
How to do it:
- Lie face down on the floor or a bench.
- Extend your arms overhead at a 45-degree angle to form a "Y" shape.
- With thumbs pointing up, lift your arms off the ground using your upper back muscles.
- Hold for a second, then lower.
Common Mistake: Arching the lower back to lift the arms higher.
8. Banded or Cable Straight-Arm Row (Low to High)
Focus: Teres major with scapular control.
How to do it:
- Anchor a resistance band or cable low to the ground.
- Step back to create tension, keeping your arm straight.
- Pull your arm back past your hip, focusing on the stretch and contraction of the back muscles.
Tip: This provides a unique angle of resistance compared to standard pulldowns.
9. Foam Rolling and Trigger Point Release
Focus: Relief from tightness and pain.
How to do it:
- Lie on your side with a foam roller or lacrosse ball placed under the armpit area, near the back of the shoulder blade.
- Gently roll back and forth to find tender spots.
- Pause on tight areas for 30–60 seconds, breathing deeply to allow the muscle to release.
Caution: Avoid rolling directly over the bone or nerve bundles in the armpit; stay on the muscular part of the scapula border.
10. Doorway Lat/Teres Stretch
Focus: Flexibility and relief.
How to do it:
- Stand facing a doorframe.
- Reach across your body and grab the frame with one hand at shoulder height or slightly higher.
- Push your hips back and lean your torso away from the hand to feel a stretch along the side of your back and shoulder.
- Hold for 20–30 seconds per side.
Sample Teres Major Workout Routines
You can integrate these exercises into your existing program or use them as standalone routines depending on your goals.
Strength-Focused Back Day
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Row: 3 sets of 8–10 reps
- Lat Pulldown: 3 sets of 10–12 reps
- Chest-Supported Row: 3 sets of 10–12 reps
- Straight-Arm Cable Pulldown: 3 sets of 12–15 reps
- Face Pulls: 3 sets of 15 reps
At-Home Relief & Rehab Routine
This routine is ideal for those suffering from mild teres muscle pain or stiffness.
- Doorway Stretch: 30 seconds each side
- Side-Lying External Rotation: 2 sets of 15 reps (light weight/water bottle)
- Prone Y Raises: 2 sets of 10 reps
- Foam Rolling: 2 minutes per side
Recovery, Progression, and When to Seek Help
Consistency is key to seeing results, but recovery is just as important. Allow at least 48 hours between intense sessions to let the muscles repair. As you get stronger, progressively increase the weight or reps to continue challenging the muscles.
If you experience sharp pain, numbness, or shoulder instability that does not improve with rest and lighter loads, it is crucial to consult a professional. Persistent pain may indicate a tear or more severe impingement requiring specialized care.
FAQ
Are teres major and teres minor the same as the lats?
No. Teres major assists many lat-like actions, but it is a separate muscle. Teres minor is part of the rotator cuff and focuses more on external rotation and stability.
Which exercises hit the teres major best?
Rows that drive the elbow toward the hip, straight-arm pulldowns, and neutral-grip pulldowns typically bias the teres major well.
Which exercises hit the teres minor best?
Face pulls, side-lying external rotation, and other controlled external rotation patterns are common staples because they train stability and endurance.
Should I train these if my shoulder hurts?
If pain is sharp, radiating, worsening, or paired with numbness or instability, stop and get evaluated first. If discomfort is mild and improves with controlled light work, the rehab routine may help, but you should stay conservative.
How often should I train them?
Most people do well with two to three sessions per week. Minor Teres stability work can be done more frequently if the load is light and the form is strict.
Conclusion
Strong and mobile teres muscles are vital for a healthy, functioning shoulder. Whether you are an athlete looking to improve your pull-up strength or someone trying to alleviate daily shoulder aches, incorporating these teres major exercises into your routine can make a significant difference. Start with light weights to master the form, stay consistent, and enjoy the benefits of a stronger, pain-free upper body.
