Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Roller Seated Single Leg Shoulder Flexor Depresor Retractor: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

This exercise targets the pectoral muscles while also engaging the deltoids and triceps. It involves sitting with legs extended, holding a roller, and performing a controlled shoulder flexion movement.

Primary muscles
Chest
Secondary muscles
Triceps , Shoulders
Equipment
Roller
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the roller seated single leg shoulder flexor depresor retractor
Front view: muscles worked by the roller seated single leg shoulder flexor depresor retractor. Primary: chest. Secondary: triceps and shoulders.
Back view: muscles worked by the roller seated single leg shoulder flexor depresor retractor. Primary: chest. Secondary: triceps and shoulders.
Primary Secondary

How to do the roller seated single leg shoulder flexor depresor retractor

  1. Step 1: Sit on a flat surface with your legs extended in front of you.
  2. Step 2: Hold the roller with both hands, palms facing down, and place it on your thighs.
  3. Step 3: Lean back slightly and engage your core muscles.
  4. Step 4: Raise the roller up to shoulder level, keeping your arms straight.
  5. Step 5: Slowly lower the roller back down to your thighs.
  6. Step 6: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the roller seated single leg shoulder flexor depresor retractor by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Roller Seated Single Leg Shoulder Flexor Depresor Retractor alternatives

More exercises that train the chest as their main target:

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.