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Can You Build Shoulders With Bodyweight? Explained!

Yes, you can build shoulders with bodyweight exercises. 

Bodyweight exercises are a great way to strengthen and sculpt your shoulders without the need for any equipment. 

Photo: vuk8691/Getty Images

They also offer many benefits for your overall health and fitness, such as improving your posture, mobility, stability, and cardiovascular endurance.

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The Anatomy and Function of the Shoulder Muscles

The shoulder is a complex joint that allows you to move your arm in various directions. 

It consists of three bones: the humerus (upper arm bone), the scapula (shoulder blade), and the clavicle (collarbone). 

Photo: blueringmedia/Getty Images

These bones are connected by several ligaments, tendons, and muscles that provide stability and support to the joint.

The main muscles of the shoulder are the deltoids, which form the rounded shape of your shoulder. 

Photo: VectorMine/Shutterstock

They have three parts: the anterior (front), the medial (side), and the posterior (rear) deltoids. 

These muscles are responsible for lifting your arm up, to the side, and to the back. 

They also help with internal and external rotation of your arm.

Another important group of muscles in the shoulder are the rotator cuff muscles, which are located deep under the deltoids. 

They include the supraspinatus, the infraspinatus, the teres minor, and the subscapularis. 

These muscles help stabilize the shoulder joint and prevent it from dislocating. 

They also assist with various movements of the arm, such as abduction, adduction, and rotation.

Other muscles that contribute to the shoulder function are:

  • the trapezius,
  • the latissimus dorsi, 
  • the pectoralis major, 
  • the serratus anterior, 
  • the rhomboids, and
  • the levator scapulae. 

These muscles are located on the back, chest, and side of your torso, and they help move and control the scapula. 

They also play a role in posture, breathing, and core stability.

Best Bodyweight Exercises for Your Shoulders

There are many bodyweight exercises that can target your shoulder muscles from different angles and intensities. 

Here are some of the best ones that you can try:

1. Pike push-up

This is a variation of the standard push-up that shifts more weight to your shoulders and upper chest. 

To do it:
  • Start in a plank position with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders and your feet close together. 
  • Lift your hips up and back until your body forms an inverted V shape. 
  • Keep your legs and arms straight and your head between your arms. 
  • Bend your elbows and lower your head toward the floor, keeping your body in a straight line. 
  • Push yourself back up to the starting position. 
  • Repeat for the desired number of reps.

2. Handstand hold

This is an advanced exercise that requires a lot of strength, balance, and coordination. 

It works your entire shoulder girdle, as well as your core and arms. 

To do it: 
  • Stand facing a wall with your feet about a foot away from it. 
  • Place your hands on the floor about shoulder-width apart and slightly in front of your shoulders. 
  • Kick your legs up and place your heels against the wall. 
  • Keep your body in a straight line from your head to your toes. 
  • Engage your core and squeeze your glutes. 
  • Hold this position for as long as you can, breathing normally. 
  • To come down, bend your knees and lower your feet to the floor.


3. Shoulder tap

This is a simple but effective exercise that challenges your shoulder stability and core strength. 

To do it:
  • Start in a plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your feet hip-width apart. 
  • Keep your body in a straight line from your head to your heels. 
  • Lift your right hand and tap your left shoulder, keeping your hips and shoulders as still as possible. 
  • Return your right hand to the floor and repeat with your left hand. 
  • Alternate sides for the desired number of reps.

4. Plank to alternating pike

This is a dynamic exercise that combines a plank and a pike, working your shoulders, core, and legs. 

To do it:
  • Start in a plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your feet hip-width apart. 
  • Keep your body in a straight line from your head to your heels. 
  • Lift your right leg and bend your knee toward your chest. 
  • Then, extend your right leg up and back, lifting your hips and forming a pike with your right leg. Return to the plank position and repeat with your left leg.
  • Alternate sides for the desired number of reps.

5. Wall walk

This is another advanced exercise that requires a lot of strength, balance, and control. 

It works your shoulders, back, chest, and core. 

To do it:
  • Start in a plank position with your feet close to a wall and your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. 
  • Walk your feet up the wall until your body is almost vertical and your hands are close to the wall. 
  • Keep your body in a straight line and your core engaged. 
  • Walk your hands and feet back to the starting position. 
  • Repeat for the desired number of reps.

6. T-plank

This is a variation of the side plank that adds a rotation to your shoulders and core. 

To do it:
  • Start in a plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your feet hip-width apart. 
  • Keep your body in a straight line from your head to your heels. 
  • Rotate your torso to the right and lift your right arm up, forming a T shape with your body. 
  • Keep your hips and shoulders stacked and your gaze on your right hand. 
  • Hold this position for a few seconds, then return to the plank position. 
  • Repeat on the other side. 
  • Alternate sides for the desired number of reps.


7. Doorway lateral raise

This is a simple but effective exercise that works your lateral deltoids, which are often neglected in bodyweight training. 

To do it: 
  • Stand in a doorway with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms by your sides. 
  • Hold the door frame with your hands and lean back slightly, creating tension in your arms. 
  • Keep your elbows slightly bent and your shoulders down and back. 
  • Raise your arms to the sides until they are parallel to the floor, squeezing your shoulder blades together. 
  • Lower your arms back to the starting position. 
  • Repeat for the desired number of reps.

8. Wall angel

This is a great exercise to improve your shoulder mobility and posture. 

It stretches and strengthens your shoulder muscles, especially the posterior deltoids and the rotator cuff. 

To do it:
  • Stand with your back against a wall and your feet about a foot away from it. 
  • Bend your elbows to 90 degrees and raise your arms to the sides, forming a W shape with your body.
  • Keep your arms, elbows, wrists, and head in contact with the wall. 
  • Slide your arms up the wall until they are straight above your head, forming a Y shape with your body. 
  • Keep your core engaged and your ribs down. 
  • Slide your arms back down to the W position. 
  • Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Benefits of Bodyweight Exercises for Your Shoulders

Bodyweight training is a form of resistance training that uses your own body weight as the load. 

It is an effective and convenient way to build strength, muscle mass, and endurance in your shoulders and other body parts. 

Some of the benefits of bodyweight exercises for your shoulders are:

1. It improves your functional fitness

Bodyweight exercises mimic the natural movements that you perform in your daily life, such as pushing, pulling, lifting, and reaching. 

By strengthening your shoulder muscles, you can improve your ability to perform these tasks with ease and prevent injuries.

2. It enhances your mobility and flexibility

Bodyweight exercises require you to move your shoulder joint through its full range of motion, which can help improve your joint health and prevent stiffness and pain. 

They also stretch and lengthen your muscles, which can improve your posture and alignment.

3. It boosts your cardiovascular health

Bodyweight exercises can be performed in a circuit or interval style, which can increase your heart rate and oxygen consumption. 

This can improve your cardiovascular endurance, lower your blood pressure, and reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.

4. It saves you time and money

Bodyweight exercises do not require any equipment, so you can do them anywhere and anytime. 

You also do not need to spend money on gym memberships, weights, or machines. 

You can get a complete shoulder workout with just your body and a few props, such as a chair, a wall, or a floor.

How to Design a Bodyweight Shoulder Workout

To design a bodyweight shoulder workout that suits your goals and level of fitness, you need to consider the following factors:

1. Frequency

How often do you want to train your shoulders? 

Ideally, you should train them at least twice a week, with at least 48 hours of rest between sessions. 

This will allow your muscles to recover and grow. 

You can also train your shoulders as part of a full-body or upper-body workout, or on a separate day.

2. Intensity

How hard do you want to work your shoulders? 

The intensity of your workout depends on the number of sets, reps, and rest periods you choose. 

Generally, you should aim for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 reps per exercise, with 30 to 60 seconds of rest between sets. 

You can adjust these variables according to your goals and fitness level. 

For example, if you want to build more strength and muscle, you can increase the number of sets and reps, and decrease the rest periods. 

If you want to improve your endurance and cardiovascular health, you can decrease the number of sets and reps, and increase the rest periods.

3. Variety

How do you want to spice up your workout? 

Variety is important to keep your workout fun and challenging, and to avoid boredom and plateaus. 

You can vary your workout by changing: 
  • the exercises, 
  • the order, 
  • the tempo,
  • the range of motion, 
  • the resistance, or 
  • the duration of your workout. 

You can also add some challenges, such as supersets, drop sets, pyramids, or circuits, to increase the intensity and variety of your workout.

Example of a Bodyweight Shoulder Workout

Here is an example of a bodyweight shoulder workout that you can try:

1. Warm-up

Start with some dynamic stretches and mobility exercises to prepare your shoulders and joints for the workout. 

You can do some arm circles, shoulder rolls, neck rotations, scapular shrugs, and thoracic rotations. 

Do each exercise for 10 to 15 seconds, and repeat for 2 to 3 rounds.

2. Workout

Perform the following exercises in a circuit style, resting for 30 seconds between exercises and 60 seconds between rounds. 

Do 3 to 4 rounds of the circuit, depending on your fitness level and time availability.
  • Pike push-up: 10 to 15 reps
  • Handstand hold: 10 to 30 seconds
  • Shoulder tap: 20 to 30 reps (10 to 15 per side)
  • Plank to alternating pike: 10 to 15 reps (5 to 7 per side)
  • Wall walk: 5 to 10 reps
  • T-plank: 10 to 15 reps (5 to 7 per side)
  • Doorway lateral raise: 15 to 20 reps
  • Wall angel: 15 to 20 reps

3. Cool-down

Finish your workout with some static stretches and relaxation exercises to ease your muscles and joints. 

You can do some chest stretch, shoulder stretch, triceps stretch, and neck stretch. 

Hold each stretch for 15 to 30 seconds, and repeat for 2 to 3 rounds.

Conclusion

Bodyweight exercises are a great way to build shoulders with bodyweight. 

They can help you improve your strength, muscle mass, endurance, mobility, flexibility, and cardiovascular health. 

They can also save you time and money, as you do not need any equipment or gym membership. 

You can do them anywhere and anytime, and vary them according to your goals and preferences.

Try the bodyweight shoulder workout we suggested, or create your own using the exercises we showed you. 

Remember to warm up before and cool down after your workout, and to rest and recover properly between sessions. 

You will soon see and feel the results of your hard work and dedication. 

Good luck and have fun!



This post first appeared on HIITRIX, please read the originial post: here

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Can You Build Shoulders With Bodyweight? Explained!

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