9 Best Bodyweight Shoulder Exercises That Can Help You Build Healthy Shoulders

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Well-formed and sculpted shoulders are one of the sought-after features of most exercises. Many see it as one of the best ways to enhance their features.

Aside from the aesthetics, shoulder exercises can help improve your posture and strengthen the muscles in the shoulder joint area.

Many exercisers will opt for free weights (like dumbbells and barbells) and cable machines when planning their shoulder training regimen. But bodyweight shoulder exercises are also some of the best ways to target and work the deltoid and other muscles in the region.

Best bodyweight shoulder exercises for better posture and shoulder strength

Below are some of the best bodyweight shoulder exercises to target and work your deltoid muscles.

You don’t need any gym equipment for the exercises. You can do them in the comfort of your home and at your convenience.

Bodyweight Side Lateral Raise

The side lateral raise is one of the best bodyweight shoulder exercises at home for working and toning the muscles in your deltoid area.

The side lateral raise targets the lateral head of the deltoid muscle. The bigger it gets, the broader your shoulders will look.

The exercise involves balancing your body in the side plank pose, which will require strong core muscles.

Steps to follow

• Assume the plank pose by resting your body on your toes and forearms. Ensure your body is rigid from your head to your heels. You can spread your legs to help keep you stable.
• Balance your body on one forearm, lift the other forearm and rotate your shoulder to twist your torso to the opposite side of the forearm on the floor. Ensure you don’t lift your toes.
• Continue rotating until your forearms are in line.
• Pause and return the forearm to your starting position.
• Repeat 10-15 reps on each side for a set and three sets to complete a session. Alternatively, Perform as many as possible for 30 seconds on one side of your body. Rest for 15 seconds, then do the same with the other side of your body

Pike Push-Up

Pike push-ups are some of the best shoulder bodyweight exercises for strengthening the deltoid muscles.

You will need strong core muscles to keep you stable throughout the movement.

You will also need a good shoulder and elbow health.

Do not attempt to do the pike push-ups if you are recovering from any shoulder or elbow injury.

Steps to follow

• Start by getting into the plank pose, balancing your body on your toes and palms. Place your palms under your shoulders and press your toes and palms firmly on the floor.
• Keep your back flat and your core tight.
• Engage your hamstrings and glutes and keep your body neutral and in a straight line.
• Lift your hips and form an inverted V with your body. Ensure you lock your legs and arms.
• Lower your body toward the floor by bending your elbows. Keep lowering until your head touches the floor.
• Pause and return to your starting position in a slow and controlled manner.
• Repeat 5-8 reps for a set and 2-3 sets for a session, with 30 seconds of rest after each set

Wide-Grip Inverted Row

Inverted rows, aka bodyweight rows, are inverted push-ups. You can use the movement to target various upper and lower body muscles, including your shoulders, rhomboids, and traps.

Steps to follow

• Set the bar on the Smith machine to hip height
• Hang beneath the bar, ensuring you lock your arms. Your heels should be the only parts of your body touching the floor. Keep your arms more than shoulder-width apart.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together and engage your core muscles. Ensure your body, from your head to your heels, stays in a straight line.
• Pull your body up to the bar and stop pulling before your chest touches the bar.
• Pause, retract your shoulder blades, and slowly lower your body until you lock your arms to your starting position.
• Repeat 10 Reps for a set and 5 set to complete a session, with 30-second rest after each set.

Handstand Push Up

https://youtu.be/_z6JgP219T8

The handstand push-ups are a challenging variation of the traditional push-up exercises. They are some of the best bodyweight shoulder exercises for building strong and broader shoulders.

The bodyweight shoulder exercises involve doing push-ups while standing on your hands.

The range of motion is similar to traditional push-ups and are some of the best bodyweight shoulder exercises for building shoulder, back, and core muscles.

Steps to follow

• Go into a handstand, using a wall for support. Ensure you lock your elbows and knees. You can place an exercise mat or folded blanket under your head for support.
• Push your legs together, squeeze your quads and glutes, engage your core, and keep your body rigid throughout the movement
• Start bending your elbows and push your body down until your forehead touches the floor.
• Push your body up until you lock your elbows to your starting position.
• Repeat for 8-10 reps per set and up to 3 sets per session, with 30 seconds rest after each set.

Arm Circles

Arm circles are bodyweight exercises for building shoulder muscles.

The movement involves stretching your arms sideways and making small circles in the air with your hands.

You can use the bodyweight shoulder exercises as a warm-up to stretch the deltoids before strenuous workouts.

It is one of the best exercises for the rotator cuff, a group of muscles surrounding the shoulder joint.

Steps to follow

• Stand upright and stretch your arms sideways, ensuring you lock your elbows. Keep your arms parallel to the floor and 90 degrees to your torso.
• Start drawing circles of about 1-foot diameter in the air with both arms. Breathe normally as you make the circles.
• Repeat as many times for 10 seconds.
• Reverse and repeat the motions in the other direction
• Repeat the alternating movements as many times as you can until you burn out

Crab Walk

The crab walk may look like a simple exercise, but it is one of the best bodyweight shoulder exercises that can work many muscles in a short period.

Steps to follow

• The exercise works your shoulders, triceps, hamstrings, and quads, among other muscles.
• Sit on the floor and support your body with your outstretched arms behind you.
• Keep your feet at hip-width and in front of you.
• Bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the floor.
• Push down on your arms and feet to lift your hips as high as possible or until it lines up with your tummy and thighs.
• Walk forward on your arms and feet for 30 seconds.
• Reverse and walk backward for another 30 seconds.
• Walk back and forth as many times as you can, 30 seconds in each direction until you burn out.

Shoulder Taps

Shoulder taps are low-impact bodyweight shoulder exercises that work the core and abdominal muscles.

The taps are bodyweight shoulder exercises for beginners that can improve posture and shoulder stability.

Steps to follow

• Start by going into the plank pose, ensuring you lock your elbows. Keep your body straight and rigid.
• Engage your core and upper body
• Balance your body on one palm, stabilize your core and tap your free palm on the opposite shoulder. Ensure your hips remain steady.
• Switch hands and repeat. Ensure your hips remain steady throughout the movement.
• Keep alternating the taps for 30 seconds, or until you lose momentum, or until you burn out.

Bear Crawl

The bear crawl is one of the best bodyweight shoulder exercises that work many other muscles.

Bear Crawl works the deltoids, back, chest, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and core.

It is one of the best shoulder bodyweight exercises for building endurance and total body strength.

Steps to follow

• Get into the push-up position with your hands beneath your shoulders and your feet hip-width apart.
• Simultaneously move one arm and its opposite leg forward in a crawling motion and return to your starting position. Ensure your knees don’t touch the floor.
• Switch sides and immediately repeat with the other side
• Continue in the crawling motion for 30 seconds to complete a set
• Pause for 30 seconds and repeat.
• Repeat 3-5 times with 30 seconds intervals to complete a session.

Plank To Alternating Pike

The plank to alternating pike is one of the best bodyweight shoulder exercises for beginners.

Steps to follow

• Get into the plank pose with your body resting on your palms and toes. Ensure your body, from head to heels, is in a straight line.
• Engage your core and lift your hips toward the ceiling to form a V-shape with your body.
• Shift your body weight onto one hand and tap one knee with the opposite hand while balancing your body on the other hand.
• Return the hand to its starting place on the floor
• Switch sides and repeat the knee tap with the other hand.
• Repeat the alternating tapping for 30 seconds to complete a set.
• Come out of the pose, rest for 30 seconds, and start another set.
• Aim to complete 3-5 sets per session

Final words from LiveLIfe

Many fitness enthusiasts think of free weights (like dumbbells and barbells) and cable machines when discussing and planning shoulder training regimens. But bodyweight shoulder exercises are viable options worth considering.

Aside from helping to target and work the deltoid and other muscles in the area, they can boost cardiovascular strength and endurance, thereby improving your general health.

All the bodyweight shoulder exercises we have discussed require no gym equipment and won’t take much time to complete.

Thus you can fit them into your tight schedule and achieve some good results. You only need some commitment and dedication.