Here are some effective shoulder exercises that one can do with simple items and without having to resort to weights and other gym equipment. They help in strengthening the shoulders and other parts of the body. However, maintaining proper posture at the time of executing the exercises is also important. In certain instances, it is best to seek guidance from a personal trainer.
7 Best Shoulder Exercises Without Equipment
1. Handstand Against Wall
How to Do:
- If one is trying handstand for the first time, it is best to do so against the wall.
- Place hands on the ground and kick up to get the feet in the air or against the wall.
- Push the ground to get a grip and tighten the core muscles at the same time.
- Step down gradually; lower the legs and bring down the legs one at a time.
Number of Repetitions: You can repeat this exercise 5-10 times as per comfort level.
How it Benefits: It helps to strengthen core, balance, and equilibrium as well as strengthens the shoulders.
[ Read: Best Shoulder Exercises for Women ]
2. Bear Crawl Exercise
How to Do:
- Get on the ground; place hands below the shoulder and align the spine parallel to the ground.
- Place knees behind the body as you get on all fours.
- Place balls of feet on the ground and lift knees off, keeping a flat back.
- Crawl forward in this position, moving your hands in front and keeping knees up and off the floor.
- Crawl back after a certain number of steps forward.
Number of Repetitions: Combine 20 steps in front and back and do sets of three in total.
How it Benefits:
- The movement is a compound movement. It helps to activate and stabilize shoulder muscles but also works the entire body, especially the core region and the leg muscles.
- It is a strength training exercise that uses own body weight and can be done by anyone.
[ Read: Best Workouts To Reduce Back Fat For Women ]
3. Handstand Push Ups
How to Do:
- If you have mastered the handstand position then you can move onto this advanced variation.
- Here you need to align yourself against the wall with feet balancing.
- Use the wall to gain support.
- Kick up into handstand position, keeping core muscles tight.
- Bend elbows and lower inverted body till head comes to the ground.
- Tighten the glutes and core muscles as you push away from the ground by extending the elbows.
- Return to handstand position and repeat.
Number of Repetitions: This exercise can be done by someone who can hold themselves in a handstand position. They can do 10 to 15 repetitions.
How it Benefits: The exercise can help to strengthen shoulder muscles, tighten the core as well as strengthen the upper body muscles.
[ Read: Simple Arm Workouts Without Weights ]
4. Dips
How to Do:
- Keep a bench or chair close by that has an edge to hold at your knee level.
- Stand in front of the bench and keep legs shoulder width apart.
- Keep feet planted on the ground.
- Hold the edge of the bench or stool and lower yourself by bending the knees.
- Bend elbows to lower down the body till they are at a ninety-degree angle.
- Hold at the bent position and then extend your elbows to straighten up.
Number of Repetitions: This exercise can be done 10-15 repetitions in sets of three.
How it Benefits:
- Dips are a great way to engage the deltoid muscles without using weights but by using body weight.
- They also help to strengthen the shoulders and are a great exercise to do even without equipment.
[ Read: Lower Body Workouts For Women ]
5. Decline Push Ups
How to Do:
- Use a floor mat and a stepper or an elevated floor bench for this exercise.
- Place the bench towards the feet and straighten out on the floor mat, facing down.
- Place feet on the elevated surface with balls of feet on it.
- Extend the legs and assume plank position by supporting the body on your hands.
- Squeeze the core and glutes and lower the chest to the ground slowly.
- Straighten the elbows and extend up.
- Repeat the movements.
Number of Repetitions: This is a variation of the normal push up exercise. It can be done 15 times and a total of three sets.
How it Benefits: Decline push up is a variant of the traditional exercise and helps in working the leg muscles, the core as well as strengthening the shoulder muscles.
[ Read: Best Exercises to Tone Arms without Weights ]
6. Humble Push Ups
How to Do:
- Lay a floor mat and lie on it with face down.
- Place hands on the ground, keeping them beneath the shoulders.
- Place feet behind with balls of the feet on the ground; extend the legs fully and assume the plank position.
- Squeeze the glutes and core region and lower chest to the ground.
- After the chest touches or nearly touches the mat push away and extend the elbows.
Number of Repetitions: This exercise can be done 10 times in each set and sets of three or four.
How it Benefits: This exercise is thought to help strengthen the chest muscles but it works on the deltoid muscles as well. It also strengthens the shoulder considerably.
[ Read: Best Leg Exercises for Women ]
7. Incline Push Ups
How to Do:
- Stand in front of an elevated surface such as a chair or bench.
- Place feet behind with balls of feet on the ground and legs extended, as in standing plank position.
- Squeeze the glutes and the core and glue the elbows to the sides.
- Lower chest to the bench or chair and push away to return to start position.
Number of Repetitions: The exercise can be repeated 15-20 times in sets of three.
How it Benefits:
- It helps to activate the anterior and posterior deltoid muscles.
- The angle makes it easier for those who find push-ups on the ground difficult.
- It also helps to take some of the weight off the hands.
The above exercises help to engage the upper body muscles, strengthen the shoulders as well as burn fat and tone muscles in the core. Some even engage the lower body muscles. It is best to combine these strength training exercises with aerobics to have a more complete workout.
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