10+ Easy Calisthenics For Shoulders Exercises You Should Be Doing

✅ Calisthenics For Shoulders – Warm Ups 

1. Arm Circles: Enhance shoulder mobility and blood flow. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, extend your arms parallel to the floor, and make small circles, gradually increasing to larger circles.
   
2. Shoulder Pass-Throughs: Improve range of motion and flexibility. Hold a stick or towel with both hands wider than shoulder-width apart. Keeping your arms straight, lift the stick over your head and down behind your back, then return to the front.
   
3. Wall Slides: Strengthens the muscles around the scapula and improves posture. Stand with your back against a wall, elbows and wrists touching the wall. Slide your arms up overhead, then back down, maintaining contact with the wall.
   

✅  Shoulder Shrugs

Shoulder shrugs target the trapezius muscles, which are located in the upper part of your back, running from your neck to your shoulder.

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart
• Keep your arms at your sides, palms facing in
• Raise your shoulders up towards your ears as high as possible
• Hold the position for a moment
• Lower your shoulders back down

✅ Push Ups

Push-ups primarily target the pectoral muscles, triceps, and anterior deltoids, engaging the core and lower body as stabilizers.

• Start in a plank position, hands under shoulders
• Keep your body straight, and engage your core
• Lower down until your chest nearly touches the floor
• Push back up to the starting position
• Keep elbows close to your body

✅ Decline Push Ups

Decline push-ups intensify the focus on the upper pectorals, anterior deltoids, and triceps, offering a more challenging variation compared to regular push-ups.

• Place your feet on an elevated surface.
• Assume a standard push-up position with your hands on the ground
• Ensure your body forms a straight line from heels to head
• Lower your chest to the ground, keeping your elbows close
• Push back up to the starting position

✅ Chest Dips

Chest dips primarily target the pectoral muscles, triceps, and anterior deltoids, providing an effective workout for the upper body.

• Use parallel bars and grip them firmly
• Lift yourself, arms straight, legs crossed
• Lean forward slightly, elbows bent
• Lower your body, keeping elbows by your sides
• Push back up, extend arms fully

✅ Pike Push Ups

Pike push-ups focus on the deltoids, particularly the anterior and medial heads, and engage the upper pectorals, triceps, and core muscles for stabilization.

• Start in a downward-facing dog position, with hands and feet on the floor and hips raised high
• Keep your hands shoulder-width apart and your back straight
• Lower your head towards the ground by bending your elbows
• Push back up to the starting position, extending your arms fully

✅ Side Planks

Side planks target the abdominal muscles, the gluteus medius and muscles in the hips, along with the shoulders.

• Lie on your side, legs extended
• Prop your body up on your lower elbow, aligning it directly under your shoulder
• Lift your hips, forming a straight line from head to feet
• Hold the position, keeping your core tight
• Lower your hips back down. Repeat on the other side

✅ Shoulder Taps

Shoulder taps primarily work the core muscles, specifically the abdominal muscles, while also engaging the shoulders, chest, and back for stability.

• Start in a high plank position, hands under shoulders
• Keep your body straight and core engaged
• Tap your left shoulder with your right hand
• Return your hand to the floor and repeat with the opposite hand
• Maintain minimal hip movement throughout the exercise

✅ Commandos

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Commando exercises primarily target the core muscles, especially the abdominal muscles, while also engaging the shoulders, chest, and triceps.

• Begin in a plank position with your forearms on the ground
• Push up off one arm to a push-up position, then follow with the other arm
• Return to the starting position by lowering one arm back to the forearm plank position, then the other
• Alternate the leading arm with each rep to maintain balance in muscle development

✅ Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers target the core muscles, including the abdominals and obliques, while engaging the shoulders, arms, chest, and legs for a full-body workout.

• Start in a high plank position, hands under shoulders
• Bring one knee towards your chest, keeping your foot off the ground
• Quickly switch legs, extending the first leg back while bringing the other knee to your chest
• Continue alternating legs at a rapid pace, keeping your hips down and your core engaged

✅ Advanced: Hand Stands

Handstands primarily engage the shoulders, arms, and core, particularly the deltoids, triceps, and abdominals, for balance and stability.

• Begin with your hands on the ground, shoulder-width apart
• Kick one leg up, followed by the other, to lift into a handstand
• Keep your body straight and core engaged
• Aim to balance on your hands, keeping your feet together
• Gradually lower back down or kick out to exit the position

✅ Advanced: Hand Stand Push Ups

Handstand push-ups target the shoulders, particularly the anterior deltoids, along with the triceps and upper chest. They also engage the core for stability.

• Start in a handstand position against a wall for support.
• Ensure your hands are placed about shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your elbows to lower your body until your head nearly touches the floor.
• Push through your hands to extend your arms and return to the starting position.
• Keep your core engaged to maintain balance.