Calisthenics shoulder workout: 10 exercises
Calisthenics shoulder workout ensures that these muscles grow strong and you can perform demanding activities without problems, such as heavy lifting and playing sports.
Training also reduces the risk of injury because, by developing shoulder strength, your body gets used to the work and your muscles don't tear easily.
So, you should opt for calisthenics exercises that get your ligaments, muscles, tendons and joints used to body weight training.
This strength training is adaptable, as you can do it anywhere and using some calisthenics equipment to augment the movements.
In addition, strong shoulders are a sign of perfect health and fitness.
Throughout this post we'll introduce you to the best shoulder calisthenics exercises so you can start your training today and build big, strong, defined shoulders in no time.

Benefits of calisthenics shoulder workout
Calisthenics shoulder workout has multiple benefits, such as:
- Improve posture and body composition.
- Some exercises do not require equipment such as barbells, dumbbells and machines.
- When you train your shoulders you also train your chest, back, triceps and core.
- Shoulder training allows you to develop strength, flexibility and mobility in the deltoids and rotator cuff.
How long should a calisthenics workout be for shoulders?
The duration of the calisthenics workout for shoulders should range from 30 to 45 minutes, but it will also depend on the rest time you take.
In addition, your level of experience and demand are also factors that will determine the duration of your training routine.
It is recommended to do a total of 3 sets, between each exercise 45 seconds rest and 2 minutes for each round. The number of repetitions will vary depending on the degree of experience you have.
What to do before calisthenics training for shoulders?
Before starting calisthenics shoulder workout, you should warm up, whether you are a beginner or not.
This does not take much time and doing so will help you avoid serious injury and prepare your body for the stress you are going to put on yourself.
Perform easy warm-up routines to get the blood flowing and joints lubricated.
The warm-up is performed as follows:
First you should perform a general warm-up to activate your body and increase your body temperature.
This may include brisk walking, jogging or dynamic warm-up exercises such as squats, push-ups, scissors and stretching.
Then, you must do specific exercises for the training you are going to do.
This can include lighter movements of the muscles you will be using, activation exercises, more dynamic sets of movements and stretching.
A good warm-up will help you prepare your body for training, improve your performance and reduce the risk of injury.
4 calisthenics exercises for the shoulder
Below are named and explained calisthenics exercises for the shoulder that you can include in your training plan:
1. Shoulder taps
This exercise improves core and shoulder stability, because when you lift one arm off the ground, the muscles of the opposite arm work hard to stabilize the shoulder joint.
Steps to carry out the exercise:
- Perform the push-up position.
- Engage your core, lift one arm off the ground and strike the opposite shoulder.
- Lower the arm and repeat again with the other arm.
2. Upside down dog board
Including this exercise in your calisthenics shoulder workout also allows you to strengthen the muscles of the back, legs and abdomen, as well as the wrists and ankles.
Steps to perform the exercise:
- Start by performing the push-up position.
- Then, extend your elbows while keeping your arms straight.
- Lift your hips and bring them all the way back while pushing yourself up with your arms.
- The idea is to create a straight line from the wrists to the hips.
- When you reach that position, lower your hips and return to the starting position.
3. Alpinists
Although it is an excellent exercise for the abdominals, the shoulder muscles also play an important role.
This is due to the isometric position of the restraining arm which improves endurance and builds shoulder strength.
Steps to perform the exercise:
- First do the push-up position.
- Extend your elbows and keep your arms straight.
- Bring one knee to your chest while keeping the other leg straight.
- The elbows should remain straight and do a manual push on the floor with the arms all the time.
- Remove the knee from the chest and switch legs.
- To make it a little more complex, switch legs as fast as you can.
4. Elbow to high plank
This is another exercise you should include in your calisthenics training for shoulders, as you work your core and at the same time improve shoulder stability.
After each set it is advisable to change the main arm to develop a balanced strength between both shoulders.
Steps to perform the exercise:
- Get into the plank position with your elbows on the floor.
- Make sure you have a good plank position throughout the movement.
- Engage your core and keep your lower back from arching too much.
- While keeping your core tight and good form, place one palm on the floor while resting the other elbow on the floor.
- You must push yourself with that hand to the flexion position until both arms are straight.
- Go back down to the elbows and repeat.
Bodyweight shoulder exercises for beginners
If you are a beginner and don't know what exercises to include in your calisthenics training routine for shoulders we recommend you start with these:
5. Lizards
Push-ups are in almost every shoulder calisthenics routine and are a prerequisite for the two specialized variations: handstands and pike push-ups.
Steps to perform the exercise:
- Lie on your stomach and place your hands firmly on the sides of your chest and in line with your shoulders.
- Support your feet well and lift your torso off the ground using your arms and chest to raise your body.
6. Vertical shoulder pulses
In a calisthenics workout for the shoulders, this exercise should not be missing, because it allows you to tone and strengthen them, perfect when you are a beginner.
Steps to perform the exercise:
- Stand up straight with your feet hip and shoulder width apart, keep your arms straight out to the sides.
- Wrap hands and thumbs facing outward.
- Keep your shoulder engaged and move your arms up and down several times.
- Perform this movement as many times as possible.
7. Inclined rowing
This exercise works the rear delt, improving the symmetry of the shoulder muscles.
Steps to perform the exercise:
- Anchor a towel to the top of a closed door.
- Grasp the ends of the towel with a natural grip.
- The correct way to do this is with your back straight, leaning back with your arms stretched out in front of you.
- Pull on the towel as your body rows in the forward position. You will feel the contraction in your upper body and posterior deltoid when you do a rowing motion.
- Pause briefly and return your body to the beginning.
The 3 best calisthenics exercises for shoulder with bodyweight
There are three main bodyweight shoulder exercises that can be easily modified or adapted to any level of experience.
The exercises you should perform in calisthenics training for shoulders with which you achieve excellent results are:
8. Handstand push-ups
It is the most effective shoulder movement there is, as no other movement builds strong shoulders like this one.
Steps to perform the exercise:
- You must do the handstand position near a wall.
- Place your palms wider than shoulder-width apart and very close to a wall.
- Legs should be straight and shoulder-width apart, with heels touching the wall behind.
- Arms, back and legs should be straight and abdominals tight.
- Lower your body towards the floor by bending your elbows until your head touches the floor.
- Touch the floor and do a regular push up until the elbows are fully stretched and repeat.
9. Decline Pike Push Ups
Another exercise that you should include in your calisthenics training for shoulders is the decline pike push-ups. Its purpose is to simulate a shoulder press movement.
Steps to perform the exercise:
- Place your feet on a bench or chair, arms on the floor and raise your hips high in an inverted V position.
- Bend your elbows, lower your upper body and do a push-up, holding the position for a few seconds.
- Perform several repetitions.
10. Decline Push Up
The last exercise of the calisthenics training for shoulders is the declined push-ups that both experts and beginners can perform.
Steps to perform the exercise:
- Place your feet on a bench and your arms on the floor, your body should be straight.
- Begin the decline push with arms, head, shoulders, hips and feet aligned.
Precautions when doing calisthenics exercises for the shoulder
In calisthenics it is common to suffer a shoulder injury when exercises are not done correctly and some precautions are taken.
The first precaution is to make sure you are warming up properly before starting the exercises.
On the other hand, it is important to start slow and at a gentle pace and increase the intensity little by little.
During the exercises, it is important to maintain good posture and be aware of your form to avoid injury.
And, of course, you have to listen to your body and stop if you feel pain, dizziness or fatigue.
If you have suffered a shoulder dislocation before, you should be very careful when performing exercises and make sure you are following a safe rehabilitation program.
At the time of calisthenics shoulder workout it is important that you perform the following:
- Shoulder external rotation exercises.
- Take care of the technique in the exercises by doing a scapular retraction.
- Warm up your shoulders to prevent pain and injury, e.g., doing shoulder rolls.
Strong shoulders with calisthenics exercises and equipment
Calisthenics shoulder workout makes the shoulders grow stronger and look more masculine and makes men look broader, which is attractive.
Women who perform these exercises will not make them look more muscular, rather, it will improve their posture and make their shoulders stay in the right place.
These results can be obtained faster when using calisthenics equipment such as freestyle bars or parallel bars.
Using the proper equipment allows your muscles to get a better workout and you can do different hand holds, pike push ups and different body tilts.
As you progress you can do more challenging exercises to get the shoulder strength you want and be in good health.
And, remember, you can build strong, bulky and defined shoulders if you complement your training routine with top quality calisthenics equipment, like the ones we have in our online store available throughout Europe, the United States and Asia.









