10 Calisthenics for Shoulders Exercises: Enhance Your Strength and Mobility

In the race to get toned abs, muscular thighs, ripped chests, and other aesthetically pleasing muscle groups, we sometimes overlook the importance of strong and mobile shoulders. 

Here’s a secret: well-developed shoulders will enhance your overall physique while also playing a crucial role in maintaining proper posture, preventing injuries, and improving upper body strength. 

And the best part? 

You don’t need a gym membership or heavy weights to achieve bigger shoulders. Calisthenics for shoulders exercises are a series of bodyweight movements that target and activate the muscles in your shoulders, which helps you build strength, stability, and flexibility. 

From push-up variations to handstand progressions, these 10 calisthenics exercises are guaranteed to push your shoulder game to new heights.

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Can You Build Shoulders With Calisthenics?

Yes, you can build your shoulders with calisthenics. This form of exercise involves using your own body weight for resistance and is highly effective for developing both strength and size in the shoulder area.

The shoulder is a complex joint that is made up of several muscles that work together to provide stability and mobility. The primary muscles that are involved in shoulder movement include the deltoids (anterior, medial, and posterior), rotator cuff muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis), and other surrounding muscles (2).

Calisthenics movements that engage these muscles typically involve pushing or pulling actions, or a combination of the two. Dynamic stabilizing exercises also play an important role in creating balanced strength and mobility in the shoulders.

Pushing movements such as push-ups or dips target the anterior deltoids while pulling movements such as pull-ups or rows engage the posterior deltoids. 

Dynamic stabilizing exercises such as handstands or handstand push-ups challenge the entire shoulder girdle, promoting balanced muscle development.

Calisthenics capitalizes on these movements and provides a full range of motion that can sometimes surpass what you can achieve using free weights or machines. This movement range can help engage every part of the shoulder muscles, which will ensure a complete and balanced workout (1).

By performing these movements, you can build muscle mass while also enhancing muscle endurance, flexibility, and coordination. In this article, we’ll discuss specific calisthenics exercises for shoulders.

What Calisthenics Works Shoulders?

Several calisthenics exercises can significantly improve shoulder strength and mobility. These exercises specifically target the anterior, medial, and posterior deltoids, and sometimes, the surrounding muscles, which offers a comprehensive workout for your shoulders and arms.

The key exercises that will be discussed in detail include push-ups, pike push-ups, handstand push-ups, wall walks, dips, pull-ups, and inverted rows

Push-ups

Push-ups are a fundamental calisthenics movement that primarily targets the anterior deltoids. They also engage the pectoral muscles and triceps, making them ideal calisthenics for shoulders and arms. 

Push-ups are one of the best calisthenics exercises for shoulders as they provide a total body workout and can be performed anywhere.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to performing push-ups:

1. Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the ground
2. Extend your legs behind you and balance on the balls of your feet
3. Keep your body in a straight line from shoulders to ankles
4. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor
5. Push yourself back up to the starting position
6. Keep your elbows close to your body as you move
7. Maintain your core stability throughout the exercise

Handstand Push-ups

Handstand push-ups are excellent calisthenics for achieving big shoulders. They engage your entire shoulder girdle—both anterior and posterior deltoids—in addition to your triceps and core muscles. They are a dynamic stabilizing exercise that helps promote balanced muscle development.

Here’s how to perform handstand push-ups:

1. Start in a handstand position against a wall
2. Keep your hands shoulder-width apart and your fingers spread wide
3. Lower your body until your head nearly touches the floor
4. Push back up to the starting position
5. Keep your core engaged throughout the exercise
6. Avoid arching your back
7. Control your movement to avoid injury

Pull-ups

Pull-ups target the posterior deltoids and upper back, which makes them perfect calisthenics for the shoulders and back. In addition, they work your biceps and latissimus dorsi (lats).

Here’s how to perform pull-ups:

1. Grab a bar with your hands shoulder-width apart and your palms facing away from you
2. Hang at arm’s length (this is your starting position)
3. Pull your body up until your chest reaches the bar
4. Lower your body back to the starting position
5. Engage your core and avoid swinging
6. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull up
7. Ensure your movements are controlled and steady

Read more: Calisthenics Warm Up 101: Bodyweight Exercises To Get Your Blood Flowing Before Your Workout.

Dips

Dips primarily target your triceps and anterior deltoids, which makes them another effective calisthenics exercise for shoulders.

Here’s how to perform dips:

• Grab the bars of a dip station and lift your body
• Cross your ankles behind you
• Lower your body until your elbows are at 90 degrees
• Push back up to the starting position
• Keep your elbows close to your body
• Engage your core and maintain a straight back throughout

Pike Push-ups

Pike push-ups are a great calisthenics shoulder workout for beginners. They target the anterior and medial deltoids while also working the upper back and triceps.

Here’s how to perform pike push-ups:

• Start in a downward dog position with your hands and feet on the ground
• Lower your upper body until your head nearly touches the ground
• Push back up to the starting position
• Keep your core engaged and your back straight
• Maintain a pike position throughout

Inverted Rows

Inverted rows are an excellent calisthenics exercise for achieving wider shoulders and back. They target the posterior deltoids, rhomboids, and latissimus dorsi while also engaging the biceps and core muscles.

Here’s how to perform inverted rows:

• Set up a low bar at chest height on a dip station or between two sturdy objects
• Grab the bar with your hands just beyond shoulder-width apart with your palms facing away from you
• Hang at arm’s length (this is your starting position)
• Pull your body up until your chest reaches the bar
• Lower your body back to the starting position
• Engage your core and avoid swinging
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull up
• Ensure your movements remain controlled and steady throughout

Knee Push-ups

Knee push-ups are an excellent exercise if you’re just starting your calisthenics journey or if you’re looking for a shoulder calisthenics no equipment option. They target the anterior deltoids and pectoralis muscles.

Here’s how to perform knee push-ups:

1. Start in a high plank position but with your knees on the ground
2. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the ground
3. Push back up to the starting position
4. Keep your elbows close to your body
5. Engage your core and maintain a straight back throughout

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Plank to Push-up

This exercise is perfect for beginners as it serves as a calisthenics shoulder workout for beginners while also requiring no equipment. It targets the anterior deltoids and core muscles and involves a fair amount of balance and coordination.

Here’s how to perform plank to push-up:

• Start in a forearm plank position with your elbows directly beneath your shoulders
• Push up from your forearms to your hands, one hand at a time, until you’re in a high plank position
• Lower back down to your forearms one arm at a time
• Keep your core engaged and your back straight throughout

Wide Grip Pull-ups

Wide grip pull-ups are another effective calisthenics exercise for the shoulders, particularly if you want to develop wider shoulders. 

They primarily target the posterior deltoids and latissimus dorsi. Unlike traditional pull-ups where you need to grip the bar with your hands shoulder-width apart, with wide grip pull-ups you grab the bar with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart.

Here’s how to perform wide-grip pull-ups:

• Grab a bar with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart with your palms facing away from you
• Hang at arm’s length (this is your starting position)
• Pull your body up until your chest reaches the bar
• Lower your body back to the starting position
• Engage your core and avoid swinging

Shoulder Tap Push-ups

Shoulder tap push-ups target the anterior deltoids, pectoral muscles, and core. They have an element of balance, as a steady plank position needs to be maintained throughout.

Here’s how to perform shoulder tap push-ups:

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands directly beneath your shoulders
2. Lower your body as if about to perform a push-up
3. As you push back up, tap your left shoulder with your right hand
4. Repeat, but tap your right shoulder with your left hand
5. Keep your core engaged and your back straight throughout

Read more: Using Calisthenics To Build Muscle: Does It Work?

Frequently Asked Questions

Do pull-ups work the shoulders?

Yes, pull-ups work the shoulders, particularly the posterior deltoids, in addition to engaging the upper back and biceps muscles.

Do dips work the shoulders?

Yes, dips work the shoulders, primarily targeting the triceps and anterior deltoids, in addition to engaging the chest and core muscles.

Can calisthenics make you look muscular?

Yes, you can look muscular with calisthenics. These exercises use your body weight as resistance, which helps build muscle mass and definition over time (3). Regular and consistent calisthenics workouts can help you achieve a muscular physique.

How do calisthenics athletes have big shoulders?

Calisthenics athletes develop big shoulders due to the training intensity. Many calisthenics for wider shoulders, including pull-ups, pike push-ups, and dips, specifically target the shoulder muscles, which leads to significant muscle growth and definition.

Can calisthenics give you big arms?

Yes, calisthenics can give you larger, more defined arms. Exercises such as pull-ups, dips, and push-ups are effective for building both the bicep and tricep muscles, which contributes to an overall increase in arm size and strength.

The Bottom Line

The 10 calisthenics for shoulder exercises that we’ve outlined above are all effective options for developing bigger and stronger shoulders. They require no equipment and minimal space and can be adapted to suit any fitness level. When they are performed consistently over time, these exercises can help you achieve the muscular shoulders of your dreams