3 Calisthenics Exercises To Get Strong and Healthy Shoulders
3 Calisthenics Exercises To Get Strong and Healthy Shoulders!
Today, we're going to dive into an essential topic: building strong shoulders.
Strong shoulders are crucial for overall upper body strength and contribute significantly to your overall body strength. So, let's take some time to discuss the key factors that will help you develop robust and powerful shoulders.
To kick things off, we'll start with a mobility drill called the Shoulder Dislocates with a stick. This drill is designed to improve shoulder mobility and ensure that you can achieve full range of motion. Lack of mobility often restricts people's ability to fully express their shoulder strength, leading to less than satisfactory results.
For this exercise, all you need is a stick or a broom. Stand straight and hold the stick it front of you with a grip wider than shoulder-width. The goal is to move the stick behind you and as low as possible, while rolling your shoulder blades and engaging your shoulder muscles. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you bring the stick behind you. Maintain a neutral head position and a tucked-in core throughout the movement. Form a straight line from your wrists to your feet by tucking your rib cage and creating a hollow body position. Exhale slowly and consistently as you move the stick behind you.
Repeat the exercise for three to five repetitions, aiming to improve your range of motion over time. If you're already comfortable with this exercise, you can try an alternative grip by placing your thumbs under the stick for an additional stretch. Incorporate this drill into your routine regularly to enhance shoulder mobility and strengthen the shoulder muscles.
Moving on, let's discuss the next exercise, the decline Push-up. This variation of the push-up is an effective way to challenge your shoulder muscles.
Imagine a push-up position, but with your feet elevated, creating an incline angle and putting the weight a bit more on the upper part of the chest. As you perform the push-up, focus on maintaining a straight body alignment without arching your back. Tuck your core and keep your elbows in as you descend.
Exhale on the way up and aim to go as low as possible, improving your depth over time. You can add static holds at the bottom or even pose for a few seconds at the top to increase the challenge. If you are already good at decline push ups, you can also try pike push ups!
Now, let's move on to the pulling exercise, particularly the Behind-the-Neck Pull up. This exercise targets the shoulder muscles and helps develop pulling strength.
If you can’t do them yet. Start with a lower bar positioned behind your neck. Keep your feet on the ground to assist every pull up. Once you built enough strength, try hold the top position. Take your feet off the ground when you feel strong enough. Finally do negative reps from that hold to move on to the full movement.
Maintain a neutral head-neck position throughout the exercise. Engage your core and avoid arching your back. Focus on pulling without compromising form. The behind-the-neck pulling motion is challenging, but it's a highly rewarding exercise. As you progress, you can transition to using a pull-up bar for this exercise. You can also incorporate static holds to increase the intensity.
Remember, proper scapular movement coordination and engaging your core are crucial during pulling exercises. Control your descent and maintain good form throughout the movement. Strive to complete three to five repetitions per set, adjusting the difficulty as necessary.
These exercises should be performed regularly to enhance your shoulder strength and stability. Implement them into your training routine as often as possible. They will undoubtedly contribute to your progress and help you achieve stronger, healthier shoulders.
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