At Home Shoulder Workout Without Weights [With PDF]

How To Warm Up For Your Shoulder Workout

When you’re short on time it’s hard to prioritize warming up the upper body. However, getting your shoulders warmed up before you work them could mean the difference between a great workout and an injury (learn how to warm up before working out).

If you have bands, doing mobility drills before the workout is great (this will help get movement at the shoulder joint). Likewise, here is a wonderful upper body warm up in general.

Your At Home Shoulder Workout

How to do it:

Perform the pike press for eight repetitions with your feet on the floor (or progress it to five repetitions with feet elevated). Rest for 45 seconds and repeat for a total of three rounds.

Move on to the “B” grouping of shoulder exercises and perform the exercises back to back for the repetitions listed. Take a 45s rest and repeat for a total of three rounds.

Finally, finish off with the “C” exercises. Perform the exercises back to back for the repetitions listed. Take a 30s rest and repeat for a total of two rounds.

Exercise Form Tips

Below is a breakdown on how best to perform the no-equipment shoulder exercises.

This shoulder workout uses just your bodyweight against you to provide resistance to your shoulders. This means that form, and slow, controlled movement matters.

In turn, this helps strengthen the shoulders and rotator cuffs. Like any home workout though, it requires focus, control, and making sure you’re engaging the muscles you should be. Make each rep count!

Pike Press

1. Begin in a downward dog position with your feet super wide and hips in the air. Hands should be roughly shoulder width or slightly more apart.
2. Tuck the elbows down from the shoulders and shoot them backward as you bend the elbows and lower your head toward the floor.
3. Pause and push through the hands, lifting the head away from the floor and shrugging at the top of the movement.

To make this exercise harder, elevate your feet on yoga blocks or a bench or stair.

Plank To Downward Dog

1. Begin in a push up position with a slightly rounded upper back, hands shoulder width apart, and glutes engaged.
2. Push through the hands, shrug the shoulders and lift the hips into the arm to perform a downward facing dog. Really push the floor away from you and shrug the shoulders.
3. Pause briefly and reverse the movement coming back into the push-up position with your hands right under or even slightly behind the shoulders.

Make it harder: add in two scapular protractions & retractions when in the plank.

Towel Lateral Raises

1. Grab a towel. Bend your arm at the elbow and place the towel on your forearm against a door or wall. Your arm should be at hip height.
2. Walk your feet away from the door slightly so that you are leaning on the forearm.
3. Keep leaning into the forearm and slide your arm up the wall so that your elbow comes just below the shoulder. Your body leaning provides the resistance.
4. Return to the starting position.

The further away your feet are from the wall the more challenging this is.

Body Saw

1. Come into a plank position on your forearms on the floor. Squeeze the glutes and round the back slightly to engage the deep core muscles. Shoulders should be over your elbows.
2. Holding that position lean your body forward over your shoulders.
3. Pause.
4. Push your body back so that your shoulders are now slightly behind your elbows. Keep rocking for the duration of the exercise.

Plank With Shoulder Tap

1. Begin in a push up position with a slightly rounded upper back, arms straight, hands shoulder width apart, and glutes engaged. Take your feet wider than normal.
2. Keep your body from twisting as you bring your right hand off the floor and tap the opposite shoulder.
3. Place the right hand back on the floor and repeat with the left hands.
4. Keep alternating while holding the plank position.

I-Y-T

1. Lay on your belly on the floor. Keep your feet together, legs straight, and begin with your arms straight above your head. Close your fists and point your thumbs up
2. Squeeze your glutes and using the back of your shoulders raise your thumbs up as high as you can. Bring them back down. Perform the “I” raise for six repetitions.
3. Move onto the “Y” raise. In the same position, take your arms out wider so that your body makes a “Y” position. Do the same movement.
4. Finally, make a “T” position with your arms right out to the side from your shoulders.