The Hardest Bodyweight Shoulder Exercises

Bodyweight exercises are invariably looked down on by so called “hardcore” bodybuilders and exercise enthusiasts. Why? Because there's a certain image that goes along with the idea of a muscular guy pumping iron in a sweaty gym. Think of Rocky or any movie where a guy is doing training for a big event. It's always bench presses and squats, barbells and dumbbells. Because of this, a lot of people don't recognize the value of the true muscle maximizer: bodyweight exercises.

There are plenty of ways to do bodyweight shoulder exercises in your own home. There are also benefits to doing them over typical weight lifting regimens. For one, bodyweight exercises are remarkably low risk. If you're weight training with 150 pounds and you drop the bar or lift wrong, you can seriously injure your muscles. With bodyweight exercises, you're lifting your own body in a way that allows you to leverage the resistance on your muscles. Even if you fall there's very little chance that you will get hurt.

The debate between whether weight training or weight-free training is the best muscle maximizer is one that's never going to end. Truth be told, there are plenty of advantages to both systems, but bodyweight exercises have the benefit of being accessible at any time in any place. Whether you're at home, at the park, or even at the gym you can whip out a few of these bodyweight shoulder exercises to really add some extra power to your core and arms.

Shoulder Pushups

Pushups are probably the most famous muscle maximizer exercises. They can powerfully transform your arms and biceps into rock hard machines, but typical pushups don't do much to help your shoulders. Shoulder pushups change the angle of resistance so that more pressure is put on your upper arms and shoulders. To do a shoulder pushup, place your hands on the floor in front of you and keep your knees straight so that you create an upside down V with your body. Now push straight down on your arms so that most of the weight is transferred to your shoulders.

If you want a harder shoulder pushup, you can place your feet on a chair or a bench. You can also try a one leg shoulder pushup. Just lift one leg off the ground; you'll feel a lot more pressure on your abs and core as you try to stay rigid. This is a powerful somanabolic muscle maximizer that works your shoulders, chest, biceps, and abdominal muscles.

Handstand Pushups

Taking this a step further, we have the handstand pushup. This brings the angle of leverage all the way up to 180 degrees, allowing you to press your full body weight down on your shoulders. If you can't do a handstand, lean up against a wall for balance. Try to do three sets of 10 reps each time to really feel the burn all the way through your shoulders. This is one of the best bodyweight shoulder exercises you can do at home.

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