Exercises
Shoulder exercises from yoga for strong, steady shoulders
Bodyweight shoulder exercises strengthen the muscles that move the arm and hold the shoulder blades steady. A yoga based set is shoulder blade squeezes, wall push ups, shoulder blade push ups in Table Top, plank to Downward Dog, Dolphin walks, locust arm circles, knee down Chaturanga lowers and side plank, six to ten slow reps each.
The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, and that freedom comes at a price: it relies on muscle, more than bone, to stay steady. The rotator cuff wraps the top of the arm, while the muscles around the shoulder blades hold them flat against the ribs as the arm moves. Hours at a laptop give all of them very little to do.
Yoga asks a lot of the shoulders. Plank, Downward Dog and Chaturanga all carry weight through the arms. These eight shoulder exercises take those shapes and add slow reps, so the muscles learn to hold the joint steady before you hold the poses for longer.
When should you see a doctor or physio first?
Check with a doctor or physiotherapist before starting if you have a recent shoulder injury, dislocation or surgery, pain that wakes you at night, numbness or tingling down the arm, or you cannot lift the arm above shoulder height. During the exercises, muscles working is expected. A sharp or catching pain in the joint means stop.
How do you do shoulder exercises at home?
Breathe out on the effort and breathe in as you return. Keep the shoulders away from the ears throughout.
- Shoulder blade squeezes. Sit or stand tall, arms by your sides. Breathing out, draw the shoulder blades gently back and down; breathing in, release. Ten reps. A good warm up at a desk.
- Wall push ups. Stand an arm’s length from a wall, hands on it at shoulder height and a little wider. Breathing in, bend the elbows back at an angle, about 45 degrees from the body; breathing out, press away. Ten reps.
- Shoulder blade push ups. In Table Top Pose, arms straight, let the chest sink a little between the shoulders as you breathe in, then press the floor away and widen the upper back as you breathe out. Ten small reps. The elbows stay straight.
- Plank to Downward Dog. From Plank Pose, breathe out and lift the hips up and back into Downward Dog; breathe in and move forward to plank again. Six slow reps, knees down in plank if needed.
- Dolphin walks. Come into Dolphin Pose on the forearms, elbows under the shoulders. Walk the feet a step closer on the out breath, hold for a breath, and walk them back. Four rounds, then rest in Child’s Pose.
- Locust arm circles. Lie on your front and lift the chest a little, as in Locust Pose. With the arms long and hovering at shoulder height, draw small circles forward for five breaths, then backward for five. Lower and rest.
- Knee down Chaturanga lowers. From plank with the knees down, keep the elbows close to the ribs and lower the chest slowly over three breaths, only halfway. Press back up or lower to the floor and push up. Five reps. The Chaturanga page explains the shoulder line in detail.
- Side plank. On the right hand or forearm, knees bent or legs long, lift the hips and reach the left arm up. Hold for three breaths, lower, and repeat three times each side. The Side Plank page has the full steps.
Common mistakes
- Shrugging. If the shoulders creep towards the ears, take an easier version.
- Flaring the elbows wide. In wall push ups and Chaturanga, keep the elbows angled back towards the hips.
- Lowering too far in Chaturanga. Stopping halfway, with the shoulders level with the elbows or higher, keeps the front of the shoulder safer.
- Locking the elbows. Keep a micro bend in plank and Downward Dog.
Make it easier or harder
- Easier: stand closer to the wall for push ups; keep the knees down in plank and side plank; skip Dolphin walks and hold the forearm plank instead; do fewer reps.
- Harder: move the wall push ups to a kitchen counter or a sturdy bench; hold Chaturanga for one breath at the halfway point; lift the top leg in side plank; do two rounds.
How do shoulder exercises and stretches work together?
Stretches open the chest and the back of the shoulder; exercises build the strength to hold the new range. The shoulder stretches for laptop days are a good finish after this set, and the chest stretch guide for rounded shoulders adds the front of the body. On rest days, the wall slides in the mobility exercises for hips and spine keep the shoulder blades moving, and the upper back stretches for screen days pair well with both. The plank variations from knees down to side plank build the same shoulder strength in more ways.
Questions
What are the shoulder blades doing in a yoga push up?
They glide around the ribs. As you lower, they draw slightly together; as you press up, they spread apart. The muscles that guide that movement, around and between the shoulder blades, are a large part of what these exercises train.
Are shoulder exercises safe with a clicking shoulder?
A painless click on its own is common. Clicking that comes with pain, catching, weakness or a feeling that the shoulder might slip out needs a doctor or physiotherapist before you load it.
Why do shoulder exercises make the wrists ache?
Many of them put weight on the hands. Spread the fingers wide, press through the knuckles, and warm the wrists first. Forearm versions such as Dolphin take the wrists out of the work if they still ache.
How often should you do shoulder exercises?
Two or three times a week, with a day of rest in between, suits most people. On the other days, gentle shoulder stretches and mobility drills keep the joint moving without asking it to carry load.
Can you build shoulder strength without weights?
Yes. Bodyweight moves such as wall push ups, plank to Downward Dog, Dolphin walks and knee down Chaturanga lowers load the shoulders well. Make them harder over time by slowing the movement, adding reps or moving from the wall to the floor, rather than by adding speed.
How do you warm up the shoulders before exercise?
Spend two or three minutes on easy movement: shoulder rolls forward and back, small then larger arm circles, a few rounds of Cat-Cow and gentle reaches overhead. The shoulders should feel warm and loose before you put weight on your hands.