Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Meaning if you click on a link and make a purchase, I'll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
If you were to ask the average gym junkie to string together an effective calisthenics shoulder workout. I’d be willing to bet my left ear (and possibly my right) that most of the lucky guys you asked wouldn’t know what to say.
Because the truth is, that unless you’ve been in the calisthenics game for a while. You’ll probably think that working your shoulders consists of nothing more than hammering out handstand pushups until your eyeballs bleed.
And while I agree that this particular exercise will get you halfway to building the size and strength of calisthenics warrior. It turns out it’s only a small piece of the puzzle when it comes to targeting your shoulders.
However, the good news is that once you’re aware of how the shoulder functions and moves., it becomes pretty straightforward to create a solid routine without too much trouble.
Better still…
When you adopt the specific exercises I’m about to reveal in a few minutes, you’ll not only be able to build a set of strong and stable shoulders…
…You’ll also build the strength and functionality to perform advanced calisthenics skills very few people can master.
So give me a stack of letters and call me the mailman because today, I’m going to deliver the ultimate shoulder workout to bring you fully up to speed.
You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you might even break your hip. But by the time we’re done, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to pound your shoulders into submission without touching a single weight.
WATCH VIDEO: How To QUICKLY Master The Planche, Muscle-Up, Human Flag, And Other Advanced Calisthenic Moves That Defy The Law Of Gravity
(Video Will Open In A New Window)
Table of Contents
The Ultimate Calisthenics Shoulder Workout
Now, before we dive in and start smashing out reps, I think it’s only fair to give you a brief insight into how the shoulder works.
The reason for this little lesson is because once you learn the specific function of each part of the shoulder, it’ll make it a lot easier to keep your form in check and give you better results long term.
So basically, there are 3 separate heads of the shoulder.
This includes the…
- Anterior Deltoids (Front of the shoulder)
- Medial Deltoids (Side of the shoulder)
- Posterior Deltoids (Back of the shoulder)
And even though each head looks similar, training each head with maximum efficiency requires an entirely different approach.
Calisthenics Exercises For Targeting The Front Delts
The anterior delts are usually targeted using a range of upper-body pressing type movement (think incline bench press and similar exercises).
This makes them relatively simple to target with calisthenics. Because all you’re really doing is slightly changing the angle of attack on some of the more basic exercises like pushups and parallel bar dips.
Let me give you a few examples of how you can make this work…
Take pushups, for instance…
Now, a standard pushup is just a simple horizontal pressing movement.
It targets the chest, triceps, and depending on your hand position, it has a little front delt activation.
But to make this even more of a front delt exercise. You need to change the angle of attack to place more stress on the front delts themselves.
Now, there are two ways you can do this…
…Firstly, you could simply place your feet on an elevated platform and perform decline pushups.
This is great in the short term, but you’ll quickly outgrow this exercise because it’s not that much harder than a standard pushup.
The second thing you could do is perform a pseudo pushup.
Like This…
This exercise is basically an advanced pushup variation where you place your hands a little closer towards your waist to put more stress on the front delts.
The great thing about this is that you can slowly increase the difficulty level as you get stronger by moving your hands even further towards your waist.
This way, you’ll be able to work at a level that suits your strength.
Even better, it’s a natural progression towards learning the planche, so if you play your cards right and put the work in. It’s a very achievable goal.
Parallel bar dips are another exercise that targets the chest and triceps.
And it’s exactly the same principle as before. Only now, you’re adjusting your body from a vertical pressing position.
Here’s the setup…
Step #1:
Get yourself into a standard dip position and suspend yourself off the ground.
Step #2:
Keeping your arms straight and your elbows fully locked out. Slowly hinge at the hips while maintaining a slight forward lean.
As you do, you’ll notice how much more load is placed on your front delts.
Step #3:
While still maintaining the forward hinge position, lower yourself in a slow and controlled manner until your triceps are parallel to the floor.
Hold for a brief second, and then push yourself back up while maintaining the hip hinge.
Step #4:
Do 5000 more reps, grab a beer and relax, you’ve earned it my friend.
Now, similar to the decline pushup, you might eventually find that this exercise becomes a little easier over time.
When this happens, go through the exact same setup as you did previously. Only now, tuck your knees up towards your chest before you hinge.
By tucking your knees, it’ll place a lot more weight on the front delts as you start to hinge forward.
It’s simple, but it awesome for targeting all the major muscle groups involved in this exercise (including the front delts).
Calisthenics Workout For Hitting The Medial Delts
Moving swiftly on, next up, I’m going to show you how to hit the medial (side) delts.
And the best way to target the medial delts is to either perform a pressing movement that mimics the effects of an overhead press…
…Or, hit the muscle by performing a lateral movement similar to a dumbbell lateral raise.
Now, to get the same activation on your side delts as you would from an overhead press. All you really have to do is flip the exercise on its head (literally) by placing your body weight directly above your shoulders.
Like this…
However, I realize this exercise isn’t beginner-friendly.
So if you’re a calisthenics newbie, then you’ll need to temporarily regress the exercise to something like pike pushups until you’ve built the strength to hold your bodyweight off the floor.
Here’s a quick tip…
To get the most out of this exercise, you need to do it with your chest facing the wall.
Because if you get into position with your chest facing outward, you tend to arch your back during the pushing phase, which leads to more front delt activation and less side delt.
Anyway…
The other exercises you can to target the side delts is a rotational floor exercise that works in the same way a dumbbell lateral raise would.
It’s kind of similar to alternating between a plank and a side plank.
Only now, you’ll want to keep your non-working arm close to your chest. While rotating your body up and away from your supporting arm.
I picked this exercise up from Jeff over at Athlean so you can see how it looks…
Smashing The Rear Delts With Calisthenics
Last up, you’ve got the rear delts.
Now, a lot of people (even weight lifters) struggle to work their rear delts because what most people don’t realize is that form is a huge contributor to hitting this muscle effectively.
And it all comes down to how you protract and retract the scapula.
Basically, scapula protraction (abduction of the scapula) is where the shoulders are rounded forward and pushed toward the front of the body.
Retraction is the opposite (shoulder blades pulled back).
Here’s how they both look…
The way to target your rear delts is to perform an exercise that shifts between these two positions under load.
And there are two specific exercises that do this correctly…
They are…
…Face pulls
…And reverse ring flyes
Face Pulls
A face pull is essentially a rowing exercise. But instead of pulling a weight towards your chest. You’re now making a slight adjustment and pulling towards your face.
What this does is takes most of the load away from your back muscles and places it on the rear delts instead.
Perhaps the easiest way to perform a face pull is to modify the inverted row.
So instead of pulling your chest towards the bar like you usually would. You’re now pulling your face towards the bar to change the working muscles.
Just remember that as you reach the top of the repetition, really squeeze your shoulder blades together for maximum effect.
This will increase the time under tension, which will make the exercise a little more challenging.
Reverse Ring Flyes
The reverse ring fly is another killer rear delt exercise that works similar to reverse dumbbell flyes.
Here’s how to do it…
So, holding on to a set of gymnastic rings (or trx handles), lean back until you’re at a comfortable angle with your arms straight out in front of you and your elbows slightly bent.
Remember, your scapula should be fully protracted at this point.
From this position, pull your arms away from each other while simultaneously retracting your scapula.
Keep a slight bend in the elbows throughout the movement. And again, really squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the rep.
The great thing about both of these exercises is that it’s very easy to adjust the intensity to suit your strength.
To make them easier, you just have to perform each exercise from a more vertical plane of motion to ease the loading on your shoulders.
But if you want to make them harder, go for a horizontal plane or even elevate your feet onto a platform to kick it up a gear or two.
Taking Your Calisthenics Shoulder Workout To The Next Level
Now, everything I’ve highlighted above should get you well on your way to hitting the entire shoulder effectively.
But you need to bear in mind that these exercises are just the bare-bones essentials that you need to start building up your basic level of shoulder strength.
Eventually (or maybe even right now), you’ll be ready to start taking on new challenges by adding weighted calisthenics, or even advanced calisthenics skills into the mix.
This is where the real work starts because if you can learn to master these elements of bodyweight training. You’ll always be a cut above the pack when it comes to building real strength and power.
Now, if this sounds like something you’d be interested in exploring, then here’s something that’s gonna blow your socks off…
It’s called Bar Brothers The System.
And it’s a 12-week calisthenics program designed specifically to take you from calisthenics newbie…
…All the way up to the incredible heights of an epic calisthenics beast.
A word of warning, though…
See, even though it’s a killer program, it’s also pretty intense.
So if you haven’t got the stones to see things through to the end…
…Or you’re just plain lazy.
Then it’s probably not for you.
But if you’re a results-driven maniac who’s determined who loves a challenge, then this is exactly what you need.
Anyway, the video below has all the juicy details, so if you want to see what the whole thing’s about, you can check it out below…
WATCH VIDEO: How To QUICKLY Master The Planche, Muscle-Up, Human Flag, And Other Advanced Calisthenic Moves That Defy The Law Of Gravity
(Video Will Open In A New Window)
Oh yeah, one more thing…
To make this offer a complete steal. I’ll also dive deep into my own personal library of training manuals and throw in a few extra goodies to entice you a little further…
Consider it an ethical bride if you will…
So here’s the deal…
If you buy the Bar Brothers Program today, I’ll also give you the following eBooks for free…
- HIIT To Fit
- Functional Strength
- And Kettlebell Transformation
Here’s what they look like in all their glory…
Now, as you can see, these training guides sell for anywhere from $27-$47.
This is just a snippet of the price they’re actually worth because the information you’ll get from these useful resources is nothing short of amazing.
And they’re yours completely free when you Buy The Bar Brothers Program.
If you want them, here’s what you need to do…
Step #1:
Hit any of the links on this page and watch the Bar Brothers sales video.
Step #2:
IF (and only if) you think this program could benefit you in some way. Go ahead and hit the “Add To Cart” button on the sales page and purchase the program.
Step #3:
Just send me proof (screenshot, receipt, etc…) that you purchase the program via the contact form on my website…
…Or by emailing me directly at Dan@Un-Ripped.Com
And I’ll send you all three eBooks to your email address within the next 48 hours as a sincere thank you for buying the program.
Anyway…
Before I wrap this post up, let me just say this…
Calisthenics, or any type of training for that matter, is a marathon and not a sprint.
There are no shortcuts, quick fixes, secrets to getting results.
Because in the long run, what pays off is hard work, consistency, and an effective plan of action.
Get these 3 things right, and you’ll be well on your way to building the size, strength, and physique you want.
Have a good workout, and I’ll see you in the next post…