Shoulder Exercises at Home For Stronger, Shapely Arms

Building strong, shapely shoulders is more than just about aesthetics. Shoulders are literally a pivotal part of the human body — both affording range of motion as well as stability to execute a variety of movements and holds. Consisting of three bones including the clavicle, the scapula, and the humerus, they support the motion of your arms and are one of the body’s most mobile set of joints. You can thank your shoulders for nearly anything upper-body related, whether that’s lifting heavy boxes, climbing or dancing.

Your shoulder’s visible muscles include the deltoids – comprised of anterior, lateral and posterior – and the rotator cuffs. The deltoids are what lend your shoulders their shape, and your rotator cuffs are responsible for rotating your arms.

Whether you’re looking to improve your shoulder mobility and strength or would like to develop toned arms, performing shoulder exercises at home can be worthwhile for your overall physical health and wellbeing. We’ll take a look at some handy exercises that can help you build strong shoulders, plus we’ll throw in targeted shoulder workout routine into the mix.

Try these shoulder exercises at home

Whether you’re new to exercising, a seasoned 8fitter or a gym enthusiast, these exercises will challenge your shoulders in a variety of ways and can be included into any workout session. Focus on correct form to get the most out of these at-home shoulder exercises as proper form executed slowly trumps fast reps done with improperly (it will also reduce the risk of injury or strain).

Bent over lateral raise

Directions:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width distance apart

2. Bend your torso until your chest is almost parallel to the floor with hands hanging to the sides and weights in each hand

3. Lift straight arms out to each side, palms face the floor and torso forms a T-shape

4. Lower hands back down to start position

Diamond push-ups

Directions:

1. Place your hands on the floor with your fingers touching and form the shape of a diamond

2. Step your legs behind you with your feet together and your toes curled underneath you

3. Tense every muscle to form a straight line from your head through to your heels

4. Lower your chest to the floor, keeping your elbows tight to your body

5. Straighten your arms to push your body back to start position.

Keep your…

• Neck long with your shoulders back and away from ears

• Neck in line with your spine

Military press

Directions:

1. With your hands and feet on the floor slightly wider than hip-width apart, hinge at the hips and fold forward to form an inverted “V”

2. Bend your elbows and lower till the top of your head touches the floor

3. Push to straighten your arms and to press your body back up to the starting position.

Keep your…

• Neck long with your shoulders back and away from ears

• Breath steady; don’t hold your breath

• Fingers spread out and grip the floor to make it slightly easier

Push-ups

Directions:

1. Begin on the floor with your hands directly under your shoulders and feet slightly wider than hip-width apart

2. Step your legs behind you with your feet together and your toes curled under

3. Tense every muscle to form a straight line from your head through to your heels

4. Lower your chest to the floor, keeping your elbows tight to your body

5. Straighten your arms to press your body back to start position

Keep your…

• Neck long with your shoulders back and away from ears

• Neck in line with your spine

Shape strong shoulders with this workout!

For an at-home shoulder exercise that’ll have you feeling the burn, try 8fit's targeted 5-set shoulder workout to get your heart and shoulders pumping!

Execute each exercise directly one after another.

Set 1

• 5 x military presses

• 5 x bent over lateral raises

• 5 x diamond push-ups

• 5 x push-ups

Rest for 20 seconds

Set 2

• 4 x military press

• 4 x bent over lateral raises

• 4 x diamond push up

• 4 x push-ups

Rest for 20 seconds

Set 3

• 3 x military press

• 3 x bent over lateral raises

• 3 x diamond push up

• 3 x push-ups

Rest for 20 seconds

Set 4

• 2 x military press

• 2 x bent over lateral raises

• 2 x diamond push up

• 2 x push-ups

Rest for 20 seconds

Set 5

• 1 x military press

• 1 x bent over lateral raises

• 1 x diamond push up

• 1 x push-ups

High-five! ✋You’re done.

Want to keep training from the comfort of home? Try some of our favorite at-home workouts.

Find your strength with 8fit

If you liked these at-home shoulder exercises, and you’re looking for more targeted conditioning, why not sign-up to 8fit Pro, where we have body-specific workouts that focus on arms, core, and legs. The best part is, you’ll get workout curated routines designed by our in-house fitness instructors with years of expertise under their belt.

As if that weren’t enough, you’ll also find a range of HIIT, Tabata, yoga sessions and surf-style training you can do anytime, anywhere. And did we mention the recipes? Yup, 8fit features over 700 delicious, simple, and nutritious recipes! Our expert nutritionists have your back and have put together meals that take into consideration your specific dietary preferences and lifestyle demands.