Your shoulders work in every upper body exercise. They press overhead, stabilize in planks, and control your arms in pulls. Strong shoulders handle load; weak shoulders get injured. The delts have three heads: anterior (front), medial (side), and posterior (rear). Train all three with pike push-ups, handstand work, and face pulls. Never skip rotator cuff prep. Shoulder health is non-negotiable.
Bodyweight Exercise Collection
Thoracic Mobility Drill
The Thoracic Mobility Drill is a mobility exercise that improves spinal extension and rotation for straight-arm movements.
Shoulder Dislocates
Shoulder Dislocates are a mobility exercise that improves shoulder flexibility and stability for straight-arm movements.
Handstand to Hollow Back Press
The Handstand to Hollow Back Press is a dynamic transition from Handstand to Hollow Back, requiring extreme shoulder mobility and strength.
Bridge (Wheel Pose)
The Bridge is a mobility exercise that builds spinal extension, shoulder flexibility, and core strength.
L-Sit to Handstand Press
The L-Sit to Handstand Press is a dynamic transition from L-Sit to Handstand, requiring extreme core and shoulder strength.
Front Lever to Back Lever Press
The Front Lever to Back Lever Press is a dynamic transition from Front Lever to Back Lever, requiring extreme straight-arm strength.
Planche to Handstand Press
The Planche to Handstand Press is a dynamic transition from Planche to Handstand, requiring extreme straight-arm strength.
Full Maltese
The Full Maltese is a straight-arm static hold on rings where the body is completely horizontal.
Maltese Negative
The Maltese Negative focuses on the eccentric phase, lowering the body slowly from the Maltese position.
Maltese Hold
The Maltese Hold is a straight-arm static hold on rings where the body is held horizontal, similar to Planche but on rings.
Full Iron Cross
The Full Iron Cross is a straight-arm static hold on rings where the body is completely horizontal, arms extended to the sides.
Iron Cross Negative
The Iron Cross Negative focuses on the eccentric phase, lowering the body slowly from the Iron Cross position.
Iron Cross Hold
The Iron Cross Hold is a straight-arm static hold on rings where the body is held horizontal, arms extended to the sides.
Ring Turn Out Press
The Ring Turn Out Press is a dynamic transition from support hold to ring turn out, building straight-arm strength.
Ring Turn Out Hold
The Ring Turn Out Hold is a static position where the rings are turned outward, building straight-arm strength.
Ring Push-Ups
Ring Push-Ups are a pushing exercise on rings that builds chest, core, and shoulder strength while challenging stability.
Ring Dips
Ring Dips are a pushing exercise on rings that builds chest, triceps, and shoulder strength while challenging stability.
Ring Support Hold
The Ring Support Hold is a static position on rings where the body is held upright with straight arms and packed shoulders.
Manna Press
The Manna Press is a dynamic movement transitioning from L-Sit to Manna, requiring explosive core strength and compression.
Manna Hold
The Manna Hold is an advanced static core position where the legs are lifted above the head, requiring extreme hip flexor and core strength.
Full Human Flag
The Full Human Flag is a static hold where the body is completely horizontal, supported by one arm pulling and the other pushing.
Human Flag Negative
The Human Flag Negative focuses on the eccentric phase, lowering the body slowly from vertical to horizontal.
Human Flag Hold
The Human Flag Hold is a static lateral pulling and pushing exercise where the body is held horizontal, supported by one arm pulling and the other pushing.
False Grip Hang
The false grip hang builds wrist and forearm strength required for ring work and muscle-up transitions.
Negative Front Lever
The negative front lever focuses on the eccentric phase, lowering the body slowly from a front lever position.
Full Back Lever
The full back lever is a straight-arm pulling hold where the body is completely horizontal and inverted, arms locked behind the body.
Back Lever Straddle
The straddle back lever extends the legs to the sides, increasing the lever arm and demanding greater strength.
Back Lever Advanced Tuck
The advanced tuck back lever increases the lever arm by opening the hips while keeping the knees tucked.
Back Lever Tuck
The tuck back lever is a straight-arm pulling hold where the body is horizontal with knees tucked, supported by the lats and core.
German Hang
The German Hang is a straight-arm inverted hanging position that builds shoulder mobility and back lever strength.
Crow Pose (Bakasana)
Crow Pose is a foundational hand-balancing posture that builds wrist, shoulder, and core control.
Arch Body Hold
The arch body hold builds spinal extension strength in the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings.
Mountain Climbers
Mountain climbers are a dynamic full-body exercise that builds core stability, hip mobility, and cardiovascular endurance.
Freestanding Handstand Walking
Handstand walking is the ability to move forward while maintaining a freestanding handstand, requiring exceptional balance and shoulder control.
Windshield Wipers
Windshield Wipers are a dynamic core exercise where the legs are swept from side to side while hanging or in an L-Sit position.
V-Sit
The V-Sit is an advanced static hold where the legs are lifted above the horizontal, forming a "V" shape with the torso.
Human Flag Transition
The human flag progression builds the shoulder and core strength needed to hold a side flag position.
Negative One-Arm Push-Up
The negative one-arm push-up focuses on the eccentric phase, building the specific strength needed for the full one-arm push-up.
Dragon Flag
The Dragon Flag is a straight-body dynamic core exercise where the body is held rigid and lowered from a vertical position.
Straddle Dragon Flag
The Straddle Dragon Flag increases the lever arm by extending the legs to the sides, building strength for the full Dragon Flag.
Negative Dragon Flag
The Negative Dragon Flag focuses on the eccentric phase, lowering the body slowly from vertical to horizontal.
Tuck Dragon Flag
The Tuck Dragon Flag is the first step toward the full Dragon Flag, building core strength with a reduced lever arm.
Skin the Cat
Skin the Cat is a gymnastic movement that builds shoulder mobility, straight-arm strength, and body control.
Handstand Push-Up (Freestanding)
The freestanding handstand push-up requires pressing your body weight overhead while maintaining balance.
Handstand Push-Up (Wall)
The wall handstand push-up builds pressing strength in the shoulders and triceps by performing push-ups in a handstand against a wall.
Freestanding Handstand Hold
The freestanding handstand hold is the ability to balance in a handstand without any support, requiring full body control.
Freestanding Kick-Up Practice
Freestanding kick-up practice builds the confidence and balance needed to enter a handstand without wall support.
Handstand Shoulder Taps
Handstand shoulder taps challenge balance and shoulder stability by tapping the opposite shoulder while in a handstand.
Handstand Wall Hold
The handstand wall hold builds shoulder endurance and body alignment by holding a handstand position against the wall.
Full Front Lever
The full front lever is a straight-arm pulling hold where the body is completely horizontal, legs together, supported by the lats and core.
Front Lever Straddle
The straddle front lever extends the legs to the sides, increasing the lever arm and demanding greater strength.
Front Lever Advanced Tuck
The advanced tuck front lever increases the lever arm by opening the hips while keeping the knees tucked.
Front Lever Tuck
The tuck front lever is a straight-arm pulling hold where the body is horizontal, knees tucked, supported by the lats and core.
False Grip Practice
False grip practice develops the wrist and forearm strength required for ring work and muscle-up transitions.
Elbow Lever
The elbow lever is a foundational skill that builds balance and shoulder stability for more advanced movements.
Wall Handstand (Back-to-Wall)
Back-to-wall handstand is a foundational handstand progression that builds confidence and balance awareness.
Wall Handstand (Belly-to-Wall)
Belly-to-wall handstand is a foundational handstand progression that builds shoulder strength and body alignment.
Plank Shoulder Taps
Plank shoulder taps challenge core stability by requiring you to balance on one arm while touching the opposite shoulder.
Inverted Row (Australian Pull-Up)
The inverted row is a horizontal pulling exercise that builds back, biceps, and core strength using a bar at waist height.
Parallel Bar Dips
Parallel bar dips are a compound pressing movement that builds serious upper body strength in the chest, triceps, and shoulders.
Scapular Pull-Up
The scapular pull-up builds scapular depression and retraction strength, essential for pull-ups and front lever.
Passive Hang
A passive hang is a hanging position where the shoulders are relaxed, the scapulae are elevated, and the body hangs with minimal muscle tension.
Scapular Push-Up
The scapular push-up isolates the serratus anterior and scapular stabilizers by protracting and retracting the shoulder blades in a push-up position.
L-Sit
The L-Sit is a static hold where the body forms an "L" shape, supported only by the hands, requiring extreme core and hip flexor strength.
Support Hold
The support hold is a static position on parallel bars or rings where the body is held upright with straight arms and packed shoulders.
Bench Dips
Bench dips are a foundational pressing exercise that builds triceps strength and shoulder stability using a bench or elevated surface.
Wide Push-Up
The wide push-up places more emphasis on the chest by positioning the hands wider than shoulder-width.
Active Hang
An active hang is a hanging position where the shoulders are packed down and the scapulae are retracted, engaging the back muscles.
Side Plank
The side plank targets the obliques, deep core stabilizers, and shoulder stability by supporting the body on one arm and the side of the foot.
Plank
The plank is an isometric core exercise that builds endurance and stability in the abdominals, back, and shoulders.
Hollow Body Hold
The hollow body position is a rigid, slightly rounded spine position where the core is braced, ribs are pulled down, and the pelvis is tucked.
Wall Push-Up
The wall push-up is the most accessible push-up variation, perfect for learning proper form and building initial pressing strength.
Decline Push-Up
The decline push-up shifts the load to the upper chest and shoulders by elevating the feet.
Planche Lean (Level 1-2)
The Planche Lean builds the straight-arm pushing strength and scapular control required for all planche progressions.
Planche Push-Up
The planche push-up is a straight-arm pressing movement where the body is held parallel to the floor while pushing.
Planche Lean (Level 3-4)
Advanced Planche Lean levels increase the forward lean, reducing foot support and preparing the shoulders for full planche loading.
Frog Stand
The Frog Stand teaches hand balancing and weight shifting—essential skills for every planche progression.
Typewriter Push-Up
The typewriter push-up combines an archer descent with a lateral shift, building extreme unilateral pressing strength.
Archer Push-Up
The archer push-up is a unilateral progression where one arm takes most of the load while the other provides balance.
Pseudo Planche Push-Up
The pseudo planche push-up requires leaning the shoulders significantly forward, shifting the load to the shoulders and lats.
Pike Push-Up
The pike push-up is a shoulder-dominant variation that mimics the overhead pressing pattern of a handstand push-up.
Close-Grip Push-Up
The close-grip push-up shifts the load to the triceps and inner chest by keeping the hands close together.
Standard Push-Up
The standard push-up is the foundational upper body pressing exercise, engaging chest, shoulders, triceps, and core.
Diamond Push-Up
The diamond push-up is a close-grip variation that maximally targets the triceps and builds lockout strength.
Incline Push-Up
The incline push-up uses an elevated surface to reduce body weight load while maintaining the push-up mechanics.
Knee Push-Up
The knee push-up is a floor-based regression that reduces the load while preserving the full push-up movement pattern.