The 7 Best Bodyweight Exercises for Bigger, Stronger Shoulders

At some point, every guy goes all-in on shoulders. Maybe it’s chasing that classic V-taper, trying to fill out a T-shirt, or just hitting the gym with a “never skip shoulder day” mindset. And while there’s nothing wrong with pressing heavy, you don’t need a barbell or dumbbells to build impressive delts.

"One of the common misconceptions about strength training is that you must lift heavy weights to get stronger. In reality, you can build strength with little to no equipment," says Centr Coach Luke Zocchi. 

Bodyweight shoulder exercises are underrated, and they’ve got more going for them than you might think. They’re joint-friendly, easy to scale up or down, and require zero equipment—perfect for when you’re traveling, short on time, or grinding out a quick home workout. Best of all? They’ll still light your shoulders up if you perform them properly.

"Bodyweight shoulder exercises allow you to target muscles like your traps, rotator cuffs, and deltoids, while being easier on your joints than throwing around heavier weight," Zocchi adds. "By utilizing just your bodyweight or minimal equipment like resistance bands, you can build muscle, while also improving your balance and stability, which can be hard to do when lifting heavy. This is one of the keys to functional fitness."

The Best Bodyweight Shoulder Exercises

Basic Pushup

How to Do It

1. Start in a high plank position with your spine neutral and core engaged. 

2. Allow your elbows to angle slightly outward as you lower your chest toward the floor in a controlled motion. 

3. Aim to bring your chest all the way down, or within a few inches of the ground, with elbows bent to at least 90 degrees.

4. Press through your palms to return to the starting position.

5. That's one rep.
6. Repeat for sets of eight to 12 reps.

Handstand Descent to Handstand Pushups

How to Do It 

1. Starting with your hands on the floor, kick into a handstand. (Have a friend help your feet find the wall the first couple of times.) 
2. Control your descent, bending your elbows to bring your head to a raised target or a mat, and return to start.

Dip

How to Do It

1. Grab the parallel bars with palms facing in, lifting yourself up so your arms are straight at your sides.

2. Pull your shoulders back and down, brace your core, and keep your body in a straight line—legs extended or bent at 90 degrees with feet crossed.

3. Hinge forward slightly at the shoulders (about 25 to 30 degrees), then lower yourself by bending your elbows to 90 degrees, maintaining that straight body line.

4. Press back up to the starting position and repeat.

Related: 50 Best Shoulder Exercises of All Time to Build Cannonball Delts

Back Plank

How to Do It 

1. Sit on the floor with legs extended in front of you and place your hands flat on the ground just behind your hips, fingers pointing toward your feet. 
2. Press through your palms and heels to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to heels. 
3. Keep your core tight and squeeze your glutes. 
4. Don’t let your hips sag or head drop. 
5. Repeat for three sets of 30 seconds.

Feet-Elevated Pike Pushup

How to Do It

1. Get into pushup position and rest your feet on a bench or box. 
2. Bend your hips, raising your butt toward the ceiling so that your torso is vertical. 
3. Lower your body to the floor until your head is between your hands. 
4. Press back up. 
5. That's one rep. 
6. Perform three sets of 8 to 12 reps. 

Bear Crawl

How to Do It

1. Start in a tabletop position with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. 
2. Move forward by stepping your right hand and left foot ahead, then your left hand and right foot, keeping your hips low and back flat the entire time. 
3. Continue crawling forward for 30 seconds, repeating three times.

Wide-Grip Pullup

How to Do It 

1. Hang from a chinup bar with hands much wider than shoulder-width and palms facing forward. 
2. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull yourself up until your chin is over the bar.
3. That's one rep. 
4. Complete three sets of AMRAP. 

Can You Build Shoulders With Bodyweight?

The short answer is, yes, you can build your shoulders with just your bodyweight. According to Zocchi, bodyweight and heavy weight movements allow you to build strength in your shoulders, but in very different ways. For the most part, lifting heavy will build more muscle, but that's not the only way to strengthen your shoulders. 

"On the bodyweight side, I’ll often recommend opting for timed sets for a few rounds vs. reps," he says. "Just smashing out reps doesn’t guarantee you’re building strength. What matters is how you move. Slow it down, keep the tension on, and push your limits."