How to pump up your shoulders at home: exercises without dumbbells, barbells and exercise machines

In order to pump up your deltoid muscles, you don't have to go to the gym.

If you don’t know how to pump up your shoulders at home, but really want to learn, then this article is for you.

With this set of exercises you can train at any time of the day, whenever it is convenient for you. You won't have to spend a penny on a gym membership. You don't even need dumbbells or a barbell. That's the beauty of bodyweight training - it's just shoulder exercises at home.

At most, you can purchase an inexpensive resistance band for the perfect workout.

The secret is tension

Muscles react to tension. They are designed to resist any force, be it lifting a heavy object, resisting the pull of an elastic band, or isometrically pushing against a wall.

The greater the external force, the more the muscles tense. Then how to pump up deltoids at home without iron? Keep reading and you'll learn that dumbbells and barbells are just one of many options for creating this muscle tension.

How to pump up your shoulders at home - video

https://youtu.be/gftKGR2KqVw

How to eat to pump up your deltoids

Nutrition is an important part in building the body of your dreams, which means that while working on deltoids you should closely monitor your diet. Consume more complex carbohydrates (rice, buckwheat and other cereals) and protein-rich foods (meat, fish, eggs and cottage cheese). And sports nutrition will help your body pump up deltoid muscles and recover after training.

When training for a delt pumping program, remember that your body needs materials to build muscle. Healthy food and sports nutrition will help you achieve your ideal body faster.

Pumped delts look very impressive. Round and defined muscles will give you confidence. Follow the advice in this article and you will pump up such deltoids that you will be envied.

Verified by NASA

NASA research has shown that the conditions under which you train do not matter for muscle growth. The muscles just need tension. It is this that stimulates their growth and increase in strength.

Kenneth Baldwin, a professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of California, supported by NASA, studied muscle growth in rats trained using different types of physical activity.

Through painless electrical stimulation, Baldwin stimulated the rats' muscles to contract isometrically (static contraction), isotonic (normal contraction), and eccentrically (negative contraction). The results forever closed the debate about the best way to train.

Baldwin stated, “We found that after 12 sessions of each type of training, the amount of muscle growth in each group was the same,” even with isometric exercises, which are not actual movements.

Supersets

A superset is when an athlete performs two muscle exercises in a row without rest. Examples of antagonist muscles are the biceps and triceps: the first flexes the arm at the elbow joint, and the second extends it. The pectoral muscles push the arms, and the latissimus dorsi muscles pull them.

Technically, doing a superset is easy: you just need to combine two exercises into one and perform it without rest. When one super series comes to an end, you need to take a short break and then start a new super series.

Examples:

After performing the biceps curl, you can immediately begin performing arm extensions on the block. This is an example of a superset on antagonist muscles.
After bench press, you need to immediately start lifting the dumbbells while lying down. This is an example of working the same muscle group.

When you perform multiple supersets on one muscle system, your arm muscles will increase in volume and become stronger.

This will be observed only at first; soon they will decrease to the previous volume that was before they were pumped.

Why use supersets

The main reasons for using supersets in training:

Muscles recover more quickly during exercise. This happens because in a superset all antagonist muscles are activated. Scientists believe that when a tired muscle receives a small load, it recovers faster.
More active supply of muscles with nutrients. In the process of stopping the load, blood begins to move away from the muscle, and with it oxygen and nutrients. But with the assistance of this moment, the blood continues to actively supply nutrients.
Supersets are a great way to make changes to your training routine. They also help save time. Having them is especially important when you don’t have a lot of time and you intend to conduct classes quickly but effectively.

How to properly use supersets in training

When performing a superset, you don’t need to chase weight. In any workout, you can choose a weight that will help you technically complete all repetitions and approaches. Volumetric training will provide your muscle mass with new growth stimulation and force you to adapt in a new way. It is not recommended to do supersets frequently.

They won't work well. For one muscle group, you can perform a superset once a week or once every two weeks. You and your muscle mass need to have a period of time to recover, as increasing the intensity of your training using these methods will place significant stress on your muscles and nervous system.

In training, supersets can also be used at the stage when you are trying to lose weight, burn excess fat, as well as during the stage of gaining muscle mass and increasing strength. When cutting, you need to force the body to burn more calories than it takes in. An important element in this is diet and training.

Including supersets in your workout program will help you use energy efficiently, as you will train more productively, without pauses. Between exercises in a superset you need to take breaks and rest.

A classic superset is an option without rest between exercises. But you should still take short breaks of 30 seconds. This is necessary because during rest the muscles have time to recover. This increases the effectiveness of the workout.

Before exercising in a superset, you need to do warm-ups lasting ten minutes. It consists of classes with light weights, and also includes rotations of the body and arms, as well as other movements to warm up.

In conclusion, I would like to give some useful tips aimed at achieving maximum results without exhausting the body:

Training should take place according to the described system. It is not recommended to exercise to failure. The selected working weights should be such that the athlete is able to perform 1-2 more repetitions to the optimal number within the session.
Supersets are used to increase the effectiveness of the result. It should be noted that they are very energy depleting. Therefore, it is recommended to take energy drinks and isotonic drinks during classes.
After training you need recovery. It is necessary to take a protein shake to replenish the nutrients in the body.
You should exercise regularly. In addition to training, nutrition should be regular and balanced.

By performing various of the above exercises and following useful recommendations, you will achieve the desired result without overload and other negative consequences.

Are deltoid exercises at home safe?

https://youtu.be/KU6YQLFb77s

Now you know why you can easily tone up your deltoids at home, but how can you tone up your shoulders at home without dumbbells?

Before moving on to practice, we consider it necessary to touch upon an important topic - security.

The human shoulder is an incredibly complex combination of muscles, tendons and bones that can be easily damaged by improper movements.

There are several traditional exercises that have been included in training for decades that have caused a huge number of injuries.

The barbell overhead press, when done correctly, is a very effective exercise. Unfortunately, few people perform it correctly, hence the frequent injuries to the shoulder joint. When training with complex weights, the temptation is always to lift as much as possible. The concept of “more is better” is inherent in human nature. But don't forget that NASA research has shown that it is the tension in the muscles that matters, not the actual weight that caused the muscles to grow.

The more weight you take, the less control you will have over your range of motion, which puts you at risk for serious injury.

Tricks for visually widening your shoulders

A narrow waist visually widens the shoulders. If you have a beer belly, do some cardio and adjust your diet. This way you can give a V-silhouette to your figure.

Choose pants and shirts (jeans and T-shirts) in a “slim” style. In other words, clothes should be tailored, fitted and slightly tapered, but not too tight.

A couple more tricks when choosing clothes: horizontal patterns (especially in the chest and shoulders), as well as white color, visually expand the upper body.

Remember the following rules when performing shoulder exercises:

The most important factor in muscle growth is tension, regardless of the movement: isometric, isotonic or eccentric.
The shoulders are a complex system of bones, tendons and muscles that can easily be damaged if the exercise technique is not followed correctly.
The safest way to quickly pump up your shoulders at home is through slow and focused movements following the technique.
In order to get large and powerful deltoids, no additional equipment is needed.

How to speed up progress with sports nutrition?

When it comes to building muscle, nutrition is even more important than the workout itself. Muscles will only grow if you receive enough nutrients, which is not always possible to provide with regular foods. For those who are unable to eat a lot often, sports supplements will come to the rescue. When training for weight, you cannot do without the following products:

Protein. Supplies the body with protein – the main building material. Absorbed 10-15 times faster than regular food. It does not contain excess fats and carbohydrates.

Amino acids. They perform the same functions as protein powder, but are absorbed faster, since the protein is already in a split form.

Creatine. Increases explosive muscle strength.

Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Accelerate muscle growth and generally have a positive effect on health.

Vitamin and mineral complexes.

Sports nutrition will only give results if the rest of your diet consists of balanced meals. No matter how useful it is, it is still only an addition to the main diet.

For those who are just deciding whether they need sports nutrition, we recorded a video below:

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How to strengthen your shoulders at home

Now you know that you can strengthen your shoulders without special equipment. You learned what the shoulder girdle is made of and how easy it is to get grass.

It's time to learn how to pump up your shoulders in conditions. By the way, the matter is not limited to push-ups.

Do push-ups!

The venerable first place, of course, goes to push-ups. This exercise was a staple of military training even before the Greeks conquered the world under Alexander the Great.

Properly performed push-ups are the most effective way to pump up your chest, deltoids and triceps.

Let's look at the best variations on how to pump up your shoulders with push-ups.

Reverse Grip Push-Ups

Reverse-grip push-ups, like a laser-guided missile, are the perfect way to pump up your deltoids.

To begin, get into a standard push-up position with your palms flat on the floor and your fingers pointing forward. Now turn your hands so that your fingertips are pointing towards each other.

Keeping your elbows tightly pressed to your sides, slowly lower and rise to the starting position.

Handstand push-ups

Handstand push-ups are a shoulder-building exercise from powerlifting. When done correctly, it helps develop incredible strength.

Unless you have incredible athletic talent or are a professional gymnast, you'll need to hit the wall.

Stand facing a wall, bend over and place your hands on the floor directly in front of you. Raise your legs up so that they rest against the wall. Yes, this may not happen right away, but don’t despair.

While standing still, turn your hands so that your fingers point to the side (not towards the wall). This position of the hands will significantly reduce the risk of injury and fix the shoulder joint in the most comfortable position. Slowly bend your elbows and lower yourself towards the floor, then return to the starting position.

Don't be discouraged if it doesn't work out the first time. There are still quite a few variations of this exercise:

Standing bent push-ups: Instead of keeping your spine straight, bend at the waist, placing your feet and palms on the floor.
Do handstands without push-ups. Isometric exercises are also good.
Partial repetitions. Push up shallowly, gradually, as you increase strength, decreasing the distance from the floor.

Elastic tape

The elastic band provides the ideal resistance to develop strength and muscle size with minimal risk.

The resistance level of the band is ideal for training delts with variable resistance.

Raising arms to the sides with an elastic band

This exercise targets all three parts of the deltoid muscle:

Front;
Rear;
Medial.

Stand on the elastic band, holding the edges firmly in your hands. Slowly raise your arms just above shoulder level, bending your elbows slightly. Maintain this position for as long as possible.

By adding an isometric exercise while keeping your arms overhead, you will enhance the effectiveness of the exercise.
The variable resistance of the elastic band will help pump up the deltoids as much as possible, stimulating muscle growth.

Raising your arms in front of you with an elastic band

This exercise works well on the front and sides of the deltoid muscle, allowing you to significantly increase strength and endurance.

The starting position is the same as in the previous exercise. Raise your arms straight in front of you until your palms are at eye level. Stay in this position for as long as possible, then return to the starting position.

Raising arms with an elastic band to the sides in an inclined position

It is known that it is difficult to pump up the rear deltoid, but an elastic band is a good solution to this problem.

This time tilt your body down, lower your arms down, palms facing each other. Slowly raise your arms to the sides and hold them there until the muscles begin to “burn.”

Focus on the degree of resistance rather than the number of repetitions.
Tension is your best friend. Remember that growth is stimulated by the duration of the effort, not the number of repetitions.

Summary

You can see what you can expect from a set of exercises that simultaneously works the deltoids and back in 3-5 weeks. Even if the reflection in the mirror does not amaze you with huge peak deltoids and bulging lats, then at least you will be able to see progress in increasing strength and endurance. When working in static-dynamic mode, your shoulders will burn with fire even with light weights, which will certainly very quickly affect the total renewal of your entire wardrobe - your deltoids will be very cramped in old clothes. But all this will be subject to proper training and compliance with all recommendations.

Discussion: 4 comments

P0seid0n says:
I agree that the speaker stato for the shoulders is a stomp, I watched the videos of Lindover, he clearly explains it there. I don't understand how to combine it? If the shoulders are statodynamic, then how is the back in the split, also stato or as usual?
Romio says:
Thank you for the excellent program for beginners) Otherwise, I’m tired of asking anyone, they’ll just write everything for money, no one just tells me anything. And you have described everything from A to Z)
WoDMan says:
Figasse! I almost closed the site but I saw the consolidation of stress and read everything) If the author knows about this principle, then the reading is already 100% worthy. By the way, static dynamics are suitable for current body builders and if you want volume. Just be prepared that with your huge shoulders you won’t even be able to do a normal pull-up, much less do push-ups upside down. So the boys are better in terms of functionality, there will be both volume and strength.
Vado says:
The split is steep, but it’s better to place only the back bun to the back, the front bun to the chest, and the middle bun separately. You can even do it on leg day.

Isometric shoulder exercises at home (static)

Isometric exercises are an unusual way to train muscles with minimal risk of injury. The Doorway Press is an exercise that targets the shoulders and ensures that you get the right load.

Stand in a doorway with strong jambs, raise your arms up and place your palms on the top edge of the door. Making sure that your elbows are slightly bent, push your body forward.

This exercise is done for time, not for number of repetitions.
Do your best, don't hold back!
Do not hold your breath while doing the exercise. Breathe slowly and smoothly.

Training frequency

One shoulder workout over a period of four to five days is enough, subject to three basic conditions:

balanced nutrition (5-6 meals a day);

high-quality recovery (sleep at least 8 hours);

effective training.

It is best to train the deltoids on a separate day or train them together with the pectoral muscles. After working the pectoral muscles, the deltoids will be sufficiently warmed up, which in turn will reduce the likelihood of injury.

Can sports nutrition become a growth booster?

With high physical activity, not only does muscle fatigue occur, but there is also a large load on the nervous system. Namely, for high-quality growth, not only a heavy load is necessary, but also proper restoration of muscles and all systems. In this case, an important condition is nutrition - replenishment of all nutrients from food. But to restore the body of an active athlete, much more calories and nutrients are required. Then sports nutrition becomes an indispensable assistant, which saturates the athlete’s body with all nutrients in sufficient quantities, is quickly absorbed and contains rich nutritional value in comparison with conventional food products.

Sometimes eating porridge with meat is not enough; it is a long-digesting food that takes several hours to digest. What to do if after training or in the morning the body requires urgent “reinforcement” in order to avoid catabolism (muscle breakdown)? In this case, specially developed sports supplements will definitely help. They have no contraindications, and no allergies have been identified while taking them. So why spend years gaining muscle by the centimeter, not eating enough calories and nutritional supplements? Isn’t it easier to take a can of protein or gainer with amino acids, and constantly progress in growth, without “rollback”.

Without sports nutrition, firstly, you are tied to the kitchen, numerous snacks and bags with food trays, and secondly, you slow down in growth, having not gained either developed shoulders or other muscles through inadequate and unenriched nutrition, which is necessary for an athlete. Only you can choose how long you want to go towards your goal.

If you doubt whether you need sports nutrition, we recommend watching the video:

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