How do you use the shoulder tap exercise to improve your fitness? Working out is challenging when you have not done it before. When you first exercise, seeing all the equipment at the gym can be a little scary. In this situation, what would be better than doing an exercise with no equipment? One such exercise is the Shoulder taps exercise. You can use shoulder taps in various methods, especially when you are new to working out or just returning. Doing this exercise regularly will ensure that you get into better shape and your body is healthy. In addition, it’s a great exercise to improve your ability to perform pushups, dips, bear crawl, or crab walks.
What is the Shoulder Tap Exercise?
Shoulder taps are a core workout. Although shoulder taps look to be like planks, they are a separate workout. This high-intensity, low-impact activity stimulates your shoulder, abdomen, and obliques as well as engages your core to stabilize the entire body. This workout will increase your heart rate as you change your weight from arm to arm. Thus, it provides you with an aerobic boost and strengthening benefits. Your wrists and arms will strengthen over time, making it more straightforward to bear greater weight and prop up the body without extensions.
Shoulder tap exercise is an energetic workout. This requires you to contact each hand on the opposite shoulder. You must keep your body in the plank position while you bring your hand to meet the shoulder. This makes it a whole-body functional exercise. It works several muscles in a group, including deep core muscles. It also helps you practice keeping your hips and shoulders aligned.
How to Perform Shoulder Sits?
Here is the step-by-step guide to performing shoulder sit properly.
Step 1: Lower yourself to the mat and get into a high plank position. Your hands should be just beneath your shoulders. Drop your knees. You can step your feet hip-width apart for added stability if a full plank is challenging.
Step 2: Now press onto your right hand. Touch your left palm to your right shoulder. While doing so, clench your core. Keep your hips and shoulders square to the ground.
Step 3: With your right palm, switch the tap to your left shoulder.
Step 4: Throughout the action, keep your shoulder down and relaxed. Keep an eye out for—weak hips.
Step 5: For beginners, alternate between both sides for 10-20 seconds. As you gain strength, increase the time and repetitions.
Modifications and variations of the shoulder tap exercise
Shoulder tap pushup on knees:
The method requires you to get into the standard shoulder tap position and drop your knees. The advantage of this method is it allows you to maintain excellent form while making good gains.
Shoulder tap pushups with hand on a box:
The method requires you to raise your upper body instead of dropping your knees. The advantage of this method is that it reduces the load on your arms while helping you to gain more strength.
Shoulder taps with the addition of legs:
The method requires you to perform the standard shoulder tap. Then, while taping one shoulder, raise the same side foot. The advantage of this method is that it increases the amount of work produced by your core.
Shoulder taps with the addition of weight:
This method requires you to perform the standard shoulder tap. Instead, wear a weighted vest or balance a weighted plate on your back. The advantage of this method is that it drastically boosts your heart and breathing rate.
Benefits
Shoulder taps strengthen your arms, shoulders, and core. In addition, the other benefits of shoulder taps are:
- Shoulder tap exercise is a low-impact exercise. This exercise doesn’t require jumping or jolting, making them gentle on the body. As a result, it is an excellent strengthened training option for people who don’t want to participate in high-impact exercises.
- This exercise does not require any equipment. As a result, it is ideal for on-the-go training.
- Shoulder taps naturally stimulate proper posture. In addition, this exercise elongates your spine correctly. Therefore, it helps in the precise positioning of your body.
- Shoulder tap works the core and shoulder muscles. Thus, this exercise helps in stabilizing your muscles and providing stability.
Muscles involved in performing the shoulder tap exercise
Shoulder taps work for all the major core muscles and a lot of smaller stabilizing muscles. The muscles engaged while doing this exercise are:
- Rectus abdominis: Six-pack muscles
- Serratus anterior: The region around your rib cage
- Trapezius: A major muscle in the upper back and neck
- Gluteus medius: A hip abductor muscle on the outside of the pelvis
- Obliques: Muscles on both sides of the core
- Erector spinae: A set of muscles in your lower back
Safety tips
To avoid any injury and get the maximum benefits, make sure you do shoulder taps with the proper technique. Following are some safety tips to avoid any damage:
- Be aware of your hip sagging. Sagging hips will put unnecessary strain on your lower back.
- Avoid moving too quickly. Fast movement will generate jolts in the body and divert attention away from your core.
- Slowly start your exercise. Moving too fast can cause strain on your weak areas, like wrists or shoulders.
- Start with only three sets of 15-20 reps. Try doing this exercise with different variations to get the most out of it.
The last word on the shoulder tap exercise
Shoulder tap exercise is the core strengthening exercise. It works for all major core and stabilizing muscles. It requires no equipment, the weight you bear your body weight. While maintaining a solid plank position, tap each palm on the opposite shoulder. You can change this exercise by dropping your knees or using an elevated surface such as a block. You can also make a more challenging variation by raising your feet. If you have any wrist, shoulder, or lower-back issues, avoid this exercise.
While performing this exercise, make sure your hips are parallel to the floor, and your spine is aligned. Then, stabilize your core to do shoulder taps with precision. There should not be any sway in your hips. Proper exercise technique is critical for ensuring the safety and success of an exercise program. Still, depending on your specific demands, you may need to alter each exercise to achieve the maximum benefits of this exercise.
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