Bodyweight shoulders and arms workout: 5 exercises, sets and reps

Bodyweight shoulders and arms workout

5 exercises 16 sets about 40 min no weights, plus a pull-up bar and dip bars or two sturdy chairs

A session for the muscles that get the leftovers in most programs. An overhead press comes first, then the side and rear of the shoulder, then biceps and triceps in alternation so each rests while the other works.

Without weights the load is fixed, so effort comes from slower lowering, pauses, harder variations and more reps.

Start this workout free Creates your account with these 5 exercises already loaded. Free to log, no card.

The workout

Pike Push-Up4 × 8Hips high in an inverted V. Lower the top of your head towards the floor between your hands, then press back up.2 min rest
Prone Y Raise3 × 12Lie face down, arms overhead in a Y. Lift them off the floor with thumbs up and hold for a second.60 s rest
Chin-Up3 × 6Palms facing you, hands shoulder-width apart. Pull until your chin is over the bar and lower all the way.90 s rest
Diamond Push-Up3 × 10Hands together under your chest, thumbs and index fingers touching. Elbows stay close to the body.90 s rest
Dips3 × 12Lean forward slightly, lower until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, then press to lockout.60 s rest

Muscles worked

Front

Back

Shoulders10
Triceps8
Chest6.5
Lats3
Upper back3
Biceps3
Traps3

Sets per muscle. A muscle that only assists in an exercise counts half.

How to run it

Start with five minutes of easy movement and one easy set of the first exercise. Rest for the time shown next to each exercise; the heavy lifts at the top need more than the smaller ones at the end.

Aim to finish each set with one or two reps left in you. If every set reaches its target easily, the session is too light. When a set reaches the target comfortably, slow the lowering to three seconds or move to a harder variation before you add reps without end.

Once a week, as a fourth day next to chest, back and leg sessions, or as the arm-focused day of an upper and lower split.

In myreplog

It is already set up. These 5 exercises arrive in your account as a program, with the sets and reps above.
Tap, do not type. Set your weights the first time, then mark each set done as you finish it.
Records count themselves. From your second session, a lift that beats your best is marked as a personal record on the spot.
See what you trained. The session ends with this muscle map, drawn from the sets you actually did.

Logging is free for good. The first 14 days also include Pro, where a coach reviews each session and suggests the weights for the next one. No card needed.

Questions

How long does this shoulders and arms workout take?

About 40 minutes. That is 16 working sets with the rests listed next to each exercise, plus five minutes to warm up.

What muscles does it work?

Mostly the shoulders, triceps and chest. The lats, upper back, biceps and traps assist. The map on this page shades each muscle by the number of sets that reach it.

What equipment do I need?

No weights, plus a pull-up bar and dip bars or two sturdy chairs.

Can I train shoulders and arms on the same day?

Yes. Neither is a large muscle group, so the session is not exhausting, and alternating a biceps exercise with a triceps exercise keeps the rests short.

How many sets do arms need per week?

Counting the work they get from presses and rows, most people grow well on 10 to 14 direct sets a week for biceps and the same for triceps.