Shoulder plank taps: A hidden powerhouse exercise

Plank Pose at Live the Riverfront Moonlight Yoga 2016 was originally posted on Flickr by A Healthier Michigan and is reused here under the terms and conditions of the Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0) Creative Commons license

From doing the plank to doing shoulder taps

If you are a plank aficionado like me, chances are that you will also fall in love with shoulder taps.

This is because, in order to do shoulder taps, you will first have to go into the plank pose.

And remember, you should rest on your palms instead of your elbows.

Trying to keep your body in a straight line, just like when doing the plank, is important, because, in this way, you will prevent, for example, your back from hunching, and getting injured in the long run.

Instead of using both of your hands to rest your body upon, as you would do in the plank, you alternately use each palm to support your body, touching the ground with one palm and lifting the other palm to touch the shoulder, and so on, to the point of failure, that is until you have reached your limit, and you can do no more repetitions.

In this way, each arm, forearm, wrist, and palm holds double the weight and makes double the effort, compared to what would happen during the ordinary plank pose.

Are shoulder taps an effective form of exercise?

You bet it is!

Shoulder taps are a typical exercise that is more effective than most people tend to believe.

Although other forms of exercise, such as using weights, are believed to be the most effective ones in helping people build muscle, for example, shoulder taps, which is a bodyweight exercise, has it own, unique benefits.

In many ways, this exercise mimics the movement of different animals that are well-known for their extraordinary strength.

Therefore, it can also work in the same way, and help humans using it to build stamina and overall body strength.

Contrary to common belief, it is not necessary to lift weights, and sometimes, tons of them, in order to dramatically improve your body’s look and posture, and feel strong as an animal (literally).

Doing 30 reps of shoulder taps in a row, for instance, can make you realize how challenging this exercise really is and include it in your regular training routine.

My own experience with doing shoulder taps

While I was looking on the Internet for different exercises that can boost my whole body fitness level, I stumbled upon shoulder taps, which is very similar or an alternative to the standard plank pose on the palms.

It is claimed that this exercise works many different muscles, such as both the biceps and the triceps, at the same time.

In fact, it is one of the few plank versions, if not the only one, that works muscles both at the back and front of the arm, whereas an ordinary plank usually only works the biceps.

For me, this is a major advantage, when choosing to do an exercise.

So, when I gave it a go and did 40 reps of shoulder taps within a couple of minutes, I immediately felt how effective this exercise is.

I was panting for breath within seconds, and I realized that shoulder taps are also great for cardiovascular health.

In terms of strength, when I tried to lift a chair immediately after doing the exercise, it felt lighter to lift, and my muscles felt stronger.

A little word of caution when doing shoulder taps

When you do shoulder taps for the first time, you may get easily disappointed, especially if your fitness level is low, and you have big belly, for example, which can prevent your from doing a high number of reps, and enjoying the benefits of this exercise to the maximum.

With persistent effort, however, you can increase your reps with time, lose weight, and do even more reps, in turn.

So, the key is not to get disappointed too early, because, otherwise, you will not be able to reap the full benefits of this highly effective form of bodyweight exercise.

Sources and further reading:

Exercise of the month: High plank shoulder taps

The Benefits Of Plank Shoulder Taps, According To Trainers

I did 50 plank shoulder taps every day for a week — here’s what happened to my abs

Men Over 40 Should Use This Plank to Build Stability and Strength