Shoulder Taps: How To Do, Benefits, Variation & More

Are you looking for a fun variation of plank exercise? Let us tell you about shoulder taps.

Shoulder taps or high plank shoulder taps are an advanced version of the traditional plank that works your core and shoulders. Shoulder taps are a commendable active plank variation. High plank shoulder taps is an anti-rotation exercise, i.e., it requires you to keep your shoulders and hips steady.

Adding shoulder taps to your workout routine will strengthen your core muscles and enhance endurance and stability. 

In this article, we will discuss how to do shoulder taps. We will also discuss the different benefits of shoulder taps and their variations.

How To Do Shoulder Taps‍

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do shoulder taps.

• To begin, get in the kneeling plank position. Maintain a hip-width distance between your legs and cross your ankles. From the crown of your head to the floor, your body should create a single straight line.
• Keep your shoulders and hips level and square in front of you. Lift your right palm and tap your left shoulder with con. Hold for a beat and set your palm back down.
• Now, lift your left palm and tap your right shoulder with control. Hold for a beat and set your palm back down.
• These steps form one rep.

Start with 3 sets of 6-10 reps on each side. Make sure you give yourself 10-15 seconds of rest between sets. 

A few things to keep in mind while performing shoulder taps exercises are:

• Always keep your hips steady.
• Keep your core engaged.
• Always warm up your body properly before exercising.
• Take 10-15 seconds of rest between each set.
• Always cool down your body post-workout.

Benefits of Shoulder Taps‍

There are numerous benefits of shoulder taps. They include:

1. Full-body workout: One of the important benefits is that it is a compound exercise that works different muscles. Shoulder taps workout is mainly core exercise working the muscles in the abs and obliques. However, the muscles worked also include the biceps, triceps, chest, shoulders, hamstrings, glutes, and back. These make it a full-body workout.
2. Stronger muscles: A shoulder taps workout is a kind of resistance training. It helps build stronger muscles throughout the body with regular shoulder taps exercise.
3. Balance and coordination: Another major one of plank shoulder taps' benefits is how it helps in improving balance and coordination. We can improve coordination and balance, the vital fitness skills, by challenging them. Shoulder taps exercise challenges our balance and coordination adequately to improve them.
4. Helps in losing weight: Spending energy by performing plank shoulder taps helps in burning the calories. The extra muscle mass building in plank shoulder taps also helps in burning extra calories. Both these aspects make a part of weight loss. Hence, when done as a part of the necessary workout and diet routine, shoulder taps can help in weight loss.
5. Improves posture: Another benefit of plank shoulder taps is that it helps in improving body posture. Shoulder taps engage the muscles in the body that help with improved posture.
6. May prevent or reduce back pain: Shoulder taps are a core strengthening exercise that can help in reducing or preventing backaches and pains. However, it is a good idea to discuss with your doctor, before performing this exercise.
7. Improves mood: Performing shoulder taps, like any other exercise, releases our body’s feel-good hormones, improving our mood and mental health.
8. Improves sleep: Shoulder taps are an exercise that can improve the quality and duration of sleep. This can in turn has various more important benefits for our body.

All these superb benefits of shoulder taps exercise make it a must-have in your workout routine. 

Variations of Shoulder Taps‍

There are many variations of shoulder taps and modified shoulder taps that one can try. These modified shoulder taps include:

• Tabletop shoulder taps: Tabletop shoulder taps are an easier variation of shoulder taps. In tabletop shoulder taps, you perform the shoulder taps but in tabletop position, instead of plank position. This reduces the amount of bodyweight one needs to stabilize and lift off the ground while performing the shoulder taps.

• Bear crawl shoulder taps: Bear crawl shoulder taps are a tougher variation of the tabletop shoulder taps. In bear crawl shoulder taps, you get into tabletop position and keep your knees lifted off the ground throughout the shoulder taps exercise. It is also called panther shoulder tap. Panther shoulder tap is a great exercise for those who want to do a challenging workout without putting too much pressure on their lower back.

• Elevated shoulder taps: Elevated shoulder taps are a more difficult variation of the shoulder taps. In elevated shoulder taps, you elevate your lower body by placing your feet on a box and then perform the shoulder taps in a plank position. Elevated shoulder taps are a great move to test your endurance and core stability.

• Plank shoulder taps with hold: If you’re looking to take the challenge of shoulder taps up a notch, you should try plank shoulder taps with hold. In plank shoulder taps with hold, when bringing your one hand to tap your shoulder, try to keep your hand and hold it on your shoulder for 3 seconds before setting it back down. Do this each time you bring a hand to your shoulder. This will make the shoulder taps exercise more challenging as it will force you to keep your core engaged for longer.

• Plank shoulder taps with leg lifts: Another variation to take the challenge of shoulder taps higher is plank shoulder taps with leg lifts. In plank shoulder taps with leg lifts, you need to adjust your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart in plank position. Now, as you tap one shoulder with your hand, at the same time lift the opposite leg off the ground. Do this every time you tap your shoulder. These will help profoundly in improving your coordination.

Now that you know about shoulder taps, ensure that you give this very effective exercise a try. As the exercise is fairly simple and does not require any equipment, it can easily be a part of your routine whether you work out at home or the gym. Practice shoulder taps regularly, and over time, you will find your core muscles strengthening.

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