Shoulder Taps (How To, Benefits & Alternatives)

Shoulder Taps are a simple but effective bodyweight drill that builds core stability, shoulder control, and anti-rotation strength. From a high plank position, you alternate tapping each shoulder with the opposite hand—forcing your core and hips to stay steady while your base shifts.

Great for warm-ups, finishers, or as part of any core-focused training.

Primary Muscles Worked: Core (especially obliques), Shoulders, Triceps
Secondary Muscles Worked: Chest, Glutes, Lower Back
Equipment Needed: None

How To Do Shoulder Taps

Step-by-Step Instructions

Set-Up:
- Start in a strong high plank: hands under shoulders, feet slightly wider than hip-width, body in a straight line from head to heels.
- Engage your core and squeeze your glutes to lock in your position.
Execution:
- Lift your right hand off the ground and tap your left shoulder.
- Return your right hand to the floor and immediately lift your left hand to tap your right shoulder.
- Continue alternating sides with control, minimizing movement through your hips.
Tips for Proper Form:
- Keep your hips square—imagine balancing a glass of water on your lower back.
- Widen your feet if you need more stability.
- Go slow and controlled, especially at the start.

Key Benefits

Builds anti-rotation core strength.
Improves shoulder and scapular control under load.
Great for warm-ups, core circuits, or travel workouts.

Modifications and Variations

Easier Option:
- Perform from your knees to reduce load.
- Slow down the movement to focus on control.
Harder Option:
- Narrow your feet or place them together to increase core demand.
- Add a pause at each tap.
- Use sliders or a resistance band for added challenge.

Common Mistakes

Rocking or Rotating the Hips: Keep your body as still as possible—let the core do the work.
Rushing the Movement: Fast reps usually mean sloppy form.
Shoulders Drifting Behind the Wrists: Keep your weight stacked over your hands.

Reps and Sets Recommendations

For Warm-Up or Activation: 2–3 sets of 10 taps per side.
For Core Work: 3–4 sets of 20–30 total taps or 30–45 seconds of continuous movement.
In Circuits: Use in time-based intervals (e.g. 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off).

Shoulder Taps Alternatives

Looking for other shoulder stabilization movements? Here are a few alternatives you can try out:

Scap Pushups

Scap Pushups are very similar to Shoulder Taps. Similar body position and no equipment is needed. The difference is Scap Pushups involve moving the scapula area through range of motion as opposed to the more static Shoulder Taps.

Assume a pushup position and keep elbows locked out. Now focus on only retracting and protracting the shoulder blades. ‘Sink down’ and let the shoulder blades come together and then ‘raise up’ pushing the shoulder blades far apart.

Reps will be on the higher end (15 – 25 at a time) and can often precede regular pushups in a warm-up routine.

A, Y, T

A, Y, T are a shoulder series done with a very light weight (often 2.5 lb or 5 lb plates), laying on your stomach on a bench angled at 30 degrees. This series focuses on the posterior shoulder, doing raises making a letter A with the arms, then a Y and finally a T.

What makes A, Y, T great as an alternative here is that they can be done with one arm if necessary. So, if you are limited with a injury that doesn’t allow you to get into a pushup position, A, Y, T can be a perfect sub.