Do these exercises for stronger shoulders
What's the story
The African rainforests house diverse wildlife and unique ecosystems.
These lush environments also inspire various natural movements which can be adapted into effective shoulder-strengthening exercises.
By mimicking the motions of the animals and the natural flow of the rainforest, you can enhance your shoulder strength and flexibility.
Here are five exercises inspired from these vibrant forests you can incorporate into your fitness routine.
Swing motion
Gorilla arm swings
Gorillas, famous for their strong upper bodies, develop their strength through some dynamic swinging movements.
To imitate this exercise, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Start swinging your arms forward and backward in a slow and controlled motion.
This particular action helps improve the mobility of the shoulders while also working to strengthen the deltoid muscles, making it a great exercise for shoulder strengthening.
Crawl technique
Chimpanzee crawls
Chimpanzees also move through trees in a crawling motion, which relies heavily on their shoulders.
To mimic this, get down on all fours, but keep your knees slightly off the ground.
Next, crawl forward using opposite hand and foot movements.
This exercise focuses on the shoulders but also works out your core muscles.
Flap action
Parrot wing flaps
Parrots are great flyers, thanks to their strong shoulder muscles.
To mimic their movement, stand with feet shoulder-width apart and extend your arms on either side at shoulder height.
Start flapping your arms up and down like wings.
This exercise not only focuses on building endurance in your shoulder muscles, but also increases flexibility and strength of the area, making it a must-have in your shoulder-strengthening routine.
Leap Movement
Tree frog leaps
Tree frogs leap branch to branch using explosive power from their upper bodies.
To perform this exercise, start in a squat position with hands on the ground in front of you.
Then push off explosively into a jump while extending your arms overhead, as if reaching for a branch.
Pull technique
Vine pulls
Vines hanging in rainforests need strength to climb or pull yourself up against gravity.
Simulate this by using resistance bands anchored above you.
Pull downwards as if pulling yourself up a vine while keeping elbows close to your body throughout each repetition for optimal engagement of shoulder muscles.