Targeting muscles

[Rateh]

After my pretesting last Saturday, my arms/shoulders were very sore, much much more sore than the rest of my body.

I had a hard time putting them behind my back in a "relaxed stance" which I believe is also called parade rest. I decided to...test the pain and see what hurt most. I found that if pressed I could force them to move from the parade rest position up my back, or out from my back, but it was difficult.

Mostly my arms hurt on the back, and my shoulders, and across the top of my back, and the muscle behind the clavicle. I have looked up pictures of where muscles are in the body, and I think the specific muscles are the trapeziums, the triceps, and the deltoids. (I hope that I spelled those correctly)

What I am looking for is exercises that specifically target these muscles, so I will be better prepared for my next test.

The thing is I have no equipment, so I'm really looking for exercises I can do with just me...or stuff that is lying around my house. Pictures or videos would be very helpful.

Thanks so much for any responses.

[JusticeZero]

I'll have to think on that one, but I -think- those are the main spots that get hit by handstand pushups (always, always keep your spine straight for this instead of looking at the floor, btw or else it moves) and pull-ups.

[JusticeZero]

OK, did a couple of quick tests, I think I have that area isolated.

Put your hands up over your head and tuck your head forward a bit. Now go isometric and slowly pull your hands down to your shoulders behind your neck with dynamic tension, resisting with your own muscle tension and making sure to recruit your back behind your armpits; then push back up to where you started from.

I suspect that you will note that you've basically just hit all of the muscles you were referring to as feeling sore.

That's a handstand pushup with straight spine (if you look at the floor, beyond mangling your posture, you also shift to use different muscle groups) and a pullup. Both are bodyweight exercises, though pull-ups will probably need you to put a bar across a doorframe somewhere, and you can do them isometrically if need be.

[tallgeese]

I'll second Justice on his recomendations.

The handstand push up and pull up are great tools. If you can't get the handstand push up, you can use one of the many 'cheating" methods available. If none of those are appealing, start with a standing barbell shoulder press. Again, the standing variety, not the more common seated. Same thing goes for a straight spine.

Don't overlook medicine ball throws and such as well, not to mention the more traditional weightlifiting protocols for the tris, delts, and back.

Good luck.

[Throwdown0850]

do some dips (weighted or no weighted) for triceps, or close grip pushups. traps will hard to do unless you have access to a gym w/ weights. if you do, then you can do an exercise called "shrugs" works mostly traps and shoulders.

[sperki]

All good suggestions so far; let me add a few weird exercises. Get a gallon milk jug (or even better get two). Fill them about three quarters full to start and try this: lay on your chest on the corner of your bed with your chin and arms dangling off the bed. Hold a jug in each hand and lift it out and up with your arm mostly straight. Think of it as a controlled flap of you wings, like you're trying to fly. Really concentrate on pinching your shoulder blades together when you get to the top of the movement (which should have your arms about parallel to the floor). This will work the middle part of your traps. To hit the delts a little more stand up with the jugs in each hand hanging at your sides. Then lift up so your arms are parallel to the floor. Keep them up, move your hands so they are sticking straight out in front of you. Then lower them to your thighs. For repetition two, lift straight up (back in front of you) then move your arms out to the side, then down at your sides. Hopefully that makes sense; if not I'll try to find a video or pictures.

Good luck!

[Rateh]

Thanks so much for the replies. I think I'll combine some of them and see what happens.

[Kuma]

Pull-ups will do wonders for you.

do some dips (weighted or no weighted) for triceps, or close grip pushups. traps will hard to do unless you have access to a gym w/ weights. if you do, then you can do an exercise called "shrugs" works mostly traps and shoulders.

You can do shrugs while hanging from a pullup bar as well, hits it from a different angle but still hits that area.

[Throwdown0850]

Pull-ups will do wonders for you.

do some dips (weighted or no weighted) for triceps, or close grip pushups. traps will hard to do unless you have access to a gym w/ weights. if you do, then you can do an exercise called "shrugs" works mostly traps and shoulders.

You can do shrugs while hanging from a pullup bar as well, hits it from a different angle but still hits that area.

cool, I will have to try that one. thanks for the tip, kuma