Working on your core strength can be tough as you age, which is why I love shoulder taps as a way to elevate a classic plank movement.<\/p>\n
Childbirth, hormone fluctuations and age-related declining muscle mass (sarcopenia) inevitably affect how strong and stable we feel, not to mention how we train. The last thing my tender, middle-aged neck needs is yet another sit-up, but I know core strength is critical, regardless of age. It\u2019s vital for functional fitness (making those everyday movements a bit easier), balance, and stability (making us less likely to fall), as well as helping to improve posture and reduce lower back pain.<\/p>\n
So, in my quest for a new way to train my mid-section without adding insult to (neck) injury, I plumped for trying shoulder taps as an alternative to the classic plank <\/a>movement in a Pilates workout at home<\/a>. Spoiler alert: they might just be my new favourite core (and dare I say, full body) move.<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n What are shoulder taps?<\/p>\n Shoulder taps are a bodyweight workout<\/a> exercise. While primarily an excellent core move, it works the arms and shoulders too, stabilising the shoulder girdle. Pilates fans may recognise the move as a variation of one of the classic Pilates exercises, too.<\/p>\n “Shoulder taps are a modern adaptation of the classical Pilates exercise ‘leg pull prone’, where you’re in a plank position and alternate lifting one hand to tap the opposite shoulder, all while keeping the hips as steady as possible,\u201d says Aleksandra Warburton<\/a>, a certified Pilates instructor. \u201cThey\u2019re a more dynamic stability challenge for the core, requiring strength, control and full-body awareness.\u201d<\/p>\n Although the move is usually performed from a stable plank position (either forearm or full, depending on your preference and current ability), beginners may want to start in an upright position, leaning their hands against a wall. From here, you\u2019ll slowly lift alternate hands to opposite shoulders with control.<\/p>\n It sounds easy enough, but don’t be fooled. Their simplicity belies the exercise’s effectiveness.<\/p>\n \u201cShoulder taps are deceptively simple,\u201d agrees trainer and founder of Meet You At The Barre<\/a>, Jennie Brown, who demonstrates the exercise below. \u201cEvery time you lift a hand to tap the opposite shoulder, your core works overtime to prevent your hips from wobbling. It\u2019s anti-rotation at its finest: you\u2019ll recruit and engage those tiny, but all-important stabilising muscles in the core, arms and shoulders all at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n How to do shoulder taps<\/p>\n We know that the key to getting the most benefits from any exercise (not to mention avoiding injury) is to perform it with good technique, so before you go any further, make sure your form is on point.<\/p>\n Benefits of shoulder taps<\/p>\n Shoulder taps vs push ups<\/p>\n Can you do wall shoulder taps?<\/p>\n As with any exercise, if you\u2019re new to the move, it\u2019s well worth trying a modification first and building up as you gain strength. In this case, the experts advise trying shoulder taps against a wall, as you would in a wall Pilates<\/a> workout.<\/p>\n \u201cWall shoulder taps are great and are always a good starting point for a beginner, or if you\u2019re rehabbing a shoulder injury, for example,\u201d says Mills. \u201cThey help you to get the feel of the control required in the shoulder and core, but put less load through these areas to start with. The closer you stand to the wall, the easier the move will be.\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019ve been practising Pilates (both mat and reformer) for over a decade, and I know my core strength is surprisingly good given that I\u2019ve had three children. But after a week of trialling shoulder taps, I’m a firm devotee. Not only do I feel able to build more stability across my core as a whole, but my arms, shoulders and legs feel stronger, too – and as for my neck, it\u2019s never been happier. So long, crunches.<\/p>\n\n
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