The overhead clap is a simple mobility drill where you stand tall and bring both arms up overhead to clap your hands together. It mobilizes the shoulders, activates the lower traps and serratus anterior, and is one of the simplest warm-up exercises for the upper body.
Muscle Group
Back, Shoulders
Equipment Required
Bodyweight
Type
Flexibility
Equipment
Band
Difficulty
Intermediate
Key Benefits
- Mobilizes the shoulders dynamically
- Activates the lower traps and serratus anterior
- Improves shoulder warm-up before pressing
- No equipment needed
- Builds shoulder endurance
- Easy to scale by adjusting tempo
How to perform
- Stand tall with feet hip-width apart. Arms at your sides.
- Quickly raise both arms straight out to the sides and continue lifting them overhead.
- Clap your hands together overhead.
- Lower your arms back down to your sides under control.
- Repeat for 15 to 25 reps.
- Move at a moderate pace. The point is to mobilize and warm up the shoulders.
- Keep your core braced and torso upright throughout.
- Excellent warm-up before any upper-body training.
FRONT VIEW
BACK VIEW
Traps
Primary