The Best Arm Workouts For People Who Just Can't (Or Won't) Do Pushups

It was a frustrating time (to say the least), but instead of focusing on what I couldn't do, I focused on what I could do to maintain my arm strength. The following exercises are perfect for anyone who can't do a pushup or simply doesn't want to.

Side planks can be super beneficial when it comes to strengthening the shoulder. And oftentimes when you incur a shoulder injury, your stabilizing muscles in the shoulder shut off. Doing a side plank can help prevent this!

Triceps extensions allow you to strengthen the back of your arms without causing pain in your shoulders. As I mentioned earlier, if you have a shoulder injury, you'll want to avoid any exercise that has you bend your elbow while putting weight on your shoulder. For example, a triceps dip will only cause more inflammation to the injury. So instead, try adding triceps extensions with a dumbbell to your routine.

Isometric movements like biceps curls have gotten a bad rap in the world of functional movement. And while I would agree that it's not the most effective way to train, it's a simple movement that you can do when you're suffering from an injury or unable to do something more advanced. (Just make sure to stretch between sets. If your biceps tendon gets too tight, you'll cause more pain to your shoulder.) And when choosing a dumbbell, remember that doing the move correctly with lighter weight is always better than going heavier and compromising your form.

I would argue that we should do two pulls for every one push we do (in our workouts and our day-to-day lives), especially given that most of us our have poor posture. Developing a strong back will not only help improve your posture, but it'll also speed up your recovery process.

Suffering an injury can be frustrating and painful, but it doesn't mean you have to give up all movement. There are so many ways to strengthen your body, it just takes a little compromise and creativity.