Fight Fire With Fire!
Attack your weaknesses!
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Nothing to do with rear delts, but thank you for this: it’s just what I needed!
Edit: On second thought, maybe it does have a little to do with rear delts. Either way, your point stands: Attack your weaknesses!
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In terms of presses, the hammer strength shoulder machine fits me really well and I can absolutely feel my middle delts working when I use it. I think it’s because I can keep my elbows back and still stacked straight under my wrists.
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I got it from smarter guys!
Check out these “Readiness Warm Ups” where you do a little pre-workout circuit of 3 moves x 25 reps x 4 sets to address imbalances, develop Mind Muscle Connection with weak muscles and build conditioning before your big lifts.
Brian Shaw, before upper body
Band Pulldowns x 25
Band Overhead Extensions x 25
Chest Press Machine x 25
4 rounds
Brain Shaw, before deadlift
Pull Thru x a bunch
Back Raise x a bunch
1 Leg RDL x a bunch
4 rounds
Matt Wenning on how to program this stuff
Matt Wenning on sciencey stuff like warm muscles firing harder
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I highly recommend this one:
I’ve managed to add some meat back there — maybe from that alone. I still have visually dominant front delts, but that’s to be expected given how my programming has looked. One worthwhile anecdote is how much better my shoulders move. It won’t be noticeable on a barbell movement but if I do a 1-arm KB overhead press without having done the above compared to having done the above “warm-up” the trajectory in which I press is a lot more stable (as in clean).
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There’s lots of good advice on here. I put the most mass on my shoulders by hitting them 2x a week. If you’re worried about weakness after pre-exhaust with rear delt work, just do that on the first day and switch rear delts to later in the workout for day two. I have found that higher reps (12-20) are better for lateral and rear delt exercises (raises and flies). It’s easy to lift with your ego on raises, so make sure to keep the weight light enough that you can control the eccentric. Try 15-20 second isometric holds to start each set of raises if you’re struggling with mind muscle connection.
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Ive been trying to improve my back width. Focusing on lateral delts. After examining what i had done for years and years. I recognized fhe front delta got like 3x the work as the lateral and rear delts.
So im doing band pull aparts between exercises now. And making sure in doing at least two days of lateral raises per week
I dont do any front delt raises. I figure between the benching, ohp, inclines and dips. Front delts get enough.
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Good idea on the iso holds. I make sure my delt raises are done in a 7 ct. 3 seconds up. 1 second top. 3 seconds down. I never go all the way down so tension remains on the muscle
Doing that for 15 reps. 10lb is plenty
Thats a bonus in my opinion if the goal is shoulder hypertrophy rather than a max shoulder press pr. Takes some time adjusting to feel happy moving less weight. You taxed your shoulders before pressing, meaning they failed easier on the presses and they failed before your triceps did. Which means you probably stimulated them more, took them to failure quicker and had to use less weight to do so. Win win in my book!
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As an FYI I’m now doing pull aparts all the time. Even in-between conditioning exercises. And loads of rises.
I’m okay witH MMC. I get a really good pump on behind the neck press. I can feel the middle delt really burn.
I’m lossing some serious weight right now so his is the wrong time to try and build good size I’m trying to retain. But come the autumn I’m going to put a real focus on shoulder hypertrophy. I’m fairly strong over head. But I want the look as well now.