I find it hard to get a pump in my shoulders when I train them. My shoulders are relatively strong and I have increased my strength althoughlately this has slowed down. However I never manage to pump them or feel any soreness in them the next day. I usually do 3-4 sets of dumbell presses for 6-8 reps followed by 3-4 sets of lateral raises and 2-3 sets of anterior raises.
Can anyone suggest any modifications or should I continue with my routine?
Qaisar–After your shoulder presses try “running the rack” for laterals (start with the heaviest dumbells you can handle and get a few reps, then immediately grab the next lightest pair for a few reps etc… Then throw in 3 triple drop sets of upright rows, and then your anterior raises.
use super-sets or drop sets. Slow down your eccentric motion for more time under tension. try doing standing overhead press. laters pk
i learned this from poliquin in buffalo last year. A1 - L lateral raise 7-9reps 202 rest 10 seconds A2- 21’s with shoulder press(7 reps only half way up, 7 reps full range,7 reps from 1/2 way to lock out position) rest 2 minutes and repeat 2 more times. its a killer
Try this, it never fails to blow my shoulders up like crazy. After your heavy pressing sets, take some relatively light dumbells and go to a shoulder press machine. Perform laterals until you can no longer even raise the weights from your side, then immediately proceed to do the shoulder presses to failure. After doing three sets of these I need a spot to raise my water bottle.
This doesn’t directly relate to how to get a pump, but where is your posterior delt training? Your inability to get a pump may directly relate to your weak posterior delts.
Try alternating the presses w/chin’s. My gym has this circular cage thing (I believe it’s made by Hammer Strength) and one of the stations has angled bar/handle on each side so that you can pull yourself up between the two handles, essentially it’s the exact same position as the dumbell presses only you’re pulling rather than pushing.
I know what you mean. I rarely get sore in my delts. However, I have achieved some very good pumps. I only get pumped when I do high volume. The delts are a relatively smal muscle group. For me, small muscle groups need high volume at medium resistance to get pumped. When going for a pump, I do a “giant set” of:
Military Press…1x10
Laterals… 3 or 4x8 (up & down the rack)
This gets a very good pump for me.
Try doing handstand pushups with a 4 second pause at the bottom and get as close to the wall as possible.
In stage 1 (I think) of 12 weeks to super strength Ian King has some killer shoulder exercises, done as tri-set, esp front raises with twist and 1 arm cable laterals, try them as outlined.
Why do you need a “pump”? The pump is not a factor in weather or not you had an effective muscle stimulating workout. Just keep your intensity up and you’ll be fine.
Here is an Ian King tri-set routine, somewhat similar to the one jman posted. A1, seated lateral raise for 10 reps where 1 rep = up, pause, halfway down, pause, back up. No rest, go to A2, seated behind neck barbell shoulder press with very wide grip using the 21’s method as jman described. No rest, go to A3, seated dumbbell shoulder press for 6 reps using slow tempo of 613. One tri-set should be sufficient.
i dont really get pumps anywhere except in my arms (and sometimes a small one in lats or chest)
set your focus on your goal a little different. Pump is unnecessary. If you are using the same weight scheme and rep range and same tempo, why would your development continue. what day does your shoulder work fall on?
Thanks for the help guys, I will give your suggestions a shot and let you know how it goes. I dont do rear laterals because I tend to do a lot of rowing exercises for my back so I dont want to overtrain them. I tend to train shoulders on the same day as chest and triceps once per week, although Ive decided to change to the schedule recommended by Poliquin with Shoulders on the same day as Arms, I think that should help. I guess i like the feeling of the pump and it lets me know Im working my muscles, but you guys are right because I have been making strength gains.