Shoulders: What are *You* Doing?

Training
61

[quote]Professor X wrote:
My shoulders have really progressed possibly faster than most other body parts lately. The only real change has been more frequent training and ditching side lateral raises for that lateral raise machine that you place your forearm against as you grip the handles.

…

Other than that, going very heavy is still what works for shoulders.

If you want the routine just ask.[/quote]

Sure, if you don’t mind!! Very much appreciated.

If I remember correctly, in addition to adding the side lat machine, didn’t you say you were targeting shoulders 2x per week? I might have you confused with someone else saying that.

Believe it or not, I’m at the point where I’m ready to switch gyms because I need something else with my back and shoulder workouts. It’s a combination of not having enough weight on the cable machines for my back workouts (I’ve maxed out the db’s and I don’t do BO BB rows), not having the machines I want and just the atmosphere (old folks, lazy lazy folks, uninspired fat dudes).

I’m not that big (as you can see) as far as big goes, but I’m one of the biggest at my “gym” (a “Y”), and certainly one of the most serious about putting on size, and I’ve made more progress this year than anyone I know there.

The next closest gym is a bona-fide competitive powerlifting/BB gym (gillysgym.com), but it’s 40 minutes away on a good day. They have everything (like a side lat raise, power rack, HS bench, HS rows, and db’s > 120)including really big guys and atmosphere, which motivates more than people can imagine. I think the ride might be worth it.

I’ve been posting these ‘motivational’ split threads for-- motivation-- and everybody’s input is much appreciated… 'specially the big dudes who make you want to take it to the next level… thanks.

62

Last went w/volume + mod. hvy:

DB Side Lat raise: 4x6-8
DB Front raise (hammer grip): 5x6-10
DB Upright Raise: 4x8-10
1-Arm Incline Side Lat Raise: 4x8-10
DB Press (seated): 5x6-8 (+2 sets x3 reps)
Incline Rear Delt Raise (ie seated face down): 4x6-10
1-Arm Incline Side Lat Raise: 4x8-10
Rev. Pec Dec: 3x8-10

Feeling it today.

63

im not suprised thats 33 sets right there

64

[quote]SteelyD wrote:
Professor X wrote:
My shoulders have really progressed possibly faster than most other body parts lately. The only real change has been more frequent training and ditching side lateral raises for that lateral raise machine that you place your forearm against as you grip the handles.

…

Other than that, going very heavy is still what works for shoulders.

If you want the routine just ask.

Sure, if you don’t mind!! Very much appreciated.

If I remember correctly, in addition to adding the side lat machine, didn’t you say you were targeting shoulders 2x per week? I might have you confused with someone else saying that.

Believe it or not, I’m at the point where I’m ready to switch gyms because I need something else with my back and shoulder workouts. It’s a combination of not having enough weight on the cable machines for my back workouts (I’ve maxed out the db’s and I don’t do BO BB rows), not having the machines I want and just the atmosphere (old folks, lazy lazy folks, uninspired fat dudes).

I’m not that big (as you can see) as far as big goes, but I’m one of the biggest at my “gym” (a “Y”), and certainly one of the most serious about putting on size, and I’ve made more progress this year than anyone I know there.

The next closest gym is a bona-fide competitive powerlifting/BB gym (gillysgym.com), but it’s 40 minutes away on a good day. They have everything (like a side lat raise, power rack, HS bench, HS rows, and db’s > 120)including really big guys and atmosphere, which motivates more than people can imagine. I think the ride might be worth it.

I’ve been posting these ‘motivational’ split threads for-- motivation-- and everybody’s input is much appreciated… 'specially the big dudes who make you want to take it to the next level… thanks.[/quote]

Overhead presses (I go light at first and then go heavier over about 4 sets)
Hammer Strength high incline presses (the machine they have at one gym hits higher than most of their incline machines so I feel it in my delts and less in my upper chest).
Lateral raises (done like I stated above)
Shrugs (I may actually back off on these because my traps grow like they need weed killer)
Pec deck rear delt (facing the machine).

That’s it…and yes, I do usually train shoulders twice a week but I may stop that in order to give triceps more time.

65

PX - Thanks! When you say ‘heavy’ are you talking about 4-6 reps or so? (sorry, seems like ‘heavy’ means different things to different people). I have been responding well to the 6-10 range (ramping down) with shoulders, and every couple weeks going for the 3 reppers for a few sets for db presses.

SID- yeah, I had a lot to get out of my system. I don’t normally double up on the lat raises and the rear delts, so they were extra last night.

66

My normal delt routine would look something like this:

Hammer strength press 6-8rep range
Lateral raises 12-15 rep range
Rear deltoid exercise 15 rep range

I may add a finisher or more exercises, but the workout goes around that selection and rep range.

67

[quote]SteelyD wrote:
PX - Thanks! When you say ‘heavy’ are you talking about 4-6 reps or so? (sorry, seems like ‘heavy’ means different things to different people). I have been responding well to the 6-10 range (ramping down) with shoulders, and every couple weeks going for the 3 reppers for a few sets for db presses.

[/quote]

The only exercise I may not get 10 reps out of is the last set on those HS high inclines. I train shoulders heavy but if you try to train them like chest going all out using a weight you can only get twice chances are you will end up with an injury. If you have to cheat to some extreme degree for shoulder movements, you will probably need surgery in the next few years.

Take care of your shoulders and knees. Train heavy but not stupid.

Some of this shit is difficult to simply put into words. You learn in the gym.

68

agreed the shoulder lateral machine is nice, lately i add Hany Rambod’s FST-7 at the end of deltoids w/ that machine.

69

Subsequently since my last post in this Q&A, I have changed my plan, to meet a more ‘Size’ orientated goal (Compared to previous months) [Read: Summers Coming…]
Plan is as follows -

  • Military Press - 6 x 8>2
  • Seated DB Shoulder Press - 6 x 8>4
  • Seated DB Arnold Press - 4 x 8>6
  • Seated HS Shouder Press - 4 x 8>6
  • Plate ‘Peekaboo’ Raises - 4 x 8
  • DB Front Raises - 2 x 12
  • Plate Lateral Raises - 4 x 8
  • DB Lateral Raises - 2 x 12
  • Bent Over Lateral Raises - 2 x 12
  • Reverse Bench Flye’s - 2 x 12

Looks like a lot but ive had good growth and strength increase already, for example;
Military Press - Increased from 65Kg x 2 to 70Kg x 2
Seated DB Shoulder Press - Increased from 27.5Kg DB to 30Kg DB
The above over 4 weeks / 4 sessions.

70

36 sets for shoulders? Good lord.

71

[quote]Professor X wrote:
SteelyD wrote:
PX - Thanks! When you say ‘heavy’ are you talking about 4-6 reps or so? (sorry, seems like ‘heavy’ means different things to different people). I have been responding well to the 6-10 range (ramping down) with shoulders, and every couple weeks going for the 3 reppers for a few sets for db presses.

The only exercise I may not get 10 reps out of is the last set on those HS high inclines. I train shoulders heavy but if you try to train them like chest going all out using a weight you can only get twice chances are you will end up with an injury. If you have to cheat to some extreme degree for shoulder movements, you will probably need surgery in the next few years.

Take care of your shoulders and knees. Train heavy but not stupid.

Some of this shit is difficult to simply put into words. You learn in the gym.[/quote]

X2

Well said, focus more on form than weight when it comes to shoulders, even a little cheating for me equals a strained muscle.

72

Although I make it a point not to do “programs” tomorrow I will finish the last day of two weeks of Thibs HSS:100 shoulders routine. I of coarse adjusted things as needed, but really wanted to test out some new lifts for shoulders.

I only planned to do two weeks, and am sticking to that plan. I’ll be back to one day of shoulders a week and am going to use many of those exercises for my shoulder day. My focus will be on the lateral head and then some presses.

Something like:
Pitcher Raises 10-12 range
lateral cable raises 10-15 range
Barbell presses or push presses 4-6 range
Some days I might use the Gironda swings as a warm up.

Posterior shoulders will be done during back day.

Which will be Rev cable crosses high to low super set with bent laterals or reversed.

I like to put extra emphasis on one body part for two weeks at a time anything more than that and I’m risking injury.

73

Seriously guys, try this triset (or what you’d call it):

Seated DB Presses (Heavy, 6-8 reps) =>
Seated Lateral raises (good form, 10 reps) =>
Standing Upright Rows (15 reps)

Three rounds and your shoulders will be burning.

74

[quote]MJ - Cartwright wrote:
Subsequently since my last post in this Q&A, I have changed my plan, to meet a more ‘Size’ orientated goal (Compared to previous months) [Read: Summers Coming…]
Plan is as follows -

  • Military Press - 6 x 8>2
  • Seated DB Shoulder Press - 6 x 8>4
  • Seated DB Arnold Press - 4 x 8>6
  • Seated HS Shouder Press - 4 x 8>6
  • Plate ‘Peekaboo’ Raises - 4 x 8
  • DB Front Raises - 2 x 12
  • Plate Lateral Raises - 4 x 8
  • DB Lateral Raises - 2 x 12
  • Bent Over Lateral Raises - 2 x 12
  • Reverse Bench Flye’s - 2 x 12

Looks like a lot but ive had good growth and strength increase already, for example;
Military Press - Increased from 65Kg x 2 to 70Kg x 2
Seated DB Shoulder Press - Increased from 27.5Kg DB to 30Kg DB
The above over 4 weeks / 4 sessions.[/quote]

It doesn’t “look” like it’s a lot, IT IS a lot.

Numbers are fun. Pictures are worth more.

75

dumbell or barbell military press -3 sets
lateral machine -3 sets
laterals - 2 sets (drop sets)
shoulder press machine -2 sets
slightly bent wide grip rows -3 sets
1 arm cable laterals w/ slight bent -3 sets
machine press #2 - 2 sets

76

-Hammer Strength shoulder press (love this machine, anyone got it at their gym?)
-Smith Machine military
-Laterals
-Front raises
-Cable laterals
-Rear delt flyes
-Cable shrugs
-Delt triad (This is such a good finisher at the end)

I love doing lots of shit for shoulders.

77

If you guys can do that much volume for shoulders, you aren’t doing something right. I do 6-8 sets and my shoulders are so pumped I can barely move the joint. How much time do you have to spend in the gym to do 36 sets for just shoulders, anyway?

I’m trying to figure up in my head how many sets I did total yesterday- and I doubt it was even 36-40.

78

[quote]futurepharm wrote:
If you guys can do that much volume for shoulders, you aren’t doing something right. I do 6-8 sets and my shoulders are so pumped I can barely move the joint. How much time do you have to spend in the gym to do 36 sets for just shoulders, anyway?

I’m trying to figure up in my head how many sets I did total yesterday- and I doubt it was even 36-40.[/quote]

LOL.

I trained shoulders this morning. I did 13 sets total for 4 different exercises (the first one being mostly warm up).

I REALLY want to see the shoulders of the guys doing damn near 40 sets.

79

[quote]Professor X wrote:
futurepharm wrote:
If you guys can do that much volume for shoulders, you aren’t doing something right. I do 6-8 sets and my shoulders are so pumped I can barely move the joint. How much time do you have to spend in the gym to do 36 sets for just shoulders, anyway?

I’m trying to figure up in my head how many sets I did total yesterday- and I doubt it was even 36-40.

LOL.

I trained shoulders this morning. I did 13 sets total for 4 different exercises (the first one being mostly warm up).

I REALLY want to see the shoulders of the guys doing damn near 40 sets. [/quote]

Probably less than impressive as more is not always/usually better.

80

Smith machine Military 12 10 8 6 4 2
DB Shoulder press 8 6 4 2
Lateral Raises 12 10 8