Would you say that in order to bring up a lagging body part, it’s better to place that body part:
(a) At the first workout of the week (i.e. after a rest day)?
(b) At the last workout of the week (so that it then has a day of TOTAL rest)?
(c) It doesn’t matter at all?
Both.
After a day of rest, and on a higher intake day.
S
Depends on the body part to some degree, but generally I’d day work it with less volume and more frequency. Something like 1-2 working sets with 1-2 exercises, 3x per week. That way it will never get TOO sore, so it can recover fast; but you can still add weight/reps to the exercises you work it with, allowing it to get strong quickly.
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
After a day of rest, and on a higher intake day.
S
[/quote]
In that case, I’m thinking that this would be the best layout, as shoulders have always been my worst body part (compared to lower and middle chest development anyway):
Shoulders/core
Legs
Interval Sprints
Chest/tri
Back/bi
Interval Sprints
OFF
Pushing it a bit here, but if anyone could recommend a solid shoulder workout I’d be much obliged? I know shoulders are hard, as they get hit indirectly from chest/back, but I was thinking about the following:
(Standing) Military Press (12-10-8-6)
Dumbbell Lateral Raises (3x12)
Cable or dumbbell Front Raises (3x12)
Machine Reverse Flyes (3x12)
After this though I get stuck… I feel like there should be more ‘‘meat’’ in a workout? Maybe some upright rows?
Did you miss the IBB shoulder spec article?
If you want something less drastic, just use professor X’s approach for example… You have plenty of other options, too. Where you place your shoulder day(s) and what they look like depends a lot on your training system/style/philosophy…
As for your shoulder session(s) exercise selection and rep schemes, is that 3x12 ramped or straight weight etc?
Post an entry from your logbook. Also, diet?
Details… And unless you have seriously lacking front-delts, I don’t quite see the need for front raises there, put some trap exercise in or machine laterals, or add an activation exercise before your press or whatever.
And first and foremost: Read the relevant threads in the “best of T-Nation” sticky.
If shoulder development is a problem, my biggest suggestion is to work on learning how to isolate the deltoid. This may seem kinda kooky, but I got big results from learning how to make this mind-muscle connection (however, you could not have this issue). I realized at some point that when I was lifting overhead, I wasn’t really using my shoulders (it was some combination of my triceps and traps doing a lot of the work).
The key was learning how to use the lower traps (I believe) to lock the shoulder girdle into place in order to really activate the deltoids. I literally had to use no weight at first, and it helps to do it in front of a mirror to make sure your upper traps aren’t elevating your arm. Just put an arm over head, squeeze hard with your lower trap to lock it down and back, and then focus on lifting your arm up (like you would a shoulder press) by just activating your deltoid, not your tricep.
Also focus on lifting the arm straight up and back behind the head. Your shoulder should not raise up (denoting upper trap use). It should actually lock down into place. This may sound like some phooey (maybe people will flame me accordingly, haha), but I really think it helped me and my brain learn how to properly use and activate my deltoids.
Once I got this neuro-pattern down, I could add weight to it and I got great results in a short time. I think proper activation is often overlooked, as people just want to add more weight. But if you’re just going to compensate by activating your traps, triceps, etc., then the shoulder growth won’t come. Just my two cents.