Medial Delts

[tatteredxangelx]

Was wondering if anyone had some advice on developing my medial delts ... My Anteriors are enormous and grow like weeds, but my medials make me look small from the back. Anyone have any ideas on how to get my medials to catch up. I understand laterals do this, but how many sets is too many. Should I do 3 differents types of laterals to bring them out?

 

[MilitaryMuscle]

heavy upright rows with a shoulder width grip work real well to. Free weight or smith machine..

on pressing movements you should do BTN presses and DB as well....

 

[steele]

i have/had the same problem

i simply QUIT doing any excersizes that directly hits the anterior delt and only do rows (with hands farther apart, about shoulder width like mentioned) and flyes. every now and then i will do dumbell overhead presses, but i think barbell presses hit the front delt too directly so i skip em. been working so far.... STEELE

 

[Ashop]

I like upright rows and side DB laterals.

 

[MilitaryMuscle]

also when you do side laterals try to do a version of "cheeting lateral"... basically use a heavy weight than you normally would and do more of an upright row. Start with your hand in front on you and concentrate on pulling with your elbows till they get to shoulder width.

Another technique i got from victor martinez.... he does his laterals and then right after grab a heavy pair of DB's that you wouldnt be able to do. Then start with you hands at your sides and bust out 10 partials (about 6-8 inches) from the bottom. These really leave your delts pumped.

 

[Sesshomaru]

Overhead pressing is all you need.

 

[Max32]

also when you do side laterals try to do a version of "cheeting lateral"... basically use a heavy weight than you normally would and do more of an upright row. Start with your hand in front on you and concentrate on pulling with your elbows till they get to shoulder width.

Another technique i got from victor martinez.... he does his laterals and then right after grab a heavy pair of DB's that you wouldnt be able to do. Then start with you hands at your sides and bust out 10 partials (about 6-8 inches) from the bottom. These really leave your delts pumped.

Good tips, I have used both of those with success. Wide grip forward lean smith upright rows rock as well!!
And as far as Sesshamoru posting that all you need is overhead presses, sorry, but not everyone is built the same and tends to respond to stimulus the same way, period. That is far too of an overgeneralized statement in the real world. Maybe you are basing on some HIT or DC training idea, but for people that have issues with their medial, and posterior for that matter, delts, different measures need to be taken....

 

[Sesshomaru]

Good tips, I have used both of those with success. Wide grip forward lean smith upright rows rock as well!!
And as far as Sesshamoru posting that all you need is overhead presses, sorry, but not everyone is built the same and tends to respond to stimulus the same way, period. That is far too of an overgeneralized statement in the real world. Maybe you are basing on some HIT or DC training idea, but for people that have issues with their medial, and posterior for that matter, delts, different measures need to be taken....

Nope, Im just basing it off the fact that no one who builds a respectable overhead press is lacking in lateral (not medial) deltoid development which is what this thread is about. Theres is no discussion of posterior delt.

 

[Max32]

Nope, Im just basing it off the fact that no one who builds a respectable overhead press is lacking in lateral (not medial) deltoid development which is what this thread is about. Theres is no discussion of posterior delt.

THE TITLE OF THE THREAD IS MEDIAL DELT

 

[tatteredxangelx]

I overhead press a 310log, and over 315 on a press ... my press is my best lift, thats why my anteriors are so huge. thanks for the advice guys!

 

[Sesshomaru]

THE TITLE OF THE THREAD IS MEDIAL DELT

I suppose this is where you should know that the 'medial' delt IS the lateral delt, its just that the term 'medial' is incorrect.

 

[Sesshomaru]

I overhead press a 310log, and over 315 on a press ... my press is my best lift, thats why my anteriors are so huge. thanks for the advice guys!

Just beware that youre not leaning back on your log or overhead press. Its very easy to make it a steep incline press and use your chest and anterior delt. Try pressing without the lean and you should notice a big difference.

 

[noname103]

All that pressing is just hitting your front delts. Chances are you are using them a lot on bench day as well or at least did your first several years of training. Do some presses to warm up but then for side delts and rear delts it is all about getting a pump and lactic acid into a relatively small muscle. This means isolation movements as in cables and dumbell raises. Hit both with volume once a week. thanks me later

 

[TooPowerful4u]

Or you can do shoulders with me. I do my press' LAST. Well start with 70lb DB laterals (pretty sure youv seen me do this a few times) haha. As someone suggested, get strong on laterals and your traps AND medial delts will grow like crazy. Cheat a little if you need to, but try to use MOSTLY delt power. If you cant pause the DB at the top for a split second with pure POWER then its too heavy. I cant do 70s strict, but i can get them up to the top for a good 6-8 and pause for about a second and FIGHT the decent enough to where they SLOWLY lower. Usually i am pouring sweat after a few sets of these as it beats up your entire body. Try not training delts in consecutive days with any other upper bodypart and theyl Definitely grow.

And to give you something to shoot for.... you know that old fashioned blue shoulder press with 400lbs on it.... i stacked it for 12

 

[tatteredxangelx]

i dont do presses to build front delts, i do them b/c I compete in strongman, I just don't like having funny looking shoulders ... Phil, should i do log work and lateral/rear work on different days ?

 

[TooPowerful4u]

i dont do presses to build front delts, i do them b/c I compete in strongman, I just don't like having funny looking shoulders ... Phil, should i do log work and lateral/rear work on different days ?

If you are a strong man you need to decide what is most important. If you want to improve a weak aspect, its not going to coincide with your strong man training. Show me what your training split looks like and i will see if there is a way to work it in. Other than that, your pretty much stuck doing it AFTER your log/press work.

Worse case scenario....three of my favorites..... AFTER your heavy work

1. Heavy semi-strict laterals (as i and another member outlined).

2. Strict laterals for about 10 reps until mid delts BURN...then drop those, pick up DB's about 60% of your max weight and knock out another 10 reps (you will wanna cry). You can also use a machine for the press instead of DBs if your delts are FRIED.

3. If you think your badass, grab the cambered bar (one that looks like it has a U in the middle) and use it for shrugs under the bench (you know what im talkin about)... but do it AFTER #2 above as a tri-set. Cry to me later...and thank me later....

 

[LATS]

MAX 32 GETS AN A+ when doing laterals there should a slight forward lean.. enough to see the rear delts contract in the top position.. if yo are too far up the front delts will have a tendency to really kick in as well as the traps..

 

[TooPowerful4u]

MAX 32 GETS AN A+ when doing laterals there should a slight forward lean.. enough to see the rear delts contract in the top position.. if yo are too far up the front delts will have a tendency to really kick in as well as the traps..

I do not believe the forward lean is completely descriptive of what is actually going on. The forward lean is advice to get someone to exaggerate the movement in order to get it correct. I try to describe it this way.... look at your shoulders when you do the movement. What ever muscle is on TOP is the one you are using. If your elbows are dropped then you are using front delts. Now if you have your mid delts completely on top by keeping your elbows UP (as the lean forward would cause you to do) then you are using mid delts. Keep the mid delt on TOP of the shoulder complex, raise the dumbells (elbows) UP, not back, and you will be hitting them predominantly. Also, avoid shrugging your shoulders up during the movement, as it will draw too much assistance from the traps.

 

[oldfella]

I would just like to make two points here. First the name of the delt this thread is about is actually "Medial deltoid" it is the middle delt out of the three heads. many do call it lateral which is also correct. There are three distinct parts to the deltoids. The anterior or front head, the medial or middle (lateral as some call it) and posterior head or rear delt.

Now to properly engage the medial delt you should focus your efforts on your elbows performing the lift out to the side of the body. You should not be going any higher than shoulder level with the elbow. If done correctly your movement will and should be impaired beyond that. So think about attaching a weight to your elbow and lift it directly to your side. Just think about that movement and focus. You will feel it much more than if you lift from the wrist. If your wrist is higher than your elbow this is incorrect. Elbows should be partially bent through the entire movement.

 

[LATS]

ok ok tp, i was just too lazy to get all "technical"..gggeeessshhh but, that is true.. for the most part, what ever head is atop the shoulder joint will be the one that has the most stress transfered to it.. the side lateral is by far the most "butchered" movement in all my years i have seen... some turn it into a half ass rotator cuff exercise (which to describes by dropping the elbows below the hands and then the actual movement/rotation centers around the elbow.. i.e (the rotator movement) oldfella is also correct thatthe hands should be level to slightly below in the elbows in the movement.. the elbow should be the only thing visablly moving.. in all seriousness, i would venture to guess that in all my years doing this 75% of all trainees butcher that movement.. trying to go to heavy before learning the technique is the reason..TP has great delts.. first class.. he took the time to learn the movment.. once it is learned then add weight.. never before..