Shoulders

[hyper]

What do you guys do for shoulders that works well? I have a bitch of a time getting them sore.

 

[xcelbeyond]

Sorry I can't help you here. But you need to hear about this. The only "direct" shoulder work I do is seated press (front). I have a re-constructed shoulder - nearly torn off infraspanatus - so "direct" shoulder work bothers it (I just bear-it through shoulder presses). But I can still bench like a mofo. Good, slow form - 340 lbs for 5 reps, then immediately do 2 tear downs (with no rest!) to 205. When done, I can hardly breathe. Do same thing for incline press and that's it. My shoulders are still one of my "better" body-parts!?!?!

xcelbeyond

 

[Big A]

Standing millitary presses. NOTHING comes close. I had no shoulders until I started doing them.

 

[hyper]

Big A

So you stay really strict ot do you push up some heavy weights with your quads??

What about reps? I am finding that slightly higher reps are working better.

 

[Big A]

Definetelly strict and higher reps. If you can handle the pain, don't lock out at the top or rest the bar on your chest.

 

[LATS]

i agree with big a. the standing shoulder press is the best in my opinion. nice steady cadence to just short of lock out.

 

[Demigod]

I've been pre-exhausting my delts with front and side laterals and then doing overhead/military presses with dumbbells. Like Big A suggested don't lock out at the top. Dumbbells allow me to bring the weights lower than usual getting a great stretch at the bottom plus it really helps isolate the delts. Plus I keep the dumbbells wide at the top of the movement instead of bringing them together like I see a lot of people do. I took a spell where I couldn't get my shoulders sore but this has really put that deep muscle soreness back into them.

 

[Mr_Magoo]

there are tons of good exercises, Arnold Presses, Push Presses, Behinnd Neck, Front Presses, and one of my favorites is a hammer strength machinewhere the handles are angled the opposite way of most delt machines, and u kinda lay back on it, great for the side delts. Also try scott presses. all great exercises, i find the secrest to delts is learning how to overload the side delt with compund exercises. for example ill do puss push presses, then do the whole egative via side delts by elbow position

 

[buffman4]

big a

standing shoulder presses? i've got to try them, but seems like it would put a lot of stress on the lower back. are you doing them off a free rack or smith machine, if the smith is even tall enough to do them from?

i started doing more seated side laterals months ago, and i can really tell a difference. i still do standing laterals for heavy sets, but damn those lighter seated sets really makes the delts burn. BILL

 

[Mr_Magoo]

itll help ur lower back in the long run, and create more torso strength

 

[physiqueartist]

Hper, if you want to get those barn doors burning try 7up's.
When I was in La I trainied with a pro named ian and he introducded me to them. First time I did them I could not pick my nose for 3 days. You start by getting dumbbells ready start lying them on the floor startign with 2 1/2's and goign as high as you can for 7 reps ( I went to 50- he went ro 80) Anyway start with 2 1/2's for 7 reps then move to 5 pnds fro 7 then 10 pounds for 7 then 15 all the way up until you cant do seven then come back down to 2 1/2's. After 1-2 sets we would do hairline presses. It is a great way to shock your shoulders. Problem is you feel like a pussy when you are screaming trying to lift 2 1/2 pound dumbells for 7 reps.

 

[hyper]

Thanks

I will give those a try. It is always nice to find out something different to try.

 

[Big A]

Re: big a

standing shoulder presses? i've got to try them, but seems like it would put a lot of stress on the lower back. are you doing them off a free rack or smith machine, if the smith is even tall enough to do them from?

i started doing more seated side laterals months ago, and i can really tell a difference. i still do standing laterals for heavy sets, but damn those lighter seated sets really makes the delts burn. BILL

Put the belt on tight and don't wobble your body. If you do the weight is too heavy. If the shoulders can handle the weight the lower back definetelly will as it is stronger.

Definetelly no smith machine. I recomend to everyone NOT to use the smith machine for anything. Body motion is not linear. Smith machine motion is linear. Totally unnatural for the body which means injury and not maximum growth. I use a squat rack for the military presses.

 

[LATS]

JUST LIKE BIG A SAID... KEEP TIGHT. also the more aware that you are that when fatigue sets in you will have a tendency to lean back. do all that you can to avoid that.

 

[xcelbeyond]

Well - you convinced me. I'll switch from seated to standing!

xcelbeyond

 

[hyper]

Yup, I can't wait for shoulders!

 

[DTO.]

yes i am a huge fan of heavy push press, followed by strict seated btn miltary!

also a very underated excercise is wide grip upright rows! i find that if done by pulling your shoulder blades back as far as you can done very strict this will blow up your whole shoulder girdle! with alot of empahasis on rear and medial delts!

 

[Mr_Magoo]

dto is right , its tough to get the exercises right though, basically go into a behind the neck press, and flex ur elbows back as hard as possible, while keeping ur hands stationary, i know he said upright rows, but i m too, im refering to the poisiton i which ur side delts get hit hard

 

[Mr_Magoo]

oce u get the form and learn how to hit ur side delts hard with this exercise, try this; Scott Press: Using the form ad elbows back hands stationary positon i just desribed we are now going to press the dumbells through 3/5's their range of motion, the key is keeping the eblbows back hard, ad u dont want to use tricpes at all, its hard to explain but its an arc through which u do the movement, all side delts