Which is best for shoulder development?

[WILL DA BEAST]

Right now I mostly use smith machine becasue i can spot myself and it's just easier (imma puss when it comes to shoulders sometimes). But should i be doing BB presses? My strength isn't too bad but it seems no matter what i do I can't get that "capped" look to my shoulders. Also, i'm about to turn 18 so could it possibly be a lack of muscle maturity? Here's my typical shoulder workout btw.

Warmup:
2-3 sets of light dumbbell raises
2 sets smith machine press w/ 25's

Workout:
3 sets smith machine press working up to 55lbs
35's- 12
45's- 8-10
55's 4-6

3 sets dumbbell presses
55's X 12
65's X 8-10
75's X 6

Then depending on how i feel i'll pick several:

upright rows w/ e-z bar or straight bar
DB front raises, lateral raises
Pec dec for rear delts

That's what i usually do and i'm not getting the shoulder dev. that i want so what would you guys reccommend?

 

[atrain11b]

I'm subbing to this thread to see what others have to say. My Shoulders are definitely my weakness, yet through trial and error they're starting to come along.

I too was using the Smith for the reasons you said, but I'm now doing Standing Mil Presses in the Power Rack, safe and allows for full movement. Have you ever considered using the Power Rack? Just set the safety bars to just below where you stop your range of motion and there is your spotter. You can even move a bench in there to do them seated if you wish.

 

[WILL DA BEAST]

i have thought about standing presses...but i've never tried them before. now that you say that though that's an excellent idea. do you bring the bar to your upper chest before you press up or do u stop at eye, nose, etc. level?

 

[atrain11b]

i have thought about standing presses...but i've never tried them before. now that you say that though that's an excellent idea. do you bring the bar to your upper chest before you press up or do u stop at eye, nose, etc. level?

Me personally, this will differ on the individual and liking, but I stop at the base of my neck just above the chest, I do this because it keeps tension on my shoulders through the whole movement. However some books and websites show going to mid chest/ and back up, this hurts my shoulders more then builds them.

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[suncloud]

close grip pullovers got my training partners delts to pop. pull ups did a bit for me. i was recommended to try cable upright rows, which i will try tomorrow (god willing).

 

[jakellpet]

Quite often people have a weakness in their rear-delts - for a while I was working them in my back and my shoulder workout until they strengthened up.

For shoulders started with the following tri-sets:

Military press - bent-over rear delt flys - Military press
(10,10,10 reps, 2 sets)

Upright rows - lateral raises - upright rows
(10,10,10 reps, 2 sets)

The important part is to work at a weight that allows completion of all reps, and work at pace.

All if this should take 15 minutes, then onto something similar with a leg workout. It's all about intensity and endurance.

 

[Chub]

Does anyone do decent amounts of stretching before doing shoulders? What sort of things do you do? I know that your suppose to stretch before a workout.

I've only ever done it before a run. I've done warm ups with lightweights. I always end up with knots in my rotator cuff after doing shoulders.

 

[jakellpet]

Does anyone do decent amounts of stretching before doing shoulders? What sort of things do you do? I know that your suppose to stretch before a workout.

I've only ever done it before a run. I've done warm ups with lightweights. I always end up with knots in my rotator cuff after doing shoulders.

Stretching before? No, after is important.

Warm ups are important though. I do approx. 10min on the rower to get the core temp up and all the joints lubricated.

I also do a light weight warmup set for each body part.

 

[AE14]

my shoulders have progressed nicely (it takes forever).

Exercises to think about

BB press seated
Arny press
DB presses
lying side laterals
cable upright rows
rear delts on the cables

another thing to think about for the capped look is try supersetting your laterals, line up about 3 different weights then go to failure starting heavy to light. to that giant set about 4 times and you should start to see some results

 

[WeakPoint]

My shoulder workout is pretty simple, I try not to have as much volume as I would a chest workout but still hit it at all angles.

DB Shoulder Press
Side Lateral Raises
Front Lateral Raises
Mid-grip Upright Row
For rear I tend to switch it up, whether it be with the cable or dumbbells.
One of the better rear delt exercises I find is Face Pulls.
I try to do at least 4-5 sets for my rear delts or just enough to get it stimulated.

I tend to keep my rep range reasonably high about the 12-15 rep range for everything other then shoulder press and upright rows.

 

[jonny21]

Right now I mostly use smith machine becasue i can spot myself and it's just easier (imma puss when it comes to shoulders sometimes). But should i be doing BB presses? My strength isn't too bad but it seems no matter what i do I can't get that "capped" look to my shoulders. Also, i'm about to turn 18 so could it possibly be a lack of muscle maturity? Here's my typical shoulder workout btw.

Warmup:
2-3 sets of light dumbbell raises
2 sets smith machine press w/ 25's

Workout:
3 sets smith machine press working up to 55lbs
35's- 12
45's- 8-10
55's 4-6

3 sets dumbbell presses
55's X 12
65's X 8-10
75's X 6

Then depending on how i feel i'll pick several:

upright rows w/ e-z bar or straight bar
DB front raises, lateral raises
Pec dec for rear delts

That's what i usually do and i'm not getting the shoulder dev. that i want so what would you guys reccommend?

For warm-up, look at the bottom two exercises. I sometimes just do something similar with a 15lb DB:
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What I have seen most growth with:

I do not lock out at top but keep slight bend in elbow.
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I do smith presses with very wide grip and drop set to failure.
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One arm lateral raises with a slight lean holdong on to something.
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I also do something like a front delt cable raise but I have found that with a slight bend in my elbow and taking a step to left with my back to the pulley for my right delt and to the right for my left delt really makes a noticeable difference. Instead of going vertical the range of motion is like 60-75 degrees from outside to cross your face. It really makes anterior delt pop nicely

I do anterior and lateral delts on chest day and I do rear delts & traps on back day.

 

[Bigash]

cable side laterals from the rear instead of from the fron which i find is a very strict movement.

like others have said though staples like standing and seated barbell presses are profound mass builders but some times i throw in power move like clean and press.

 

[WILL DA BEAST]

i warm up my shoulders by doing light laterals and that's pretty much it. i know i should be doing more but well...i'm lazy when it comes to stretching.:yawn:

thanks for all the replys tho guys. imma start doing standing bb presses and supersetting my laterals & such.

MY SHOULDERS GONNA BE POPPIN' SOON!!!:head:

 

[Manimalia]

Right now I mostly use smith machine becasue i can spot myself and it's just easier (imma puss when it comes to shoulders sometimes). But should i be doing BB presses? My strength isn't too bad but it seems no matter what i do I can't get that "capped" look to my shoulders. Also, i'm about to turn 18 so could it possibly be a lack of muscle maturity? Here's my typical shoulder workout btw.

Warmup:
2-3 sets of light dumbbell raises
2 sets smith machine press w/ 25's

Workout:
3 sets smith machine press working up to 55lbs
35's- 12
45's- 8-10
55's 4-6

3 sets dumbbell presses
55's X 12
65's X 8-10
75's X 6

Then depending on how i feel i'll pick several:

upright rows w/ e-z bar or straight bar
DB front raises, lateral raises
Pec dec for rear delts

That's what i usually do and i'm not getting the shoulder dev. that i want so what would you guys reccommend?

not working them too much is best. do some j,c, and p's and call it a day on them puppies, unless shaaaaaaaaaaping them is something you're into.