Is it time to switch routines or do shoulder just take forever?

DerickVonD

DerickVonD

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I've been stuck at 100lbs on the military press for about 4 weeks, I went to the gym today and military pressed 90lbs, which at home would equal 100lb since the bar is heavier at the gym. I did 3 sets, first set for 6, second for 5 and third for 4. If I get 8 reps on all sets I'll up the weight. How long does it usually take to progress on the military press? I am doing them standing. I would hate to think my max military press is 100lbs.
 

MrRobRage

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this is one of the excercises with the most difficult and longest progression... kkep adding reps then add weight. and do you heavy set first and try to bust out as many as possible on that one... even if its just 3, then next time 4 etc..
 
DerickVonD

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this is one of the excercises with the most difficult and longest progression... kkep adding reps then add weight. and do you heavy set first and try to bust out as many as possible on that one... even if its just 3, then next time 4 etc..
Thanks man. I've just always been stuck at 100lbs on the military press, well actually I'm doing an overhead press, but anyway back when I was doing a 5x5 program I was still stuck at 100lb overhead press but, than again I lost a lot of weight eating less so I had to start with just the bar again.
 

MrRobRage

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yeah... its a pain.. sometimes its like a month or more for me to go up 2-5lbs...
 

SamuraiSid

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I suggest switching it up and using the seated military press machine for a month. You can crank out some serious poundage and that should help you out of the rut.
 
DerickVonD

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Yeah I've been having tendinitis pain in my right shoulder recently too. I guess that might be playing a factor also.
 
wontstop985

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Yeah, I'd give it a break and come back to it. Work with dumbells for a bit maybe. Or do push presses instead.

I had the same problem before and more military pressing hurt me more than it helped after I had stalled.
 
DerickVonD

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Yeah, I'd give it a break and come back to it. Work with dumbells for a bit maybe. Or do push presses instead.

I had the same problem before and more military pressing hurt me more than it helped after I had stalled.
Okay, maybe I'll give dumbbells a shot. I don't really want to do push presses. Are the military press machines okay to use?
 
wontstop985

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Don't know. Seems like people like them... I've never used any machines, though.
 
DerickVonD

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Don't know. Seems like people like them... I've never used any machines, though.
Oh okay. Well I'll jsut have to see. I was also thinking of doing front raises for a little while.
 

SamuraiSid

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Okay, maybe I'll give dumbbells a shot. I don't really want to do push presses. Are the military press machines okay to use?
I do lots of incline dumbbell press for my chest and my front delts get a solid pump, no need to worry about warm-up sets. Then go into seated dumbbell press, and finish off with the machine. The machine ensures you can keep poundage high when your shoulders and stabilizing muscles start to fatigue. Works for me.

Try machines, they wont do any bad.
 
wontstop985

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Oh okay. Well I'll jsut have to see. I was also thinking of doing front raises for a little while.
I'm not sure those are going to give you enough stimulation. Weighted dips are good. You could also trying changing your grip on MP.
 
DerickVonD

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Since they lock you into a very specific motion you dont use stabilizer muscles, and thus can handle heavier weight. I find they are perfect to use at the end of a set to keep the poundage up when you start fatiguing. Works great for me, and I suggest giving them a shot.

Lets put it this way, they cant do any bad.
Yeah I just don't want to do them for a month and come back and not be able to do the same weight I can do now on the military press. I just get afraid of handicapping myself using machines once I go back to free weight lifts.
 
wontstop985

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Also, pretty much every upper body exercise hits your shoulders to some degree so be careful not to overtrain them. Some can handle a lot of volume dedicated to shoulders, others can't.
 

SamuraiSid

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Yeah I just don't want to do them for a month and come back and not be able to do the same weight I can do now on the military press. I just get afraid of handicapping myself using machines once I go back to free weight lifts.
I could see that handicap if your doing standing military press.... Arnold Press maybe... Im at a loss now. Just stay away from the standing military press, try arnold press, db press. Seated, Standing, machines.... Continue doing the same number of sets, but every set or two, change the exercise..
 
DerickVonD

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I could see that handicap if your doing standing military press.... Arnold Press maybe... Im at a loss now. Just stay away from the standing military press, try arnold press, db press. Seated, Standing, machines.... Continue doing the same number of sets, but every set or two, change the exercise..
Well I was doing the military press to be practical. What I mean by that is when you lift something overhead in life, you're going to be standing.
 
DerickVonD

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No push press? Aw man, that's the one movement that has made the most difference in my shoulder strength. That and seated rack press.
Just doesn't seem like I'd like the moment. I don't like exercises that have a jerk motion to them. I think I'll give myself 1 more week or so, just because now that I'm at the gym I'm working with different, slightly heavier equipment. If my reps don't go up, I'll switch the following week. I'm thinking about seated dumbbell press. I would eventually like to get back to an overhead press and surpass where I'm at.
 
JoHNnyNuTZ

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I think its when thumbs are out to the side, not around the bar
 
JoHNnyNuTZ

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Yeah
I beleive so. You got me thinking on how I hold my bar when I squat. Ok just did it in the mirror. Yeah
 
NCAA68

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I think all the advice here is basically the same, which is you just gotta change it up. Muscle confusion, whatever you want to call it. At the very least it gets working out exciting again, seeing new numbers grow is always a good feeling. Personally military press is one of my best lifts. I too stop from time to time try new things. I like the machine my gym has with independent arms so I can press it alternating left right. Did it for 3 months and when I maxed it out 450lbs 5 plates each side it was incredible. I also like upside down (overhead) pushups against a wall. Its a great workout and it definitely hits the negative resistance you might need.
 
DerickVonD

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I'm starting to really look at either dumbbell shoulder presses or arnold presses. Is there any advantage arnold presses have over dumbbell shoulder presses?
 

Cassavus

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I agree with the others. Switch it up. If you've been doing military presses than jump over and do some dumbbell presses. I don't know what your training schedule looks like, but I'd also consider hitting shoulders at the start of your week. I had this very same problem except opposite exercises.

I was stuck doing dumbbell presses for the longest time. I was only using 35lb dumbbells for about 6-8 reps. It truly was my weakest lift. So what I did was took a week off to allow things to rest up cause I was sure I was beginning to over training my shoulders. Then when I went back I moved my shoulder day to the start of the week, since they obviously needed the most help. Instead of dumbbell presses I'd do the standing military press. I did this for a month or so. Then I went back to dumbbell presses and guess what? I grabbed 50lb dumbbells and knocked out 3 sets at 8 reps! I'm now using 55lb or 60lb dumbbells for my presses.
 
DerickVonD

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I agree with the others. Switch it up. If you've been doing military presses than jump over and do some dumbbell presses. I don't know what your training schedule looks like, but I'd also consider hitting shoulders at the start of your week. I had this very same problem except opposite exercises.

I was stuck doing dumbbell presses for the longest time. I was only using 35lb dumbbells for about 6-8 reps. It truly was my weakest lift. So what I did was took a week off to allow things to rest up cause I was sure I was beginning to over training my shoulders. Then when I went back I moved my shoulder day to the start of the week, since they obviously needed the most help. Instead of dumbbell presses I'd do the standing military press. I did this for a month or so. Then I went back to dumbbell presses and guess what? I grabbed 50lb dumbbells and knocked out 3 sets at 8 reps! I'm now using 55lb or 60lb dumbbells for my presses.
Here is my schedule
Set 1 - Back and Bis
chinups
Barbell Row (2 sets)
Deadlift (3 sets)
BB curl (1 set)
Hammer curls (1 set)
DB Wrist Curl (1 set)
Reverse DB Wrist Curl (1 set)

Set 2 - Chest and Tris

Bench (2 sets)
Inclined DB press (2 sets)
Inclined DB flyes (1 set)
Db Lying Triceps Extension (2 set)
cable extension (1 sets)


Set 3 - Legs S

Squats or Front Squats (3 sets)
Stiff leg deadlift (3 set) or leg curl (2set)
leg extensions (2 set)
calf raises (2 sets)
Leg Raises (2 sets)


Set 4 - Shoulders

Military Press (3 sets)
lying side lateral raises (1 set)
seated rear delt flys (1 set)
Upright row (2 sets)
BB Shrugs (3 sets)
DB Shrugs (2 sets)

Day 1: back/bi's
Day 2: chest/tri's
Day 3: off
Day 4: legs
Day 5: shoulders
Day 6: off
Day 7: off
 
DerickVonD

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Maybe I should also point out I was having trouble doing lateral delt raises and I was doing them lying. By the time I got to 25lb I was struggling to do the exercises. I did them at the gym with 15lbs standing and was about to do them 10 times. The equipment at the gym is slightly heavier than the equipment I have here at home
 
NCAA68

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Personally I love arnolds, although I can do far less weight with them and they really tear my shoulder joint up. that being said it seems to use a whole lot of rotational muscles that normal shoulder press doesn't hit. I shoulder press the 110s (biggest in my gym) I arnold with 70-80s 3sets of 6-8. As far as raises go I gotta say bands arent just for fitness chicks anymore. My gym has some thick bands and sometimes I grab both a band and light DBs for the lift. Also its really hard to cheat with the band ie rocking or leaning.
 
chess315

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pressing somethin over head while standing is a very complex thing especially for a lengthy person I am 6'1 and 230 and thats really kinda thin to be a really good standing over head presser it takes a lot of core stabilty and technique. It is by far more technical then a bench press
 
DerickVonD

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pressing somethin over head while standing is a very complex thing especially for a lengthy person I am 6'1 and 230 and thats really kinda thin to be a really good standing over head presser it takes a lot of core stabilty and technique. It is by far more technical then a bench press
Actually that's a good point. I'm only doing 100lb on the front squat and my core muscles don't feel very strong yet.
 
DerickVonD

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Okay Shoulder press it is. I tried overhead press one last time and the reps are around the same. How long do you guys think I need to switch for until I go back to the overhead press?
 
Resolve

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Okay Shoulder press it is. I tried overhead press one last time and the reps are around the same. How long do you guys think I need to switch for until I go back to the overhead press?
It really depends on what the weak point is. If it's your shoulder that are impeding progress in your overhead press, then spending a month or two focusing on db presses will help - shoot for increasing the weight you can handle by 20lb or so.

However, if it's your core that is preventing you from pressing more, then seated movements won't help at all.
 
DerickVonD

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It really depends on what the weak point is. If it's your shoulder that are impeding progress in your overhead press, then spending a month or two focusing on db presses will help - shoot for increasing the weight you can handle by 20lb or so.

However, if it's your core that is preventing you from pressing more, then seated movements won't help at all.
I believe it may be my shoulder, because I've developed tendinitis in my right shoulder and when I'm over head pressing I feel this shift/ crack in my right shoulder. I think I still might have a weak core though. The only exercise that I feel this crack/slight shift is when doing the overhead press. I was able to overhead press fine today.
 
Resolve

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I believe it may be my shoulder, because I've developed tendinitis in my right shoulder and when I'm over head pressing I feel this shift/ crack in my right shoulder. I think I still might have a weak core though. The only exercise that I feel this crack/slight shift is when doing the overhead press. I was able to overhead press fine today.
Then incorporate some face pulls and external rotations into your shoulder routine too - those will strengthen your rotator cuffs, which should ease that "crack" you feel.

Do the db presses until you feel you've gained enough strength and are curious and ready to test yourself with overhead press again.

For your core, man, nothing beats front squats, deads and back squats.
 
DerickVonD

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Then incorporate some face pulls and external rotations into your shoulder routine too - those will strengthen your rotator cuffs, which should ease that "crack" you feel.

Do the db presses until you feel you've gained enough strength and are curious and ready to test yourself with overhead press again.

For your core, man, nothing beats front squats, deads and back squats.
Okay thanks. I've been doing back and front squats alternating each week, but I'm only front squatting 90lb right now. I deadlift every week. What do you recommend for set ranges for these exercises and in which order? This is my current shoulder routine

Set 4 - Shoulders

Military Press (3 sets) Changed to db shoulder presses
lateral raises (1 set)
seated rear delt flys (1 set)
Upright row (2 sets)
BB Shrugs (3 sets)
DB Shrugs (2 sets)

3 sets reps 6-8
2 sets reps 8-12
1 set reps 8-12

I can't do face pulls today, because I can't get to the gym.
 
DerickVonD

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I just did standing lateral raises and couldn't do them, same feeling. I can do them laying down though.
 
Resolve

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Personally, I'd replace the rear delt flies with external rotations and the upright rows with face pulls. Probably I'd superset them, 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps. They're not movements that you can use much weight with, so don't feel bad if you do the rotations with like 5lb at first.

Or, if you want to keep the other movements, you could simply add the rotations and face pulls to the end of your workout.

Okay thanks. I've been doing back and front squats alternating each week, but I'm only front squatting 90lb right now. I deadlift every week. What do you recommend for set ranges for these exercises and in which order? This is my current shoulder routine

Set 4 - Shoulders

Military Press (3 sets) Changed to db shoulder presses
lateral raises (1 set)
seated rear delt flys (1 set)
Upright row (2 sets)
BB Shrugs (3 sets)
DB Shrugs (2 sets)

3 sets reps 6-8
2 sets reps 8-12
1 set reps 8-12

I can't do face pulls today, because I can't get to the gym.
 
DerickVonD

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Personally, I'd replace the rear delt flies with external rotations and the upright rows with face pulls. Probably I'd superset them, 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps. They're not movements that you can use much weight with, so don't feel bad if you do the rotations with like 5lb at first.

Or, if you want to keep the other movements, you could simply add the rotations and face pulls to the end of your workout.
Okay I was thinking of doing this

Set 4 - Shoulders

Military Press (3 sets)
lying lateral raises (1 set)
seated rear delt flys (1 set)
facepull (2 set)
external rotations (2 set)
BB Shrugs (3 sets)
DB Shrugs (2 sets)
 
DerickVonD

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Go for it. :thumbsup:
Thanks alot for your help man, I really hope this gets cleared up soon. I never liked upright rows anyway and I think I might have injured myself doing those. I just hope I heal up soon, sometimes I get paranoid when I get injured and think I might have a permanent injury.
 

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