Shoulders?? best workout?

[Ectofighter]

I currently do shoulder press, lateral raise, and upright row and front raise for my shoulders? I don't seem to be getting anywhere. Anyone doing anything else that I'm totally missing?

 

[Rodja]

How long has it been since you changed your volume and rep range?

 

[Ectofighter]

I keep my reps between 8-12. soon as I get near 12, I add more weight. I also train 5x a week, a body group a day, no cardio. .trying to gain mass

 

[Rodja]

I keep my reps between 8-12. soon as I get near 12, I add more weight. I also train 5x a week, a body group a day, no cardio. .trying to gain mass

I would not only change your rep range, but also your volume. Train each set to near failure, but don't do any negatives, forced reps, etc. The increased intensity will help, but you will also want to lower your volume.

 

[Ectofighter]

Regarding my rep range, should I keep it around only 8 reps with 3 sets each? obviously my volume as you put it or weight i'm guessing would go up as well. Sorry, a little confused as to what you meant.. Perhaps I just need to change the entire rep/set range all together.

 

[Rodja]

Volume=total amount sets

I would lower my rep range to 4-8 for 8-10 weeks and gauge your progress.

 

[WeakPoint]

I used to do shoulders/traps
Press, Front, Side, Rear, Upright, Shrugs
Lower rep range on the Upright and the Shoulder Press I only do about 4-6 reps. Everything else I use DB and do 8-10reps.

 

[Australian made]

i've been doing 5x5 standing military press for the past month or two. i am noticing the difference already. My strength has gone up a nice amount on that exercise. i follow up with bent over raises supersetted with front raises then might finish with wide grip upright rows which happen to give my forarms the best workout theyve ever had.
your routine ubove is pratically exactly what i used to do and i think what 90% of people do for a shoulder workout.. you gotta change it up man like rodja said. reduce volume and rep ranges. through in a superset or two to really get them burning.

 

[dedlifter1]

the best workout 4 me(shoulders r my favorite)
seated behind the neck, superseted with lateral raises, barbell shrugs superseted with front raises, lighter weight arnies, lighter weight back flys. i go heavy on first 2 supersets,
(behind neck up 2 175x5) laterals up to 45-50, shrugs around 315 4 8 or 9. mind musle connection a must.

 

[ShakesAllDay]

I would recommend adjusting intensity via TUT. You are probably simply doing reps, slow and controlled, which is good.

But, you can either start moving the weight faster (more power) or using less weight and making each rep last longer (TUT).

For example... on each exercise (except maybe overhead presses), pause at peak contraction for 1-2 seconds, then take 4 seconds to lower the weight. Do NOT rest anywhere in the set. Keep constant tension on the working muscle through the whole rep. This means that on some exercises you won't be able to go all the way 'up' or 'down' because sometimes tension will be released in those positions (like overhead press). If you do go all the way up or down on those exercises, don't pause, just keep moving (but keeping your TEMPO in mind).

This method is an ego buster. It easily dropped some of my lifts in half (weight-wise). It does suck just a little to see some little schmuck next to me doing the same exercises with the same weight... but me applying TUT principles. But, my body is thinking me for the change.

Research Time Under Tension, Tempo, etc. It's not the end-all to anything... but it is a good place to look if you want to switch things up with any type of lifting.

 

[pistonpump]

are you using DBs for you presses?

 

[Ectofighter]

Yes, I try to use DB's on everything. Not a fan of the "machine"..

 

[Thixotrope]

I currently do shoulder press, lateral raise, and upright row and front raise for my shoulders? I don't seem to be getting anywhere. Anyone doing anything else that I'm totally missing?

This is the routine that gave me my cannonball like delts.

1.Lateral Raises-this will be a pre-exhaust/mass building exercise. 4 sets total and reps on each subsequent set are 25,15,10 and 8, respectively. Start off with a light dumbbell on the first set and increase around 10 lbs each set. Last set should be to failure.

2.Military Barbell Press-4 set total. Start off with a weight you can barely handle for 15 reps. Slowly pyramid up to a weight you can barely press for 6 reps on your last set. Make sure each rep is explosive while simultaneously maintaining form. Force=Mass x acceleration! A good variation is to do these standing.

3.Rear Delt-4 set of 15 reps

4.Machine Presses-2-3 sets of 12-15 reps. You done all freeweights up until now. Your delts are fried but you need to pummel them more without compromising your shoulder girdle/rotator cuff so let your stabilizers rest and concentrate on pressing!

4.Front Raises-unless you severely misproportioned front delts don't bother. These babys get hit enough on chest day.

5.Shrugs-Again unless you have really weak traps dont bother. This is an ego exercise and traps get hit good with deadlifts and some back work...you are doing deadlifts aren't you??? If you must do 2-3 sets of using dumbbells. Keep your line of sight parallel with the ground...don't look down! Let those DB's hang and shrug em' up until those slabs of meat are touching your ears. Use controlled motion NOT jerking or using momentum or half assed reps. That goes for any exercise.

Low reps will make you strong as an ox but won't do much for hypertrophy and put too much torque and strain on the the shoulders. 15 rep sets blew my shoulders up! They yield an awesome pump, moderately increases strength and will swell up your shoulders like you wouldn't believe.

Happy hunting!

 

[Ectofighter]

This is the routine that gave me my cannonball like delts.

1.Lateral Raises-this will be a pre-exhaust/mass building exercise. 4 sets total and reps on each subsequent set are 25,15,10 and 8, respectively. Start off with a light dumbbell on the first set and increase around 10 lbs each set. Last set should be to failure.

2.Military Barbell Press-4 set total. Start off with a weight you can barely handle for 15 reps. Slowly pyramid up to a weight you can barely press for 6 reps on your last set. Make sure each rep is explosive while simultaneously maintaining form. Force=Mass x acceleration! A good variation is to do these standing.

3.Rear Delt-4 set of 15 reps

4.Machine Presses-2-3 sets of 12-15 reps. You done all freeweights up until now. Your delts are fried but you need to pummel them more without compromising your shoulder girdle/rotator cuff so let your stabilizers rest and concentrate on pressing!

4.Front Raises-unless you severely misproportioned front delts don't bother. These babys get hit enough on chest day.

5.Shrugs-Again unless you have really weak traps dont bother. This is an ego exercise and traps get hit good with deadlifts and some back work...you are doing deadlifts aren't you??? If you must do 2-3 sets of using dumbbells. Keep your line of sight parallel with the ground...don't look down! Let those DB's hang and shrug em' up until those slabs of meat are touching your ears. Use controlled motion NOT jerking or using momentum or half assed reps. That goes for any exercise.

Low reps will make you strong as an ox but won't do much for hypertrophy and put too much torque and strain on the the shoulders. 15 rep sets blew my shoulders up! They yield an awesome pump, moderately increases strength and will swell up your shoulders like you wouldn't believe.

Happy hunting!

I've noticed when standing to do military press i tend to want to "bend" my body. I also try to keep good form. Bad form = do less weight.
I also thought low reps would create bulk as many reps would create strength. I suppose doing a combination of both and changing them every 8 or so weeks will give you the best of both worlds. :clean:

 

[Thixotrope]

I've noticed when standing to do military press i tend to want to "bend" my body. I also try to keep good form. Bad form = do less weight.
I also thought low reps would create bulk as many reps would create strength. I suppose doing a combination of both and changing them every 8 or so weeks will give you the best of both worlds. :clean:

Rep ranges have always been highly debated. They are just one out of a million variables that affect your progress though. Years ago, I didn't do shoulders at all. Then I started this program and stuck with it for at least 5 years making progress the whole time. I actually cut my shoulder workouts way down from this b/c my delts were out pacing the rest of my body.

My longwinded point is if this routine is different from what you've been doing then try it and I'd bet on good results. Hell, guys like Lee Priest and Marcus Ruhl do very low reps while guys like Flex Wheeler, Ronnie Coleman and Shawn Ray did moderate to high reps on everything.

I read an interesting article on how people have different distributions of fast and slow twitch muscle fibers. This would make sense why one rep range would work for one person and something entirely different would work for someone else.

Damn, I talk to much. Excuse the A.D.D.

 

[Rodja]

Rep ranges have always been highly debated. They are just one out of a million variables that affect your progress though. Years ago, I didn't do shoulders at all. Then I started this program and stuck with it for at least 5 years making progress the whole time. I actually cut my shoulder workouts way down from this b/c my delts were out pacing the rest of my body.

My longwinded point is if this routine is different from what you've been doing then try it and I'd bet on good results. Hell, guys like Lee Priest and Marcus Ruhl do very low reps while guys like Flex Wheeler, Ronnie Coleman and Shawn Ray did moderate to high reps on everything.

I read an interesting article on how people have different distributions of fast and slow twitch muscle fibers. This would make sense why one rep range would work for one person and something entirely different would work for someone else.

Damn, I talk to much. Excuse the A.D.D.

That's why some people are built for marathons and others for sprints. The only way to really know is to get a muscle biopsy on every muscle because the distributions not only vary from person to person, but also from muscle to muscle.

 

[Thixotrope]

That's why some people are built for marathons and others for sprints. The only way to really know is to get a muscle biopsy on every muscle because the distributions not only vary from person to person, but also from muscle to muscle.

Exactly!

 

[Ectofighter]

That's why some people are built for marathons and others for sprints. The only way to really know is to get a muscle biopsy on every muscle because the distributions not only vary from person to person, but also from muscle to muscle.

A.D.D hahaha that was funny.:rofl:

A little about me. I"m obviously an ectomorph and a outlier one at that. Hard to gain but persistant. I'm beginning to think that TUT might be a damn good try hence the fact of the fast "twitches" in my muscle fiber. What is interesting is that I do a lot of weight. Aside from benching, I can curl 50's just like another guy who has sycnificant bigger arms than myself. Frustrating.

Just seems if i'm not on top of my diet, I loose muscle in a short order. If I eat on a scheduled time, I feel as though my body is just waiting for me to slip so it can burn that crap off.