Best ways to train side delts for size
- Thread starter ljc100
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asooneyeonig
Well-known member
and it will also hurt your rotator cuff muscles. the upright row is horrible. just like behind the neck presses/pulldowns.
Torobestia
Well-known member
It's not that bad if you use a wide grip and only go up to your sternum/when your upper arms are parallel to the floor.
Whenever I do isolation work for side delts, I like doing double pyramid sets. So for instance, you would do something like 15lbs for 12 reps, 20lbs for 10 reps, 25lbs for 8 reps, and 30 for 6 reps, with 30-45 seconds between each instance. After the 6 rep set, you would take like a 1-2 minute break, then reset back down to 15 and do the pyramid set all over again. If that gets easy, up the starting weight by 5lbs (2.5lbs would honestly be more optimal if you have that option).
fadi
Well-known member
I used cables to do upright rows with rope or seperate handles. It reduced the stress on my shoulders due to the flexibility of hand position. I don't do it often though, right now doing two sets of side lats then do two sets partials with heavier weights. We'll see if that makes a difference.
I need to work on my read lats, which bent over DB rows with arms to the sides seem to target them well and the side lats as described. But again, time will tell if they are working.
I have an inherent weakness that I cannot seem to overcome. I cannot maintain strength from set to set and strength drops drastically between sets so I try to get the most out of my first and second sets. For example, I can do 10 reps with couple of reps in the tank, rest 90 seconds, second set I may or may not get 10 reps, rest 90, third set I would hardly get 5-6 reps. Also when I deload, strength goes down and it is a struggle to rebuild it back up.
I need to work on my read lats, which bent over DB rows with arms to the sides seem to target them well and the side lats as described. But again, time will tell if they are working.
I have an inherent weakness that I cannot seem to overcome. I cannot maintain strength from set to set and strength drops drastically between sets so I try to get the most out of my first and second sets. For example, I can do 10 reps with couple of reps in the tank, rest 90 seconds, second set I may or may not get 10 reps, rest 90, third set I would hardly get 5-6 reps. Also when I deload, strength goes down and it is a struggle to rebuild it back up.
VS91588
Active member
I have an inherent weakness that I cannot seem to overcome. I cannot maintain strength from set to set and strength drops drastically between sets so I try to get the most out of my first and second sets. For example, I can do 10 reps with couple of reps in the tank, rest 90 seconds, second set I may or may not get 10 reps, rest 90, third set I would hardly get 5-6 reps. Also when I deload, strength goes down and it is a struggle to rebuild it back up.[/QUOTE]
1. Critique your post workout meal. May be you're not eating enough carbohydrates and blood sugar level is low.
2. If that is not the case; what are your goals in the gym? Strength training, hypertrophy (size), or a lil bit of both?
1. Critique your post workout meal. May be you're not eating enough carbohydrates and blood sugar level is low.
2. If that is not the case; what are your goals in the gym? Strength training, hypertrophy (size), or a lil bit of both?
Sonny1011
New member
first cool to see your from san antonio, im in austin. But if i could give you some advice, if your going for hypertophy or strength i dont understand starting with a weight you can do more than ten times and ending on that same weight? you should pyramid up, or start initially with a heavier weight.
Docmattic
Well-known member
I dont know how people go to their chins....yes sternum or nipples is about as far as i can go without the movement feeling dangerous. I find it quite effective to go wide grip upright rows with a barbell follwed by a close grip dropset using a plate (if the plates have handles designed into them.)
AutoKal47
AK DoubleWide 47
Yes it can be bad but usually is due to bad form/too much weight,
but yes, even with good form and everything it can be risky.
A great alternative is to do Invalid Link Removed, very effective exercise.
fadi
Well-known member
I've done that. I used to pyramid down but now trying new approach for few weeks.
bigdavid
Well-known member
BB shoulder press followed by side laterals as others have stated. My side delts are deff a strong point give you a much larger appearance because you look wider on top (helps with a small waist also all about that illusion of proportions lol)..now if only my REAR delts would follow suit
ZiR RED
Well-known member
Not as much external rotation, but you're still going to cause impingement and un-needed wear bringing the dumbbells as high as that guy was in the video.
Br
AutoKal47
AK DoubleWide 47
Agree, he brings it way too high, I forgot to mention that.
I like this exercise a lot and I do it regularly in my shoulder routine but I don't
bring it up that high
Flaw
Well-known member
A big problem with training the middle delt is keeping the tension there and avoiding trap take over. Lateral cable or db will do that. DB or BB shoulder presses engage core, neck, traps and so on so isolation isn't great there either. The hammer strength shoulder machine is the best tool I have ever used for building the delts. It really keeps a lot of the focus on the delts. I believe shoulders need to be trained differently than other muscles as well. They are mainly stabilizers so they should be trained in that way. Doing long negative reps or holds at the top of the reps have drastically developed my shoulders over the years. Also going heavy has never led to any positive results. Keep the weights light. Doing a lot of reps, long holds and negatives.
My example shoulder routine is
Hammer strength 25lbs 3-5 second holds at top, don't completely lock out, slow negatives down 3-5 seconds, than hold at bottom for 3-5 seconds. I do this for 12-15 reps. 3 sets.
Bent over rear flys with DB's 5-10lbs 15-20 reps. 3 sets
Band external rotations. 15-30 reps. 2-3 sets.
Notice how my routine is more focused on shoulder stabilization. I don't even work front delts directly. They get plenty of stabilization work through push-ups as they are always in my routine.
This routine keeps my shoulders growing and I've never seen any plateus. The key is to go up in weights, reps, very slowly.
My example shoulder routine is
Hammer strength 25lbs 3-5 second holds at top, don't completely lock out, slow negatives down 3-5 seconds, than hold at bottom for 3-5 seconds. I do this for 12-15 reps. 3 sets.
Bent over rear flys with DB's 5-10lbs 15-20 reps. 3 sets
Band external rotations. 15-30 reps. 2-3 sets.
Notice how my routine is more focused on shoulder stabilization. I don't even work front delts directly. They get plenty of stabilization work through push-ups as they are always in my routine.
This routine keeps my shoulders growing and I've never seen any plateus. The key is to go up in weights, reps, very slowly.
Strygwyr
New member
I read somewhere that majority of bodybuilders have over developed front delts about 70% larger than the side and rear that's why a lot of times when people look at the mirror from the front looks like they have a fully developed delts but in reality it's all front delts barely side and rear is flat. So by training I only do one press( military press) & do my side laterals like with pinky higher than my thumb like pouring a bottle
Strygwyr
New member
Cause still side laterals done incorrectly will likely overstimulate front delts, every time I want to concentrate on my side delts I do my laterals on an incline bench sideways 1 hand at a time with pinky higher than my thumb. I don't do front raises because front delts already gets stimulated on chest days and shoulder press exercises
asooneyeonig
Well-known member
ouch! sounds painful. you are hammering your bones against each other while doing that. if you want to hit the sides drop your elbows, point your thumbs up and lean forward. your front will still get hit, but you will not damage your shoulders in the process.
Strygwyr
New member
Lol I don't over do it I know what your talking about and yeah it hurts. if you have time search Charles glass style side laterals on you tube the db barely goes all the way up so you really have to be in control of the movement and I use medium to light weight and I don't drop it all the way on the bottom since delts are mid range exercises and benefit a lot from time under tension. Correct me if I'm wrong but it seems to be working for me lately
Torobestia
Well-known member
As someone with shoulder issues, I have NEVER even sensed ANY level of friction/discomfort/etc doing what stryg does. Dropping elbows AND pointing thumbs up will not target lateral delts, and may remove them. The exception is if you are leaning over on a bench parallel to the floor.
ZiR RED
Well-known member
If you are going to maintain a high degree of external rotation as Styrg is describing, than you shouldn't bring the weight above your lower chest level. The higher you go the greater the impingement of the supraspinatus will be.
And yes, most bodybuilders have over developed front deltoids due to all the shoulder flexion and scapula protraction work, and an inadequate amount of shoulder extension and scapula retraction work.
Br
And yes, most bodybuilders have over developed front deltoids due to all the shoulder flexion and scapula protraction work, and an inadequate amount of shoulder extension and scapula retraction work.
Br
asooneyeonig
Well-known member
i see doing side raises that way just like upright rows, behind the neck anything, and leg presses. many people do them. some have no issues at all but there is too great of a chance of injury so i still wont do them. there are safer exercises that will still get me the same if not better results. many people disagree with me on that but i still wont do them and i will still get stronger and bigger.
Flaw
Well-known member
This is true, often because they get so much front delt work on chest exercises, neglect the rotator cuff complex and rear delts. Adding more front delt work will only cause further imbalance in the shoulders and rotate them foward. You end up having forward shoulders and poor posture. I'am a big fan of working the "rear" much more than the front of the body. Gravity is always bringing us down and forward so we need to build up strength in the muscles that keep us upright. When the shoulder are aligned properly the chest looks much bigger, it's more flexible and able to push more weight. Guys obsess about a big chest but don't realize what they think will make it look bigger is actually making it look smaller.
Doss
Member
Pre-exhaust a heavy pushing exercise with some light, high rep laterals, then do the rest of your shoulder workout, then do this:
Delt Triad
Pick a weight you can do 15 laterals with.
Do 12 laterals, immediately followed by 12 front raises, followed again by 12 shoulder presses, all with the original weight.
Rest 30 seconds and repeat.
Do 3 sets. It brings on a brutal pump and really rounds out the muscle when you pose.
Delt Triad
Pick a weight you can do 15 laterals with.
Do 12 laterals, immediately followed by 12 front raises, followed again by 12 shoulder presses, all with the original weight.
Rest 30 seconds and repeat.
Do 3 sets. It brings on a brutal pump and really rounds out the muscle when you pose.
ISU152
Active member
I would agree with that
