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Train Shoulders Before Chest

RJW719

RJW719

Member
To those of you who train your chest and shoulder on the same day, do any of you train your shoulders before you hit your chest?

I am asking because I am training mainly for aesthetic reasons. My chest is my genetic strong point. Even before I got serious about my training I had a huge chest that people commented on. However, I feel like my shoulders are a weaker point for me. I feel like I am thicker than I am wide (not really but you get what I mean).

I have been considering switching up the order of exercises to hit my shoulders before chest to prioritize them. I just cant get out of my head something that an old coach had told me about NOT training shoulders before chest because then you wont be able to completely fatigue the chest because the shoulders will give out too soon.

Now dont get me wrong, I dont expect to be able to put up the same weights for bench press if I am doing this. I am just curious if there is really anything wrong with training this way? My main questions are:

Will I be really neglecting my chest?

Do you think this will help to develop my shoulders more?




Reps for all decent replies!
Thanks guys
 
I have two upper bod days. One upper body day, I do bench press before strict press; the next, I will do strict press first.
 
Your coaches mentality is not training for aesthetic reasons. There will be a sacrifice in poundage, but saying you won't be able to fatigue your chest is incorrect. You already have a genetically gifted chest, so you don't need to throw that much at it.

Switching up the order is not a bad thing. If you feel your shoulders are a weak point, then prioritize them. Sometimes people (including myself) think if they take away a little from the other parts to bring a particular area up, those other areas with wither away. Not true.

Just be careful and conscious of your shoulder health. Don't press your brains out, just hit your shoulders from different angles.
 
CHEST DAY:

5X5 Bench Press

5X5 Overhead Press

5X5 Incline Bench superset with machine "flies"

5X5 Dumbell Flies (for shoulders - that's what I call them anyway "flies")

5X5 Decline Press on Roc-it machine

I try to train shoulders with the chest - kind of alternating between the two during the workout.
 
Why not just split them on different days? You can hit them both hard. Problem solved!! :) I hit shoulders/biceps one day and chest/triceps on another. Ain't rocket science bro.
 
Reps given to all above posters!



supraseed48 said:
Why not just split them on different days? You can hit them both hard. Problem solved!! :) I hit shoulders/biceps one day and chest/triceps on another. Ain't rocket science bro.
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^^ Yea I know its not rocket science if I were willing to split up my pushing movements. I use a push/pull/legs routine and want to keep my shoulder, chest, and tris on the same day. I like the P/P/L split because it gives me flexibility in training frequency and recovery time. I usually will train every other day, but if im feeling up to it i'll do a couple days in a row now and then. For a while I really had thought about adding shoulders to my leg day, but as it is I am so taxed by the end of my leg session I dont think I could do it.
 
I rather split chest and delts in their own days too much stress on your shoulders trust me.
 
sina said:
I rather split chest and delts in their own days too much stress on your shoulders trust me.
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Read above, I keep answering this type of comment.

And if thats what you think why did you say to train your chest with shoulders in this thread: Invalid Link Removed

Also, it is definitely NOT too much for your shoulders training chest and shoulders on the same day. If anything giving your shoulders their own day would be more stressful to them. Thats the whole idea why I want to train them on the same day to give my shoulders(and tris) more recovery time.
 
DON'T SUGGEST TRAINING SHOULDERS ON THEIR OWN DAY ANYMORE
 
RJW719 said:
DON'T SUGGEST TRAINING SHOULDERS ON THEIR OWN DAY ANYMORE
Click to expand...

Can you maybe train shoulders on their own day though?

I'm in the opposite but similar situation; my shoulders are a strong point while my chest is weaker. I choose to train chest first with a heavy movement, throw some volume at shoulders, then finish of with high volume chest auxiliary stuff.

I don't really see any decrease in shoulder strength or size this way, and I feel I adequately work chest at the same time. It's a good balance for me.
 
i would just hit your shoulders with a higher rep lighter weight routine then pound the chest. shoulders are getting worked with nearly every workout you do anyways,be it back, chest, arms.
 
schroedes said:
i would just hit your shoulders with a higher rep lighter weight routine then pound the chest. shoulders are getting worked with nearly every workout you do anyways,be it back, chest, arms.
Click to expand...

Reps!

Thanks! I like that idea, it's something to consider
 
If definition is what ur after id say go for it. But if it's size ur gonna have to put up some weight. Think thats why everyone was going off on the split. Working the shoulders with chest or on their own is not a determiner for injury. Lifting heavy can be. Thats why it's important to warm the shoulders and rotator cuff up good and easing into the plates. See lot of guys just throwing on the weight and not preping the muscle/joints. Then bit¢h about hurt joints and bone spurs etc. That is a no go...
 
I do something similar to what HondaV65 said. I usually start with bench press then do standing overhead press next, then finish out my chest routine and then do some final stuff for shoulders.
 
supraseed48 said:
If definition is what ur after id say go for it. But if it's size ur gonna have to put up some weight. Think thats why everyone was going off on the split. Working the shoulders with chest or on their own is not a determiner for injury. Lifting heavy can be. Thats why it's important to warm the shoulders and rotator cuff up good and easing into the plates. See lot of guys just throwing on the weight and not preping the muscle/joints. Then bit¢h about hurt joints and bone spurs etc. That is a no go...
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Totally agree with this^^^
 
BaDgErFaN said:
I do something similar to what HondaV65 said. I usually start with bench press then do standing overhead press next, then finish out my chest routine and then do some final stuff for shoulders.
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Just some friendly advice, but your press progression is getting cheated that way.

Benches will exhaust the anterior deltoids and prime movers before you perform the press. It'd work a whole lot better if you did a pull variation after bench pressing, then performed the overhead press or moderated light/heavy presses and bench presses on separate days.
 
I think you can mix it up how ever you like but if it's size you want you have to use heavy weight around 8 reps. I do side And rear delt work along with shoulder press's. You already work the front delt doing everything else. Keep track of weight used and keep adding weight. Also I always do my major lifts first. Mainly you'll just have to try different workout cycles to find what works best for you. One mans trash is another mans treasure. Nawmsayin!
 
BaDgErFaN said:
Totally agree with this^^^
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I like to hit shrugs first thing on shoulder w/o's. Does good job @ warming up shoulders b4 hittin the presses. Some light lateral raises get'r done as well...
 
kingk0ng said:
Just some friendly advice, but your press progression is getting cheated that way.

Benches will exhaust the anterior deltoids and prime movers before you perform the press. It'd work a whole lot better if you did a pull variation after bench pressing, then performed the overhead press or moderated light/heavy presses and bench presses on separate days.
Click to expand...

So you suggest training shoulders on their own day? Or what training layout would you recomend?
 
If you like push/pull/legs why don't u try :
Mon- push(chest focus)
Tues- pull
Wed- off
Thursday- legs
Fri- push(shoulder focus)
Sat- off
Sun- pull
Mon- legs
Tues- off
Wed- repeat
 
schroedes said:
i would just hit your shoulders with a higher rep lighter weight routine then pound the chest. shoulders are getting worked with nearly every workout you do anyways,be it back, chest, arms.
Click to expand...

this........i started working delts with pecs on the same day just recently, your front delts are worked through your chest routine already so i would isolate rear delts with light lateral raises at the end of your routine
 
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