# Shoulder Exercises to gain size & strength



## Corby

What is the best exercise to gain size and strength in your shoulders.

I Currently do the following: (lows reps for size??) :confused1:

Seated Dumbell Presses:

Warm up - 20kgs @ 12 reps x 2

Sets - 32.5kgs @ 6 reps x 3 (by the 3rd set I'm really struggling).

BB Standing Military Press (I've just started doing these so still getting used to them)

Sets - 40kgs @ 6-8 reps x3 (could possibly add more wieght)

Lateral Raises

Sets - 14kgs @ 8-10 reps x 3.

NB.............I do rear delts with back.

I just want to know if I'm doing the right exercises before I totally dedicate to the above.

Also...please feel free to rip the above apart lol!

Thanks in advance.


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## Tom1990

a good way to improve your shoulder size and strength is by doing dumbell presses like you already do, however you could do... maybe 12reps, then 10reps, then 8, then 6 then 4, aiming to fail on last rep of each set and going heavier each time. so that means you want to start off reasonably light, and end up quite heavy!


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## rooty

dumb bell presses for size, seated barbell presses for strength in my opinion. i usually stick to between 8 - 12 reps


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## bravo9

ive just started adding behind the back barbell shrugs on a smith machine,, i like em and seem to be adding a bit of size


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## Freddo

work in reps of 6 - 8, have good form no half reps, have a full range of movement allmost touch your shoulder. gradually keep increasing the weight the size and strength will come, as u feel stronger, decrease reps in final set to 4 mayb, and progress like that.

thats my piece! :-D


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## Cap'n Beefy

It's very easy to overtrain shoulders. They consist of three relatively small muscles, and already get plenty of work on chest, and back day.

When trying to get bigger, why not stick to dumbell OR military press? Preferably the dumbells. Lower the weight, probably to 27.5kg, and feel the movement, slow down, pausing at the bottom for a count of two, driving upwards.

Lateral raises, slow controlled, little finger higher than thumb, hold at the top. I'm guessing 14kg dumbells means your form is off - no offense.

After warm up set, do two drop sets, 10kg, 7.5kg, 5kg.

Rear cable laterals on the crossover machine, done properly, holding at the contraction.

Six sets of shrugs holding the discs on a curl bar, so hands wide.

Go home and eat a lot!! :thumb:


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## Corby

I'll drop down to 27.5kgs db's. My arms are really long so the movement is quite big - do you recommend not totally locking my arms out at the top? Shall I do seated laterals or standing laterals? Cheers


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## Louis_C

This is what I do:

Seated DB Press 6 sets; 12, 10, 8, 8, 8, 8

Seated Military Press 6 sets; 12, 10, 8, 8, 8

Side Lateral Raises 6 sets; 10 reps

Cable Front Raises SUPERSET with Up Right Rows; 6 sets 10 reps of each


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## Cap'n Beefy

Corby said:


> I'll drop down to 27.5kgs db's. My arms are really long so the movement is quite big - do you recommend not totally locking my arms out at the top? Shall I do seated laterals or standing laterals? Cheers


I only lock out on the last few reps as my strength fades, the momentary lockout gives the briefest respite to allow a couple more reps to be cranked out.

But generally, don't lock out, but do stop at the top of the movement, hold, then lower, pause, feeling the stretch at the bottom, then controlled push back up.

Personally, I do my laterals standing, offering the opportunity to add a little cheating toward the end of a set!


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## frowningbudda

Try arnold presses and squeeze the muscle at the top of the contraction, and add a couple of drop sets


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## El Ricardinho

I feel i get a lot of gains from arnold press's. Shoulders used to be my weakest muscle area until i incorporated arnolds. Would consider it one of my stronger points now.


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## stavmangr

Military press 4x6,6,8,8

Bar upright row 3x8,10,12

one arm db lateral raise 3x8,10,12


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## Corby

Cheers for the advice guys.

I feel that my front delts are too large in proportion to my middle and rear, so I stopped doing arnolds as they focus on front don't they? my middle and rear need more work, which exercises focus mainly on middle?

Thanks


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## willsey4

bravo9 said:


> ive just started adding behind the back barbell shrugs on a smith machine,, i like em and seem to be adding a bit of size


This is for traps???


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## willsey4

I recommend dumbell pressing for size and standing barbell pressing for strength.

This is my typical routine:

Dumbell pressing 3 sets

Dumbell side raises 3 sets

Reverse machine flies 3 sets

Dumbell shrugs 3 sets

I also dont both doing front raises either as the dumbell pressing works my front delts enough. My doing this routine it also hits all areas of the shoulder


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## stavmangr

Corby said:


> Cheers for the advice guys.
> 
> I feel that my front delts are too large in proportion to my middle and rear, so I stopped doing arnolds as they focus on front don't they? my middle and rear need more work, which exercises focus mainly on middle?
> 
> Thanks


wide grip upright rows

side db laterals


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## glanzav

me i do clean jerks to press for 3 sets

up right rows 3 sets

rear delts 4 sets

side lats 3 sets

shrugs 3 sets


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## plym30

For me:

2 x warm up sets of lat raises - seated with strict form

3 x 12,10,8,12 DB seated military presses

3 x 12,10,8,12 Very wide grip upright rows - find this brings out the width

3 x 10,10,8 Standing one arm DB lat raises

I do traps with back on another day

Has worked very well for me and think this has broadened my shoulders a fair bit


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## Louis_C

Corby said:


> Cheers for the advice guys.
> 
> I feel that my front delts are too large in proportion to my middle and rear, so I stopped doing arnolds as they focus on front don't they? my middle and rear need more work, which exercises focus mainly on middle?
> 
> Thanks


Bent-Over Lateral Raises for the rear... can do this stood up or seated


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## frowningbudda

standing cable raise for mid delt



















Lying rear delt raise


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## geeby112

frowningbudda said:


> standing cable raise for mid delt
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> Lying rear delt raise


^^^^^^^^^^

this last pic i do the same but on abit of an incline, does it make a big difference?


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## MarkIsaacUK

my shoulders are lacking size too.... i do....

machine shoulder press 12, 10, 8, 6,

upright cable row, 3 sets 10-12 reps

1 arm DB upright row 3 sets 10

lat raise machine superset with a 15k disk front raise x 3

then shrugs and lying rear delt raise on a incline x 3...

sorry to hi jack, but looking at everyone elses workouts am i doing too much guys?


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## stavmangr

geeby112 said:


> ^^^^^^^^^^
> 
> this last pic i do the same but on abit of an incline, does it make a big difference?


NO ITS FINE :thumbup1:


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## stavmangr

MarkIsaacUK said:


> my shoulders are lacking size too.... i do....
> 
> machine shoulder press 12, 10, 8, 6,
> 
> upright cable row, 3 sets 10-12 reps
> 
> 1 arm DB upright row 3 sets 10
> 
> lat raise machine superset with a 15k disk front raise x 3
> 
> then shrugs and lying rear delt raise on a incline x 3...
> 
> sorry to hi jack, but looking at everyone elses workouts am i doing too much guys?


IMO you do a lot:

machine shoulder press 12, 10, 8

upright cable row, 3 sets 10-12 reps

one arm db lateral raise 3x8

Finsh with:

rear delt raise

-superset with-

db shrugs

3x6+6

:cool2:


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## evad

my whole routine is as follows

squats

military press

static holds

power cleans

deadlifts

pull ups

barbell rows

z bar curls

flat bench

incline bench

dips

close grip bench

on paper it looks like only one shoulder exercises but in reality of the 12 exercises i do possibly only one or two dont hit the shoulders

agree it's far too easy to overtrain them, you cant go wrong with either barbell or dumbell overhead press

i prefer dumbell personally but as i train at home i got to the point where i couldnt get anymore weight on the dumbells so reverted back to barbells


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## Corby

Arnolds are a tough excercise, I can see how the work the front and middle but your rear? I thought you needed to do pulling exercises to work rear delts??

I do them reverse flies but on a slight incline like geeby. Its shoulders tonight my routine will be the following:

1. Seated Dumbell Press 10,8,8,fail.

2. Standing Military Press 10,8,6,fail

3. DB Lateral Raises - 12,10,8,8

4. Reverse Flies - 12,10,8,8 (i normally do these on back days but didn't have time on Tues)

Cheers for the help guys - I'll report back on how the session goes, I haven't got a spotter with me tonight so won't be able to push my self as much on the presses (I'll still give it big licks though). Lol


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## evad

face pulls are worthy of note for the rear delts


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## Corby

Well, my shoulder day went okay on Friday, there were no benches free so I started of with standing military presses, which were really hard - it's a new exercise for me so I'm still getting used to them, Then I done some light DB shoulder presses (cos my shoulders were really weak after the MP's. I then done seated lateral raises (very strict) my shoulders were really pumped by the time I finished the lateral raises. I then finished off with some bent over reverse flies.

I was very pushed for time as I was going out that night but it went well. I was in the gym for 35mins.


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## Adam_W

Seems like most have the same opinion of dumbells for size and barbll for strength. I'd certainly agree with this, and have had good results when incorporating both into my routines.

I found my rear delts were really lacking and after incorporating rear machine flyes they are now coming along nicely.


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