# Lagging Delts -genetic?



## tuna_man (Nov 24, 2009)

I have noticed that some people have naturally capped off, ball shaped rounded delts, while a lot of other have naturally crappier delts.

I train mine hard, lots of military press and laterals, including l-laterals (bent arms)

Even thoiugh they are relatively decent, they still are lagging compared to other bodyparts. I also notice that if i diet hard, delts are one of the first muscle groups to shrink.

Any ideas on making them exceptional, and how often a week/evry how many days should i hit them, how many sets

Cheers


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## Big Dawg (Feb 24, 2008)

They might be genetically a bit harder for you to develop than other body parts but that's no reason you can't get them to catch up and become ridiculously huge!

How many sets depends on the style of training you prefer. A lot of people will say "do 3 sets of presses, 3 sets of db lat raises, 3 sets of cable lat raises, 3 sets of rear lat raises" etc etc. Personally I think that's too much - I respond well to volume training but find that most people overdo the volume severely. Have you tried a DC routine? Hit shoulders twice a weak but just one exercise and one all-out rest-paused set each time?


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## tuna_man (Nov 24, 2009)

I think i should try a DC style all out rest pause set, but just have to overcome that mental barrier that says its way too less volume. but if it will give me bigger delts in less time then im all up for it

Normally i do 'the works' i.e. 5-6 sets military press 5-10 reps

5-6 sets of different laterals

3 sets rear laterals

and sometimes just something random aswell

I get a good pump but i need them to mass up, as naturally i have a small bone structure and frame, and thin bones. Its good in that with no top on the muscles look twice as big (hopefully!), but in a jacket i just seem pretty normal, maybe like i train a bit i hope but nothing special


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

tuna_man said:


> I have noticed that some people have naturally capped off, ball shaped rounded delts, while a lot of other have naturally crappier delts.
> 
> I train mine hard, lots of military press and laterals, including l-laterals (bent arms)
> 
> ...


The shape of the deltoids is definitely genetic and not just down to the muscle but also the shape of the shoulder girdle.

I'm lucky that delts are one of my best bodyparts, especially rear delts. All I can suggest is avoiding training delts after chest - this is the one thing that seems to significantly hinder progress for me.

For training, heavy weights and multiple low rep sets seem the best way to build them - cluster sets and rest-pause both work really well.

Also a big fan of a DB Press variant where you keep the bend in your elbows and allow the bells to come together behind your head in an almost similar position to how they are at the end of an overhead dumbell triceps extension. Keeps great tension on the delts and takes triceps right out of the movement.


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## Big Dawg (Feb 24, 2008)

tuna_man said:


> I think i should try a DC style all out rest pause set, but just have to overcome that mental barrier that says its way too less volume. but if it will give me bigger delts in less time then im all up for it
> 
> Normally i do 'the works' i.e. 5-6 sets military press 5-10 reps
> 
> ...


You're gonna have to do a lot of reading if you wanna try DC but it all makes so much sense to me. You train with less volume but a higher frequency (IE you hit shoulders monday, friday, then the following wednesday) but much less volume (one exercise and one rest-paused set). Dante only recommends pressing movements for shoulders and his philosophy is that you have to get stronger every week or you're not progressing as your body has no stimulus to grow. If you think about lat raises, how much weight can you possibly add over the course of 6 months? 5-10kg? It's not gonna be huge, whereas you could go from military pressing 60-120kg in 6 months with the right application. That's a 60kg increase as opposed to a 5-10kg increase on a different exercise. I can't see your shoulders not growing from that.


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## bigmatt1 (Apr 14, 2009)

I also suffer from delts lagging, whatever i try does not seem to work. A typical workout would be seated dumbell press, seated front press (bar), side raises, front raises and shrugs, i do rear delts with back, any advice guys?

cheers


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## Mikazagreat (Apr 10, 2009)

IMO it's genetics, my delts is big as fock that it's dominating my physique which makes other bodyparts look small specially triceps which is laggin geneticlly.

my lifting partner have completely the opposit problem with his delts and his triceps is freakin gigantic.

I think it's realted to body/mind connection also while training u can push more with your triceps for example in shoulder day (that's just my opinion).

you will have to try several things also to see whut works for you, train it twice a week to see if it works, but not your complete delts workout for both days just add delts isolation session (raises exercises).


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## Big Dawg (Feb 24, 2008)

bigmatt1 said:


> I also suffer from delts lagging, whatever i try does not seem to work. A typical workout would be seated dumbell press, seated front press (bar), side raises, front raises and shrugs, i do rear delts with back, any advice guys?
> 
> cheers


What have you actually tried mate? Have you tried changing exercises/ changing technique/ changing from volume to HIT or DC training? Have you tried doing more sets? Tried doing less sets? Has the weight you're lifting gone up consistently every session since you realised this problem? Are you growing well everywhere else?


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## RyanClarke (May 7, 2009)

a lot of people after trying one routine, jump on the there not growing i genetically cant grow. Whatever, until you've exhausted all avenues you will never know that.

not a dig at anyone in here btw i've not read through


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## notorious1990 (Mar 10, 2008)

i think people do TOO much shoulder work.. when you think about it your front and side delts get hit when you do chest to a certain extent anyway..

a simple compound pressing movement with dumbells or bar, seated or standing to start

then a few sets of side laterals and the most forgotten part of the deltoid is the rear delt, god knows why cause when it develops it makes your delts look complete.

keep it simple and make sure you train each head of the deltoid, the pressing movement should be enough for your front delts.


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## gringo (Jul 13, 2009)

My delts are my weak point now - a year ago it was my chest so I focused on

that last year, training twice a week with different exercises and pushing the weight

up on 4-rep sets to get stronger. It worked quite well - I'm benching a lot more

and my pecs are looking better with it.

So I'm trying the same thing with my shoulders - one day a week its seated press

in the rack, to lift as much weight as possible. Another day its seated dumbell press

to get the stabilisation going. If I can do 2 sets of 4 reps then I add more weight

- forcing the muscles to get stronger with these. I'll do a random second exercise

like upright row or lateral raises with 8 reps afterwards.

Your milage may vary - I'm the skinny type and I've found my muscles grow better

with low volume strength training than with higher rep bodybuilding training.


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