# Need a good Shoulder Workout!



## Hayesy (Aug 15, 2011)

HI Guys,

Just looking for a good shoulder workout routine or just what you like best in general, i feel a lack here big time, i want more rounded shoulders.

Normal Routine for me on shoulders is

3 x 10 Smith Machine (Warm up) 15kg

Smith Machine Drop

6-8 reps 50kg

6-8 reps 40kg

6-8 reps 30kg

20kg to failure

Do the same with dbells on bench then decline bench

Front and side raise on cable machine

Just looking for nice routine that going to hit every part and also i wouldn't mind a workout for traps,

I norm just grab the 30kg bdells and shrug 3x25 nothing to special.


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## Nocarbs (Aug 5, 2011)

Mine is this

Inverted Push ups - Reason - Id never be able to press 15st above my head, so im doing a great alternative

Side Raises - with a twist at the end of the motion

Front Raises - with a slight twist at the end of the motion

Arnold press - do this light but many reps to help shape the shoulder

Lying down side raises - Again light - this helps with the shaping of my shoulder

Shrugs - Always do 4 sets of really heavy shrugs to help those Traps grow


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## Hayesy (Aug 15, 2011)

How many sets and reps do you perform etc at what weight?


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## darksider (Apr 5, 2011)

Smith front press 2 warm ups 2 worksets to failure

dumbbell lateral raises 2 worksets

hammer shoulder press 2 worksets to failure

wide grip upright rows 2 worksets

dumbbell shrugs 2 worksets

This is a good shoulder routine to try sometime imo


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## rossi.s (Jul 6, 2010)

Military press- front raise with a plate and twisting at the top (i find this hurts much more than just useing dbell)- side raise/power partial- rear delt raise- upright row- finish with shrug either bbell or dbell.

Which ever routine you develop for shoulders and traps just make sure you do not forget your rear delts (which most people do) this is what improves overall delts the most.

Rossi.s


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## darksider (Apr 5, 2011)

Finish rear delts after back imo


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## Ginger Ben (Oct 5, 2010)

I keep shoulders simple, easy to overtrain them IMO given they assist with so many other lifts.

I do - 5x5 standing barbell overhead press (sometimes clean and press if I'm feeling saucy) then I'll do seated hammer strength shoulder press for 3 sets starting with a weight I fail at 10 reps, then 8, then 6 to finish. That's it for shoulders other than the work they do for other lifts. You could throw in some side raises to hit medial delt to give width but I find these sort of exercises just end up with me having sore shoulders for a few weeks after a while and not in a good way.

Traps I hit with seated rows with hands in a high position, can feel it in them the day after if you keep good form and squeeze shoulder blades together properly. Deadlifts of course and cleans are also good for traps. Not a lover of shrugs personally, they tend to bugger my clavicle attachments for some reason.

I don't hammer my shoulders as they seem prone to injury if I do but I find the above more than enough to grow on and get stronger.


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## rossi.s (Jul 6, 2010)

Why rear delts with back mate, any particular reason.


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## darksider (Apr 5, 2011)

rossi.s said:


> Why rear delts with back mate, any particular reason.


Just because they are an assisting muscle when training back thats all mate easier to finish them off after a good back workout imo


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## Breda (May 2, 2011)

Press Press Press

Oh and Press maybe some side lats for width but press for mass


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## Hayesy (Aug 15, 2011)

Breda would you say every shoulder session should be a heavy one!?

Also Shoulder,Taps and Trisin one work i want to do this to night i was thinking 4 diff shoulder routines 2 traps and since i have used my Tris do 2 or 3 routines on this


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## Breda (May 2, 2011)

Hayesy said:


> Breda would you say every shoulder session should be a heavy one!?
> 
> Also Shoulder,Taps and Trisin one work i want to do this to night i was thinking 4 diff shoulder routines 2 traps and since i have used my Tris do 2 or 3 routines on this


I wouldn't say each shoulder work out should be heavy no but it should be effective

I dont understand what your trying to say with your other question mate lol

IMO Most pressing movements will hit your traps in some way as well as rowing movements and dead lifts so there's not much need to isolate them but you can do shrugs if you want

Tris with shoulders is a strange one but if it works for you then go for it


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## darksider (Apr 5, 2011)

I do shoulders and tri's together and it works well as long as you have already hit chest a couple days before its a good combination as tri's assist in all pressing movements.


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## Milky (Nov 30, 2008)

I cant write mine down on my phone mate but if you still want some ideas let me know.


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## Hayesy (Aug 15, 2011)

Yeah i really feel the burn when i work my tris after a shoulder workout, some good input here chaps thanks!!!


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## Hayesy (Aug 15, 2011)

Milky said:


> I cant write mine down on my phone mate but if you still want some ideas let me know.


Yeah Milky that would be geat mate :beer:


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## Random181 (Oct 4, 2009)

Press press then lots more presses mate! assist with some raises etc, but have you ever seen anyone pressing 40kg DB's with small shoulders?


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## Hayesy (Aug 15, 2011)

Hummmmmmmmmm maybe me! lol

Most i can press is around the 28kg mark and thats with a spotter


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## Breda (May 2, 2011)

Yoshi said:


> Can you explain what you mean by *I wouldn't say each shoulder work out should be heavy no but it should be effective *


A workout doesnt have to be heavy to be effective i.e super sets and what not


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## darksider (Apr 5, 2011)

I wouldn't do more than two pressing movements per workout for shoulders with assisting moves like laterals, upright rows reason being , the rotator cuff imo

With all the pressing you do for chest too our just asking for an injury once youv'e done your rotator cuff your pressing will never be the same again.

A whole shoulder routine consisting of presses is just wrong imo


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## Big ape (May 5, 2011)

Rotator cuff?


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## retro-mental (Dec 2, 2010)

milky's was along the lines of military or dumbbell press, side raises, cable cross overs, shrugs, reverse flyes

Something along those lines and it beasted my shoulders when i tried it


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## Breda (May 2, 2011)

darksider said:


> I wouldn't do more than two pressing movements per workout for shoulders with assisting moves like laterals, upright rows reason being , the rotator cuff imo
> 
> With all the pressing you do for chest too our just asking for an injury once youv'e done your rotator cuff your pressing will never be the same again.
> 
> A whole shoulder routine consisting of presses is just wrong imo


I dont think anyone was suggeting to only press but pressing builds mass and should be the staple of any shoulder routine.

Personally i have 2 pressing movements and do other exercieses around it but pressing is the mainstay


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## darksider (Apr 5, 2011)

Big ape said:


> Rotator cuff?


muscles and tendons that stabilize the shoulder - easy too fvck up hard to put right.


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## Breda (May 2, 2011)

Yoshi said:


> I do supersets for biceps but can't say i've heard of supersets for shoulders, care to explain bud?
> 
> For shoulder press I do 2 sets heavy and last set max weight 6 reps


Any two movements back to back is a superset mate. you can superset any muscle


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## glennb1980 (Dec 13, 2010)

superset upright rows with side raises is absolute murder!!!!!


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## s&amp;ccoach (May 18, 2011)

There was a thread somewhere with YouTube clips of Toney freeman shoulder workout tried the db press and the db raise and they are pretty decent.

I'll try dig them out.


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## s&amp;ccoach (May 18, 2011)

Here you go, it's from pscarb

Side raise Toney Freeman style 4 sets....i have videoed this exercise so you know what i am doing, i have had to cut the video down but the last part of the set can be seen (luggage lifts) but had to cut the end off.






DB shoulder press Toney Freeman style (video attached)


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## Guest (Sep 7, 2011)

Mine is seated db presses, followed by upright rows washed down with lateral raises with a pinch of front raises topped off with some shrugs. Sometimes add in some seated smith presses after the db presses...


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## Matt 1 (May 8, 2010)

i do back and shoulders together

Wide grip pull ups

*Military press*

Deadlift

Seated row

*Bent-over row*

Back row on machine (hard to explain)

*front raises*

*and side raises (dumbbells)*

Everything is 3 sets and about 5-8reps MAX, go heavy


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## Hayesy (Aug 15, 2011)

Bring it on!!!


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## Hayesy (Aug 15, 2011)

xx


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## Hayesy (Aug 15, 2011)

s&ccoach said:


> Here you go, it's from pscarb
> 
> Side raise Toney Freeman style 4 sets....i have videoed this exercise so you know what i am doing, i have had to cut the video down but the last part of the set can be seen (luggage lifts) but had to cut the end off.
> 
> ...


That looking like 1st degree murder on your shoulders i will defo be trying this


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## s&amp;ccoach (May 18, 2011)

Hayesy said:


> That looking like 1st degree murder on your shoulders i will defo be trying this


I normally do a regular db press or seated machine press then go into the db press in the video = killer.

Then do the raises, such a deep burn.


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## Hayesy (Aug 15, 2011)

s&ccoach said:


> I normally do a regular db press or seated machine press then go into the db press in the video = killer.
> 
> Then do the raises, such a deep burn.


If you could do me a shoulder workout that would be great mate, do you lift heavy on these ?

Shoulder workouts are not my strong point, do you try to him every part of the shoulder in one session?


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## bigpit (Dec 2, 2009)

just recently started doing shoulder press dropsets on the smith machine. not good to be seen crying like a baby whilst pressing 30 kilo on the last set!:laugh:


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## Barbell mafia (Jan 28, 2011)

3 sets - barbell behind neck press/ military press

3 sets- dumbell press

3 sets- upright rows on machine or barbel

3 sets - lateral raises

some weeks I mix it up so I do a superset of barbell behind neck press/ dumbell press with lateral raises and they shock my side delts into extra growth!


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## Hayesy (Aug 15, 2011)

Hahaha


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## Hendrix (Sep 16, 2009)

Have you tried pre-exhausting delts mate.

I love it for a good growth spurt and pump


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## Hayesy (Aug 15, 2011)

Could you explain?


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## Hendrix (Sep 16, 2009)

Hayesy said:


> Could you explain?


Yeah sure mate, the idea is to exhaust the delt heads without exhausting the stabiliser and fixator muscles, in this case mainly tri's.

If you imagine a compound move like BB shoulder press. which uses the upper body like a set of gears. The other smaller muscles (other than the delts) can start to fail brfore the delts have had a chance to get toward failiure.

By pre-exhausting the delts with Side laterals, front lateralls, your shoulders will be first to give out forcing new intensity and growth

3 x 12 DB side laterals

3 x 12 front raises (cable or DB)

3 x 8-10 Shoulder press ( smith or BB)


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## Hayesy (Aug 15, 2011)

How effective is it then?


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## synthasize (Aug 15, 2009)

retro-mental said:


> milky's was along the lines of military or dumbbell press, side raises, cable cross overs, shrugs, reverse flyes
> 
> Something along those lines and it beasted my shoulders when i tried it


This is no far off what I do and my shoulders have come on in leaps and bounds over the last couple of months:

Seated Olympic military press (front)

Dumbbell or hammer-strength shoulder press

Single-arm lateral raises

Upright rows

Reverse flyes (arms locked at around 110degrees)

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk


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## Hayesy (Aug 15, 2011)

i really like all these workout but what weights are you guys using? just enough to feel the burn at the end? sets? reps?


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## Matt 1 (May 8, 2010)

Hayesy said:


> i really like all these workout but what weights are you guys using? just enough to feel the burn at the end? sets? reps?


You tailor the weight to how many reps and sets you wanna do, and your own strength.

I use a weight where i'm failing to go past 6reps...then ill do 3sets


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## synthasize (Aug 15, 2009)

Hayesy said:


> i really like all these workout but what weights are you guys using? just enough to feel the burn at the end? sets? reps?


I'll do something like 4 sets on big exercises, 2 warm up and 2 working. Then 3 working sets for assistance exercises. So:

Military press: 40x12, 50x10, 60x6-8, 70xfail

Db press: 26x12, 30x8-10, 34x6-8, 36xfail

Db single arm lateral raises: 12x10, 14x8, 14x8

You get the idea, I won't do the rest

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk


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## Hayesy (Aug 15, 2011)

Well hitting the gym tonight to smash my shoulders, so come one who had a killer workout for me to try?


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## s&amp;ccoach (May 18, 2011)

Mate there is 4 pages of shoulder workouts in this thread just pick one and try it!


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## Hayesy (Aug 15, 2011)

Done them all


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## Natural-Chris (Oct 6, 2011)

I find if you train each head seperately then end with a good press really brought my delts out,i was pressing good but just wasnt hitting the other 2 heads,so i did it the mentzer way!


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## dru0111 (Aug 28, 2007)

At present,

DB clean and press 3 sets 6-8 reps

front raise with olly plate, 3 sets 10-12

heavy shrugs DB 2 sets of 20-25 reps

lateral raise DB 3 sets 12 reps.


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## Focus (Nov 1, 2009)

seated DB shoulder press x 10 (26kg, 28kg, 30kg)

DB front and side raise super set x 10 (10kg, 10kg, 12kg)

reverse flys x 10 (10kg, 10 kg, 12kg)

behind the neck press (standing)with olympic bar x 10 (12.5kg a side, 15kg a side, 17.5kg a side)

finish off with heavy dumbell shrugs + upright rows super set


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## Hayesy (Aug 15, 2011)

Focus said:


> seated DB shoulder press x 10 (26kg, 28kg, 30kg)
> 
> DB front and side raise super set x 10 (10kg, 10kg, 12kg)
> 
> ...


Sounds like a killer......looking for some deep burn and i never seem to get it, i want bigger rounder shoulders


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## bdcc (Aug 15, 2011)

Here are some shoulder workout tips;

- Dumbbell overhead presses stimulate the medial deltoid to a greater degree than barbell variations which hit the anterior delt more (excluding behind the neck variations).

- Neutral grip dumbbell presses allow you to extend your ROM as the DB plates do not hit your shoulder prematurely. The deltoids work the most from the bottom position therefore dropping an extra couple of inches can create more tension on your shoulders

- Whether you bother doing frontal raises or not is down to you. Most people have a strength and size deficit in their posterior deltoids compared to their anterior therefore you could argue that most people need to prioritise rear deltoid work, not anterior deltoid work

- Most lateral raises only challenge you towards the top of the movement, cables help keep the tension on your deltoids through a greater ROM

It isn't a spoonfed workout I have pulled out of thin air but it should help you get more out of whatever you are doing.


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## Hayesy (Aug 15, 2011)

bdcc said:


> Here are some shoulder workout tips;
> 
> - Dumbbell overhead presses stimulate the medial deltoid to a greater degree than barbell variations which hit the anterior delt more (excluding behind the neck variations).
> 
> ...


Cheers man i enjoyed reading that!!


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## Breda (May 2, 2011)

Haysey I hope you gave him a like and a rep cos he was complaing that he don't get enough 

I would of done it myself but I'm on my phone but sound advice bdcc


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## bdcc (Aug 15, 2011)

Haha, he didn't even bother- what an ungrateful sod!

I am going back to talk about Jodie Marsh and slag off some members, that will bring my reputation up.

Thanks for the moral support Breda, this place is so lonely...


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