# Shoulder routine?



## AestheticManlet (Jun 12, 2012)

So what's peoples shoulder routines in gym?

I'm changing to a 4 day split so I'm going to try a separate day for shoulders like I used to do a long time ago.

Overhead press will be first following 531 or something similar.

DB Lateral raises

So it's the rest of the routine I'm unsure of. I feel traps gets enough work from deadlift day really, plus press works them.

So just looking to sufficiently hit all 3 heads, deem shoulder day quite an easy day.

:thumbup1:


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## Cypionate (Jan 17, 2016)

I do seated bent over dumbbell flies for rear delts

Dumbell lat raises for centre

Either dumbbell front raises or cable machine with rope attachment for front delts

Smith for OHP

Single arm side raises with cables and just position myself for either side delts, or bend over for rear again

Just started a new one for rear delts, lay face down on a slight incline bench and do dumbbell flies from there


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## swole troll (Apr 15, 2015)

my most recent body part split shoulder day was

OHP 531 FSL 
seated DB shoulder press 3x6-10 
hammer strength machine shoulder press 3x8-12 
side laterals 4x8-12
rear delt cable flys 3x15

i agree on traps 
also dont feel a need to isolate front delts given all presses hit them


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## ILLBehaviour (Dec 20, 2014)

i mostly do press and lat raises (either on cables or with dbs) plus shrugs.

other exercises you could try are seated press, db press, upright row, wide grip upright row, high pulls and behind neck press.


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## AestheticManlet (Jun 12, 2012)

swole troll said:


> my most recent body part split shoulder day was
> 
> OHP 531 FSL
> seated DB shoulder press 3x6-10
> ...


 This seems pretty solid to me i usually add a fsl amrap after the amrap set for a little extra volume too.

I agree on the front delts too especially with bench day and all other presses.

Press 531 + FSL

Seated db shoulder press - 3 sets 10

Shoulder machine (I'm sure there's one in new gym) - 3 sets 10

Side lateral - 4 sets 12

Db Rear delt raises or cables - 3 sets 15

531 as usually on press and aim for progressive overload if I hit reps and sets.

Sounds good?


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## Endomorph84 (Jan 21, 2016)

I like to start with a military press as it hits all heads, upper traps and core.

Second I like to DB Shoulder press on a high incline (not upright) to tie in the upper chest also.

Cable or DB laterals as a third exercise, both are great IMO. Cables are good for the obvious reason of constant tension. However DB lateral raises feel the best out the two.

Lastly for me is cable/ rope face pulls. I like higher reps on this, 15 or so (with good form).


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## swole troll (Apr 15, 2015)

AestheticManlet said:


> This seems pretty solid to me i usually add a fsl amrap after the amrap set for a little extra volume too.
> 
> I agree on the front delts too especially with bench day and all other presses.
> 
> ...


 Looks fine mate

Enjoy the pump

I use to do the odd run the rack on my last set of side laterals when I really wanted to really toast my delts


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

Heavy OHP

Moderate weight Arnold presses (such an underrated exercise IMO)

Light weight dumbbell laterals

That covers the front and side delts, then I'd go on to train triceps for example (typical split would be chest & bis; legs; shoulders & tris; back). I prefer to train rear delts with back, since they are essentially a part of the back and will get hit when you train exercises like Pendlays or other wide grip rows. So my back routine might look like:

531 deadlifts

Pulldowns

Standing cable pullovers

V-handle cable rows or t-bars

Elbows-flared dumbbell rows

Rear delt flyes

Face pulls


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## AestheticManlet (Jun 12, 2012)

nWo said:


> Heavy OHP
> 
> Moderate weight Arnold presses (such an underrated exercise IMO)
> 
> ...


 Yeah I'm finding it hard to justify a separate day for shoulders that I can't achieve on a push day and rears on pull day. Think I'd rather have a days rest to recover than hit shoulders separate.


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

AestheticManlet said:


> Yeah I'm finding it hard to justify a separate day for shoulders that I can't achieve on a push day and rears on pull day. Think I'd rather have a days rest to recover than hit shoulders separate.


 Yeah, front delts get plenty of volume anyway with your chest exercises and your OHPs, so they don't need any special attention. So that leaves maybe a couple of extra side and rear delt exercises after your OHP, which IMO doesn't warrant its own day. Rear delts work synergistically with your back on several exercises, so it makes sense to train those with back, then combine OHP and side delts with another muscle group.

Here's my 4-day 531 split, if you're interested:


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## zariph (Jul 23, 2015)

nWo said:


> Yeah, front delts get plenty of volume anyway with your chest exercises and your OHPs, so they don't need any special attention. So that leaves maybe a couple of extra side and rear delt exercises after your OHP, which IMO doesn't warrant its own day. Rear delts work synergistically with your back on several exercises, so it makes sense to train those with back, then combine OHP and side delts with another muscle group.
> 
> Here's my 4-day 531 split, if you're interested:
> 
> ...


 So you only do 1x5 1x3 1x1 on first movement every day? Also you do 4 on 1 off then? Sorry if its a stupid question, but never tried such split


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## u2pride (Sep 20, 2012)

zariph said:


> So you only do 1x5 1x3 1x1 on first movement every day? Also you do 4 on 1 off then? Sorry if its a stupid question, but never tried such split


 Wendler is:

1st week 3x5+

2nd week 3x3+

3rd week 3x5-3-1+

Split in a week W-W-Rest-W-W-Rest-Rest or W-W-Rest-W-Rest-W-Rest, and so on...

P.S. Last set is AMRAP (+). W is workout.


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## zariph (Jul 23, 2015)

u2pride said:


> Wendler is:
> 
> 1st week 3x5+
> 
> ...


 ah thx makes more sense to me, sounds interesting


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## Endomorph84 (Jan 21, 2016)

zariph said:


> ah thx makes more sense to me, sounds interesting


 If you want to try Wendler 5/3/1 there are spread sheets on google that will help you calculate the working weight for the 5/3/1 sets.


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## swole troll (Apr 15, 2015)

Endomorph84 said:


> If you want to try Wendler 5/3/1 there are spread sheets on google that will help you calculate the working weight for the 5/3/1 sets.


 There's a few apps too

That's what I use

Punch the numbers in and it calculates it for me, deloads when I fail, up the weights after each cycle ect


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## AestheticManlet (Jun 12, 2012)

I recommend Wenderlized it's free and works everything out for you. You can add the assistance exercises too.


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## Henda83 (Mar 3, 2018)

Front presses on day one and press behind neck and laterals with a pause at the top on day 2.

Press behind neck has bad rep for injury but in my case at least no shoulder excercise works as well as it


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## SlinMeister (Feb 21, 2017)

AestheticManlet said:


> So what's peoples shoulder routines in gym?
> 
> I'm changing to a 4 day split so I'm going to try a separate day for shoulders like I used to do a long time ago.
> 
> ...


 I don't think that using heavy weights for shoulders is a smart choice.

I prefer Intensity and Volume and i stick mostly to just 4 exercises.

Military press

DB laterals

Bent Over Rear Dumbbell Raises

Face pulls (here go mindmuscle connection, imagine to do a back double biceps pose)

Front raises imho are useless since event if we don't want, we always use the front delt as stabilizer in lots of exercises.

I have seen best gains on shoulders by hitting them 2 or 3 times a week.

Try also to do a "rack surf" on last set of your DB Laterals, basically let's say you did 10 reps with 20kg then you go for 10x 18kg, 10x 16kg, 10x 14kg, 10x 12kg and so on so on up to 10x 4kg. Every time i do that i see my shoulders changing.


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## pinkpigworld (Sep 18, 2019)

The banded upright row is an exercise that targets your traps and shoulders muscles.

However, there some upright row variations such as barbell upright row, dumbbells upright row ( for advanced users), and pulley machine upright row.

*Is upright row dangerous?*
Almost all exercises are dangerous if you go too heavy and too fast.

So, don't load up massive movement and use a resistance band instead of a barbell.


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## BLUE(UK) (Jan 9, 2008)

Face pulls.

Heavy as fcuk OHP's, powerclean + press or push press.

Sometimes add in DB press or side laterals

Rear laterals

I never do front raises, very few people need to do them as they get done on presses. I see so many ******* doing them needlessly and moan about their shoulders hurting between sets.....yeah cos your shoulders are seated forwards!! Amazingly the fcuktards carry on doing raises til they give up due to 'bad shoulders'. Few months later the cycle starts again!!


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## 18557 (Jul 5, 2010)

BLUE(UK) said:


> Face pulls.
> 
> Heavy as fcuk OHP's, powerclean + press or push press.
> 
> ...


 I'm about to switch out DB press for OHP, heavy as fuxk of course...

for your rear lats do use a bench, stand/sit and bend?

i never did front raises but read on here, maybe it was @Endomorph84 saying front raises were good!? I've been using a plate for them but need to swap to a bar now cos plates too light innit. I super set them with shrugs


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## BLUE(UK) (Jan 9, 2008)

rbduk said:


> I'm about to switch out DB press for OHP, heavy as fuxk of course...
> 
> for your rear lats do use a bench, stand/sit and bend?
> 
> i never did front raises but read on here, maybe it was @Endomorph84 saying front raises were good!? I've been using a plate for them but need to swap to a bar now cos plates too light innit. I super set them with shrugs


 I use the pec dec machine cos I'm lazy and prefer not to bend forward if I don't have to. I use an incline with my forehead on it if I want to use dumbells.

As for front raises, crack on. You've been warned. :thumbup1:


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## Endomorph84 (Jan 21, 2016)

rbduk said:


> I'm about to switch out DB press for OHP, heavy as fuxk of course...
> 
> for your rear lats do use a bench, stand/sit and bend?
> 
> i never did front raises but read on here, maybe it was @Endomorph84 saying front raises were good!? I've been using a plate for them but need to swap to a bar now cos plates too light innit. I super set them with shrugs


 Front plate raises and shrugs is a cracking super set mate.


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## DRKE (Feb 25, 2019)

BLUE(UK) said:


> Face pulls.
> 
> Heavy as fcuk OHP's, powerclean + press or push press.
> 
> ...


 Did Front raises for 6 months. Had 2 shoulder injuries plus pain. Haven't don't them for 12 months and whilst I think the injury still holds me back I've had no further shoulder problems.


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## BLUE(UK) (Jan 9, 2008)

DRKE said:


> Did Front raises for 6 months. Had 2 shoulder injuries plus pain. Haven't don't them for 12 months and whilst I think the injury still holds me back I've had no further shoulder problems.


 Do a s**t tonne of face pulls/rear delt work.

Rubber Duck, here's one of these '*******' I mentioned earlier. 

@DRKE I'm just joking about the 'f**got' bit.


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## 18557 (Jul 5, 2010)

I don't like changing too much at once lol. I'm swapping seated DB press for standing OHP and rear delt machine for face pulls and rear lateral raises (incline bench). They were both planned anyway.

Assume it's when the weight gets heavier that front raises cause issues? Maybe I could just stick to a plate seeing as they're in a superset ?


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## DRKE (Feb 25, 2019)

BLUE(UK) said:


> Do a s**t tonne of face pulls/rear delt work.
> 
> Rubber Duck, here's one of these '*******' I mentioned earlier.
> 
> @DRKE I'm just joking about the 'f**got' bit.


 I get called worse. Got pulled up by my gyms 'big guy' today. He said just some advice, you'll find Chin Ups much easier if you don't just use your arms. I'm fu**ing hopeless lol


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## BLUE(UK) (Jan 9, 2008)

rbduk said:


> Assume it's when the weight gets heavier that front raises cause issues? Maybe I could just stick to a plate seeing as they're in a superset ?


 As long as you remember what I told you when your shoulders feel injured.


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## 19072 (Aug 11, 2010)

I follow a PPLL

Pull day I hit rear delts (facepulls / rear flyes)

Push day I hit front/side (OHP / lateral raises)

You don't really need much else tbh!


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## AestheticManlet (Jun 12, 2012)

herc said:


> I follow a PPLL
> 
> Pull day I hit rear delts (facepulls / rear flyes)
> 
> ...


 Yeah I'm doing the same really. This was an old thread from last year.


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## PhilJ56 (Jun 24, 2019)

AestheticManlet said:


> Yeah I'm doing the same really. This was an old thread from last year.


 Ditto. I have issues though with OHP as my shoulders click when I go heavy


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