developing shoulders?

[kaukasion]

ive been obcessing so much about getting to 250 on bench press that the tops of my shoulders are starting to look small compared to the front collarbone area of my shoulders

i still have alot of fat on my chest but it seems to be slowly melting away
but i was wondering what exercises i should do to add some meat to the top and sides of my shoulders

 

[nikkita]

you can try military presses and side laterals

 

[kaukasion]

i work out in my basement
the ceiling is about 6'3" and im 6'2" with a 6'8" wingspan the weights would hit the ceiling if i did Mpresses on my knee's
but the side lats can you recommend a good form for them, i meen i look at the pictures but still dont understand the form i should hold during the motion, and with them should i work with higher weight lower reps to get growth?

 

[*MissFit*]

what do u currently do?

 

[kaukasion]

shrugs and a incline press as of now

 

[djeclipse]

If your reach is a problem you could always do upright rows. Do them slow and controlled and they really work the shoulders.

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/DeltoidLateral/BBUprightRow.html

 

[kaukasion]

thanks eclipse that will work great

 

[Madcow2]

Deadlift (i.e. vertical pulling), heavy rows (horizontal pulling), overhead (vertical pressing). Most people overdo the bench and don't focus on this stuff which IMO is a lot more important. Work at getting good at these lifts and your shoulders will not lack for anything. And if you can't do overhead, that's okay too - incline will work. I have yet to see a guy with average genetics that worked hard on these lifts that didn't have solid and symmetrical shoulders. A number of people here will tell you that their medial delts only really started to grow with correctly performed rows (rare) and their traps didn't develop until they started deadlifting or doing dynamic pulling (cleans/snatches and variants).

 

[djeclipse]

No prob, the upright rows along withside and front and side raises should help. But idealy you want that pressing motion (military press). Can't you just punch two dumbell sized holes in the ceiling?

Here's a link to a bunch of other shoulder exercises.

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/ShouldWt.html#anchor1933886

 

[kaukasion]

thanks, on the side and front raises should i go past my sides(hands over each other), and back to increase the range of motion?

and what do you think i should look at for reps? around 8 be ok

 

[vin01]

overhead military and cleans brought out my side delts better then any lateral raises could.

 

[kaukasion]

cleans? sorry dont know alot of the exercizes names

 

[musketeer]

GO outside and clean and press - what I had to do - feels great to be in the open air!

 

[Tedster]

In my opinion, it's impossible to build decent shoulders without some sort of overhead press like military press or dumbbell press. Side lateral raises are also a must, and you should also consider working the rear head of the shoulder with something like a bent over lateral movement. Check out this site for more excercises than you can shake a stick at:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.htm

 

[Protobuilder]

Side lateral raises are also a must, and you should also consider working the rear head of the shoulder with something like a bent over lateral movement.

I disagree. See madcow's post above. My rear delts are growing much better w/ heavy bent BB rows than they ever did w/ 20 lb. rear laterals.

 

[kaukasion]

thanks for all of the helpfull replies

 

[womprat]

I disagree. See madcow's post above. My rear delts are growing much better w/ heavy bent BB rows than they ever did w/ 20 lb. rear laterals.

I won't disagree with you -- my point is that the rear head of the shoulder should also be worked...

 

[Beachbum1546]

I disagree. See madcow's post above. My rear delts are growing much better w/ heavy bent BB rows than they ever did w/ 20 lb. rear laterals.

I agree, back day had made my rear delts much bigger than any shoulder day could have. Not to imply it helps with the medial and anterior delt but it sure worked for my posterior.

 

[Madcow2]

I won't disagree with you -- my point is that the rear head of the shoulder should also be worked...

FYI - The rear delt gets absolutely hammered from proper rowing. Heavily loaded through a full range of motion. Pull one arm back into a contracted row-like position, with the other reach over your shoulder and feel your posterior deltoid. Should be tight and contracted. Extend arm forward, rear delt should now be stretched.

 

[musketeer]

I disagree. See madcow's post above. My rear delts are growing much better w/ heavy bent BB rows than they ever did w/ 20 lb. rear laterals.

Although I now have no need to do rear lateral raises bc I use the 5x5 methodology, I used to do rear laterals as a strength movement and could generate meaningful contractions from 66lbs in each hand.

My point being - if you must do rear laterals - for god sake do them properly and really get lifting! (Yates does them on his video with 90lbers!!!)

 

[DZLS]

i wouldn't encourage people to sling huge weights while doing bent over laterals...

you know darn well, that people will swiong and not control the weight if they use more than they can handle...

 

[muscelove]

To the original poster, Try explosive upright rows. Start wiuth your shoulders rolled down and your self bent over a slight bit(a very little bend) then explode the wieight up. When i first found these my shoulders were dumbfounded. Also you must get a pressing movement in there somehow. Its vital to shoulder growth. Also make sure you are working your back. If your chest gets alot stronger that your back you will open yourself up to injury.

 

[musketeer]

i wouldn't encourage people to sling huge weights while doing bent over laterals...

you know darn well, that people will swiong and not control the weight if they use more than they can handle...

If I'm doing explosive bent rows with 315, then 66x2 or 122lbs should be safe to swing in an explosive rear lateral. By that rationel, if somebody else can do 185lb rows, then they should be fine hefting up the 35's or so.

 

[muscelove]

Ur doin 315 on explosive upright rows. I find that to be an extemely large amount of weight. What do u rep when not doing explosive?

 

[Madcow2]

Ur doin 315 on explosive upright rows. I find that to be an extemely large amount of weight. What do u rep when not doing explosive?

He said barbell rows not upright rows. That said a clean or snatch grip high pull is probably a better alternative if you are into explosive vertical pulling. Use a lot more weight and probably a lot easier on the wrists and grip is more condusive to explosion than an upright row.