I want massively ROUND shoulders!!

[JoNeS]

Shoulders are by far my weakest muscle group. I can get every part in my body to grow at a decent rate, but my shoulders are definately lagging behind. I hit them every 5-6 days. For the past 1.5 mths I have been doing "aap's" reccomended routine. I'm getting ok results with that but my shoulders are no where near where I want them to be.

Anyone start off training with really flat shoulders and now you have massive round proportioned delts? If so, post up your shoulder routine.

 

[string_bean00]

Where are shoulders in your split?



There's a good chance you could be overtraining them, depending on your split.

 

[BOOEY]

Yeah post what you are doing right now. In any case, a good shoulder workout incorporates military presses and some sort of side lateral raise movement.

 

[JoNeS]

2 days on 1 day off.

Mon - Shoulders, Bis

Tues - Legs

Weds - Off

Thurs - Back

Fri - Chest, Tri's

Sat - off

Sunday - Rotation starts over

 

[psychedout]

Im using this shoulder routine right now, its working quite well.

Db shoulder press 10, 8, 8, 6
Db laterals 12, 12, 12, 12 (I often do a few drop sets here)
Machine shoulder press 12, 10, 8
Bent over laterals 12, 12, 12
DB Shrugs 15, 12, 10, 8, 6

 

[psychedout]

Also, I don't lock out any shoulder presses.

 

[Sub-Zero]

ive got a special shoulder day that consists of:


MIlitary presses
iso machine shoulder presses
arnolds

then notrelated i have my traps on that day too

starting to round them up a bit, and working so far

 

[NJjuice22]

Military Presses
Heavy but strict side laterals
upright rows


if those dont do it for you..nothing will.

 

[Synpax]

They are called 'coconut shoulders.'

My routine has had good development:

5x5 db shoulder presses
3x10 lat raises (together in front, side, behind)
2x10 front raises

Every four days, and not back to back with chest/tri day.

 

[zxe003]

I've been told over and over that since delts are such a relatively small muscle in comparison to the rest of the muscle groups, that there is no sense in pounding them with heavy weights for growth and development. But still, up until only about 2 months ago, increasing my dumbell and military presses was my main goal...and surprise, surprise...cannonball delts did not spring forth. So I finally decided to try a different approach and modified some stuff I read from N. Montana. Main focus is hypertrophy through static holds and just overall higher intensity...but that doesn't necessarily mean heavier weights. Heres what I've been doing (alternated with traditional heavy presses every 3 weeks because I can't help but want to increase strength gains as well.):

Start with a superset of standing Arnold presses (starting dumbells faced palms towards you) with dumbell upright rows (same dumbells...go light!)
35'sx8 (Arnold's), 35'sx8 (upright rows) x 4sets

*Make sure to keep the rest periods only 30-60 secs.

Standing dumbell side laterals (again...light!)
20'sx8 (3 sets)

*When you begin these, your first few reps should be static holds. Extend the dumbells out and hold at top for a count of eight, then lower. Immediately go into next rep same way. Do as many reps as you can this way (you'll probably only be able to do 4 or 5 depending on what weight you use) then finish out your reps with regular side lat's but make sure to keep constant tension on the delts...don't come all the way down. Again, keep rest periods as short as possible.

Alternating cable side laterals for rear delts
20lbsx8 (each side) for 3 sets

*Use the cables with no attachment. Keep pinky up and thumb pointed to the floor through entire rep. When raising the weight, stop halfway up on the rep and hold for 4 seconds, continue upward motion and complete rep. Do not bring weight all the way down at bottom of rep, same principle...constant tension.

Give it a shot, see if it works for you. Since I've incorporated this into my routine I've seen more definition and development than the last 2 years of training with a standard shoulder routine. Plus, with short rest periods, I've been getting a pump in my delts after these workouts like I've never had before. Good luck.

 

[Tom Treutlein]

You gave it only two months. Maybe your diet wasn't in complete order, or you weren't sleeping enough. Maybe you just need to give it more time. You're not going to get huge in that time frame. Huge weights will build any muscle. End of story.

 

[Dorian'sDisciple]

delts love heavy weights,more so than any other muscle they soak it up

 

[cwick0]

HEAVY WEIGHTS are not critical for shoulder development.
1. Most peoples' front delts are way over-trained. Everyone hits them on bench.
2. Stick with weights that you can comfortable do with GOOD form.
3. Train them at the end of the week. They are a small muscles in comparison with others. I would hit the big three first chest, back, legs (in whatever order you desire).
4. Dont put all your efforts into front delts. You will end up having huge front delts and no side or rear delts and funny looking shoulders.
5. workout i do:
a. presses: i do military, but you can substitute dumbbells
b. seated rear delts (dumbbells): hunched over to focus them
c. seated lateral raises (dumbells): arms straight! Dont need to go real heavy, form
is crucial and dont go higher than 90 degrees (arms parallel to the ground)
d. seated front raises (dumbbells)
For seated dumbbell lateral and front raises: alternate singles (one arm at a time) and doubles (both arms at the same time).
set 1: singles for 10 reps
set 2: doubles for 10 reps (same weight as first set)
set 3: singles for 10 reps, move weight up
set 4: doubles for 10 reps, same weight as third set

e. upright rows 3 sets of 10, sometimes 4 sets
f. shrugs: wide-grip:3 or 4 sets of 10

 

[cwick0]

Sorry, hit the wrong button.

g. shrugs: close-grip: 2 sets of 10

The shrug thing is a little unusual but i love the pump. My traps have grown more since adding these 2 extra sets.

 

[NJjuice22]

delts love heavy weights,more so than any other muscle they soak it up

yes i have to agree...my shoulders love heavy military presses and side laterals...sure i get a good burn when i use light weights, but the growth doesnt follow. i remember when i first starting working out in the high school weightroom, all i did was 4 sets of heavy military presses and 3 sets of behind the neck presses and my delts grew like weeds.

 

[cwick0]

njjuice22,
I think heavy weights on some shoulder exercises is great, but not for all. I love heavy behind the neck (actually to the crown of my head) military press, up to 275 for 7 reps. I stay relatively light on rear (lieing on a incline bench-35-40lbs or seated-25-30) and lateral raises (20-25 or 25-30) all with strict form. I do front raises last, so my sides and rear delts can catch up. Thus, i stay a little light (seated- 25-30 or 30-35) all depends on how i feel on shoulder days. Ill go up to 155 for 10 reps on upright row.