Your favorite shoulder building move?

[takniteasy]

I know I have been all about having a square booty lately but I was talking with someone else earlier and they asked me what shoulder exercise I did for building that round ball on my shoulders. I have always done side lateral DB raises, heavy to build and moderate to maintain and shape. What about you guys? Any favs for developing nice shoulders?

 

[MS]

Clean and press is number one in my books. If you can't or won't do these, then just press.

 

[JJFigure]

Ditto on clean and press - it's like combining wide grip uprights with a press. I also like Scott presses though - I tend to alternate between the two.

 

[Candi Barr]

Clean and press has done wonders for my shoulders and traps.

 

[NubianBeauty]

LOL!! Lobo I know you're kidding, right?

 

[SteelWeaver]

"What's a "clean and press"??? "

I think it's something to do with laundry ...



I like standing military presses, and wide-grip upright rows. And as soon as I find someone to help me with form, I intend to learn some OL moves, too.

 

[2Shy]

I like both standing and seated military presses. I was a little worried when I first started doing these because I hurt my rotator cuff on the overhead press machine! LOL I am probably the only person in history to hurt herself on a machine. In actuality, I find I have more control with the barbell and the move doesn't bother my shoulder one iota.

I'm like you, Steel Weaver: I'd like to learn the Olympic lifts, but not until I meet someone who can actually show me how to do them.

 

[Realgains]

I like seated presses of some kind....if using a barbbell choose a bench that will adjust with a slight back lean ...the bench should ideally be about 80-85 degrees from upright. Press to the front and not behind the necck as behind the neck presses can be hard on many people's shoulders and it will limit the weight you can use a bit.

Also some seated pressing machines are pretty good, especially the hammer press.

I also like seated presses to the front with an 85 degree bench in the Smith machine.

Definately overhead pressing of some kind is the best mass/power builder. It will build ALL three heads of the deltoid and for mass/power you really don't need to do anything else.

I would say that strict upright rows with a fairly narrow grip and wrist straps are pretty good too, IF your rotator cuff is not an issue with this movements.

RG

 

[Storm1]

Hey there folks Storm1 here aka WonderWoman.
I know it's been a while. Got ambitious at the job and had to pay the price. Things have evened out a bit and voila!
Anyhoo, for shoulders I do seated military press, push press, and push jerks. These movements give mucho bang for the buck strength, size, function, athleticism. For pure aesthetics, I'd go with lateral raises and W presses.
Since I've incorperated the olympic movements my traps, shoulders and back have exploded in both strength and appearance. Gotta love it.
Storm1

 

[vinylgroover]

Ditto on clean and press - it's like combining wide grip uprights with a press.

You obviously tried them and liked them JJ. They are a great exercise.

Latreal raises are waaay overated IMO. For impressive shoulders you need to press any which way you can.

 

[JJFigure]

Yes - I tried them and LOVE them! I worked with my PL friend (he also does OL) and he cleaned up my form. Now they're a regular in my program.

 

[2Shy]

I looked it up. I always get the Olympic-style moves mixed up. They all sound alike to me.

Glad you mentioned it, though, WarLobo, since I forgot I had a question about it. In one example I found the person lifted (cleaned?) the bar up to shoulder height with no leg movement and then pressed it overhead.

In another example, the person did that little leg split as part of the move.

Which is correct?

I think I could manage the former, but I'd want someone who knew what they were doing to teach me the leg movement if I had to do the latter.

 

[Candi Barr]

I can't get the search engine at T-mag to work right now, but there was a good article with lots of photos. The way I learned it, which matches the article, my heels at least come off the floor in the clean part, and my knees are slightly bent as I start the push. It took a little while to learn to get right, I was working out with a trainer when I learned it. We started with dumbbells.

 

[slinky]

I can't get the search engine at T-mag to work right now, but there was a good article with lots of photos. The way I learned it, which matches the article, my heels at least come off the floor in the clean part, and my knees are slightly bent as I start the push. It took a little while to learn to get right, I was working out with a trainer when I learned it. We started with dumbbells.

Candi: T-Mag is going through some "technical difficulties" right now. Due to a new format of the forum that was recently introduced. The search engine has been a "hit or miss" this past week. I suspect it will be up and running this coming week.
Was this article one by Christian Thibaudeau? He recently wrote an excellent one that clearly showed variations of O-lifts. I think I might have it saved somewhere......

 

[makedah]

Was it this?

"Money" Exercises

 

[2Shy]

Thanks Candi, Slinky and Makedah. That was a good article.

It occurs to me that one could practice the movements with a broomstick and aerobics bars until the form felt comfortable.

 

[slinky]

Makedah:

Cool. At least, I would think this is the one. Exxxxxcelent article, too! Christian Thib is a god-send! Well.....anywhoos, just a cool dude.

AND, my favorite shoulder building move(s) is also the push press and clean and press.

 

[makedah]

slinky - tell me why/how the push press is better than a regular military press. I know how it's different - but why do them instead of militiaries (unless one is preparing to compete in OL).

 

[Candi Barr]

I think what makes this combo so effective is that it's an explosive move. That's what differentiates the push press from the military press, as I understand it.

2Shy, I don't know if practicing with a broomstick is going to quite do it on this one. Personally, I didn't really get it until I started using a certain amount of weight. It's a dynamic move and the weight is part of it, if that makes any sense. Just pay attention and be careful to clear your nose on the push-press part. Guess how I learned this lesson, ha ha.

 

[spatts]

You could try a hang snatch/press combo. Do a hang sntch to get the bar over your head, press for a rep, then back down and start over. This way you work the rear delt on the hang snatch, and the rest on the press.

 

[slinky]

Makeday:

Candi Barr is right. It's that explosiveness.

Think of it this way, there is just so much more going on when performing a clean/push press combo. Especially for reps. While it may not seem I'm doing anything more than a military, trust me, by performing lets say, 110lbs w/clean and press, I certainly get more out of it than performing a static military w/110 lbs.

Or, even as spatts suggested, try the snatch from the hang and perform a press. Exxxxcelent.....

I haven't performed any lateral raises in a LONG time. The only work my shoulders get is from clean/press, snatch, or whatever work they rec'v from deads, bench.

 

[makedah]

Thanks folks.

For a couple of months, only shoulder work I've been doing (outside of pushups or bench press) is rear delt and rotator work. My shoulder isn't crunchy anymore, but I was being cautious. Today is my day to work presses back in. I'll give the clean and press a whirl. I already enjoy cleaning the bar when picking it up to set it on pins, so this should be interesting....

 

[makedah]

Did the clean press (from the hang), liked it better than regular militaries. Gotta be kind to my shoulder if I want to do this on a regular basis, though. AR, AR, AR, AR.....