Rear delt woes.

I'm having awesome progress with my delts, but recently my front and medial heads have been surging ahead of my rear. I'm thinking it's because I don't really have the ability to do heavy sets on them, but maybe you guys have some suggestions. Here's my workout:

Military DB Press - 5 sets/8-12 reps (2sets warm-up)
Bent-Over Laterals - 3 sets/8-12 reps (semi-heavy)
(chest on incline bench)
Bent-Over Laterals - 3 sets/10-12 reps (light)
(workout from MD couple months back)
Standing Laterals - 3 sets/8-12 reps
Seated Front Raises - 3 sets/8-12 reps
Wide-Grip Upright Rows - 3 sets/8-12 reps

Let the critiques fly. :D

Sym

On your incline lateral are you bringing them to the side, like a side lateral or are you raising them to the rear, working your rear delt? I had the same problem before and have corrected it by increasing the weight and intensity. For me it was more of a mental thing. I needed mine to grow so I attacked the rear delt until I was satisfied. My rear delt exercises consist of, reverse posistioning myself on a pec dec which isolates the rear delts. I also adjust my grip from palms facing forward too turning downwards and to the rear. In addition I do my rear delts on the incline bench as I think you described...10-12 reps then going straight into "swimmers" on the same bench for about 8 reps. Also I hook up a one arm grip connection on the seated cable row machine and do similar movements like the pec dec. This one works even better for me than the pec dec because I think it isolates more and works less of the middle of the back. These have worked well for me, I hope they can help you. It is really nice when your rear delts become proportional to rest of the shoulder. It makes everthing round out and you look nearly twice as large as before. By the way I do these exercises for 3 to four sets and alternate them occasionaly in my work out. Either in the middle of my shoulder work out or at the end. If you hit them in the middle or the begginning you will be able to probably push it a little harder than at the end but the rest of your shoulder workout might suffer. But if you are unhappy with your rear delts and pleased with the rest of your shoulder this might be an option that works well.

Thanks for the reply, bro. When doing my lateral on the incline, I think I do lift more vertical and not to the rear(which I need to change).

Also it's been a while since I've used the pec dec for rear delts, maybe 3 years. But I'll have to try it again and see what it feels like. Along with some of the others.

As far as placement, I started working the rear in the beginning a few months ago. I did this because in the past, by the time I got to the rear my delts were already spent, and I wasn't able to work'em like I wanted to. Thanks.

Sym

Do your rear delts on your back day and not your shoulder day would be my suggestion. Leave them alone on your shoulder day. It might be that your weekly routine is hitting them too much. Rear delts are not really a shoulder exercise.

I would work mine first thing in the routine when I was having trouble. Then I would do the other exercises and end with more rear delt work. I also agree with Bigcut. It is easy to let the mind wander and end up doing back flyes rather than delt work.

you may want to prioritize them and hit them more often. I am in the same position where my shoulders are making me look hunch forward, so I am going to take all my front work out of my routine for a while and focus on sides and rear delts. Besides the front deltoid gets hit a lot anyway you nay comeback and be stronger for it

I love rear delt la raises on an 45 degree bench(arms going back not to the sides)....U have to squeeze hard and pause at the top to get the most out of them....oh and no swinging the arms either, momentum won't build rear delts.

Another thought that was mentioned bfore was do them first in your workout, while there fresh and at the strongest.

I have also done what B aka B said, about doing them on back day.....that to works very well.

are you on a cycle? are you eating and sleeping right? if not you might be overtraining.. thats alot of sets for shoulders.. heres my routine.. all heads of the shoulders grow well for me

seated dumbell press- 3 heavy sets (2 warm up first)
incline laterals- 3 heavy sets (lateral raises done on ur side on a 45 degree bench)
standing or seated incline fly's- 3 heavy sets
bent over laterals (slight incline maybe 35 degrees) 3 heavy sets

Quote:

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Originally Posted by animal-inside

are you on a cycle? are you eating and sleeping right? if not you might be overtraining.. thats alot of sets for shoulders.. heres my routine.. all heads of the shoulders grow well for me

seated dumbell press- 3 heavy sets (2 warm up first)
incline laterals- 3 heavy sets (lateral raises done on ur side on a 45 degree bench)
standing or seated incline fly's- 3 heavy sets
bent over laterals (slight incline maybe 35 degrees) 3 heavy sets

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Yeah, I'm on cycle, and my diet and sleep are right on. I'm going to try what Bounce said, and see how that feels. Thanks fellas.

Sym

You have a common problem. Try prioritising them, e.g. hitting them first with a heavy free weight and the later on in the workout with either a free wieght movement, cable or machine. Remember not to use your back whatsoever in any rear delt movement, focus on a full range of motion before trying to pile on the weight. range of motion using rear delts is the key, oinly rely on rear delt contractions no back movements!

Guys, your rear delt is done on your back day. Its not a muscle thats used in rotating your shoulder joint, its using primarily in pulling. Its used extensively doing almost all back exercised so train it on back day.