Too much shoulder work?

[goatofthunder]

Hi all.

I´ve been trying to focus on week body parts for this autumns bulk, including shoulders.
I have a pretty good chest, probably due to my obsession to bench pressing the first two years of my training but i´ve always wanted a wider looking shoulders.

I currently do a 4way split,
Mon chest, tris
Tue Back bicep
Wed shoulders
Thur legs
Fri cardio

My thoughts are if I´m overdoing my shoulders this way since I my shoulders get hit on my chest and back day as well as shoulders day.
Those day´s I include flat bench, flat dumbell press, incline db flies, dips and finish with a smith machine flies.
During back days, i do a lot of rowing, uprigth bb and standing db along with pullups and chin ups.

A typical shoulder day would consist of 6 sets of standing shoulder presses 4-10 reps, smith machine lateral raises, 3 sets upright row, 3 sets db lateral raises. I have how ever improoved my shoulder presses a bit, going from 135x5 to about 160x5, so I´m at least getting stronger.


Even though this looks like a lot of shoulder work for 3 days in a row, I almost never feel any soreness in my shoulders and they don´t seem to be growing as well as i hoped for.


Could i be overdoing shoulders and there for preventing growth?
And how come I never get sore in my shoulders like other body parts after a good work out?

Stats
30 yrs
6,0 feet
210 lbs
15-16% bf
4 year lifting experience.

[EasyDoesIt]

I would throw shoulders in on Monday since its weakest bodypart. Legs tuesday to give shoulders a rest. Need to change your routine. Shoulders can respond to high reps. Boxers big delts cause there arms up all the time and shoulders in use constantly. Try lateral raises first. You may want to try tri sets, lower weight, laterals, presses, rear delts. 15 reps each no matter what it takes. Warm up shoulders then 3-4 working sets. Hit front delts with upright rows or front raise also 15 reps and jump to shrugs light weight, 25 reps.
When I go heavier I use weight that I can perform 5 reps give or take 1 rep. Need 5 sets on heavier. No tri sets on those, but drop sets are good. Drops on each exercise. Your muscles have adapted to your routine.
Theres many routines out there, but these should feel a difference, intensity and pushing harder. After a hard shoulder workout, they should feel like there dragging on floor.
Im on phone, so cant go back to your post, I never heard of lateral raises on smith machine. I think your confusing something there.

[hellomycognomen]

all your muscles are growing however since your chest has had such a big head start its going to take a while for your shoulders to catch up. I work out my shoulders hardcore and they are never sore as well, soreness does not necessarily equate to growth as long as you are progressing that is what is important, just give it time or up the intensity of your shoulder routine, dont focus on rep number focus on intensity and performing exercise to failure so keep muscles at max stimulation. Also remember to rest to allow proper CNS recovery which takes 2-3x longer than muscular recovery

[Bk2]

I would throw 2 more side delts exercises on chest day no need to go heavy you can do high reps till failure , drop sets just get as much blood into the side delts , I have done that and my side delts improved a lot , give it a try .

[Super-Chump]

Are you hitting your rear delts too? You would be surprised how much bigger your shoulders look from the side and behind once you build them up a bit

[NaijaBoy]

Add one or two shoulder workouts to your chest day and use 12-15 reps

[NEFLRick]

I was going to add something about working the rear delts but SC beat me to it.

Most people neglect their rear delts. Don't be one of those people.

[hekki]

I also slacked when it Came to shouldersbthe first year I eventually got tired of my misshapen frame and implemented a shoulder routine. I start with 5 military press sets followed by 3 sets of alternating lying incline lateral raises no rest in between sets. The I superset the Arnold press with bent over lateral raise for my rear delts. My strength has increased significantly since adding shoulders in my routine. Doing 100 lbs on the military press used to be monumental. Now I'm able to push 185 lbs. I agree that the rear delts can drastically improve the shoulders look if it is a lacking area. It is an area I'm still trying to chisel out

[EasyDoesIt]

I agree that the rear delts can drastically improve the shoulders look if it is a lacking area. It is an area I'm still trying to chisel out

Rear delts will also improve the look (separation) to your arms. Nothing worse than seeing an arm that rolls into your shoulder looking like one straight log. You can have a good tricep but without that rear delt it does not look to good. Funny but a couple really challenging areas of mine grew nicely when i started gear. It's not like i never worked them either.

[goatofthunder]

I do admite I have probably been neglecting my rear delts until recently. I´m putting more focus on the rear and middle delts by doing upight rows supersetted with reverse flies, it really hits my rear delts and I feel it´s making a diffrence. Come to think of it, when I said my shoulders were lacking, I think it was just the middle and rear delts. Anterior delts are quite well shaped due to lots of pushing excersises, so now I make sure to hit the rear delts first, fallowed by the middle delts and may be one or two sets for the anterior. Thank you guys for all your advices, they are well appreciated.

[hekki]

Man to be honest my triceps are well defined all three heads pop out prominently but the top of my arm where the tricep and rear delts meet are not cut at all really. struggling with that area of seperation

[shaunjohn242002]

I haven't did the back bis/ chest tris in a long time. My way to hit fresh shoulders looks like this- biceps- triceps one day, shoulder next, leg day, chest day then back. I like staying in the 5-7 rep range with heavy weight. They're right on the money about rear delts. Work them every time