Shoulder Exercises

[Donman1001]

Just looking for some good shoulder exercises since due to this point I have been relying on my chest exercises to build my shoulders. Any suggestions?

[Livinlean]

Barbell shoulder press, Arnold press, Lateral raises (I prefer cable). Smith machine is very good to build strength. I use it for my 5x5 routine for shoulder press. If you use machines just make sure you have exercises in there that use DB or cables because you want to work your stabilizers as well.

[tballz]

Don't forget about the bent-over lateral raises to hit the rear delts.

[rockinred]

If i only could pick two exercises... Military press, and upright rows. You will build herculean shoulders from those two. If only one, well then it would be military presses. I think the upright row is a very underrated exercise. You will build huge front muscles that tie into traps from the bi all the way up.

[kif]

Don't forget about the bent-over lateral raises to hit the rear delts.

Love these bro!!!

[Donman1001]

Thanks, I was looking for 2 exercises. Think I will be using Military Press and Lateral Raises.

[PK-V]

Don't forget about the bent-over lateral raises to hit the rear delts.

THIS!

Make it your 1st exercise

Everybody has lagging rear delts

Your anteriors can become over developed from all the pressing movements

There are very little movements in real life situations where you actually need your posterior delt for so it all has to be built in the gym

[dec11]

standard dbell presses, military presses, press behind neck. alternate those three, absolutely no need to do all three in the one programme.

be very very careful with front, lateral and bent over raises, they DO NOT require alot of weight and most ppl perform a long a range of movement with them.

they are the major reason my rotators are buggered.

[Donman1001]

standard dbell presses, military presses, press behind neck. alternate those three, absolutely no need to do all three in the one programme.

be very very careful with front, lateral and bent over raises, they DO NOT require alot of weight and most ppl perform a long a range of movement with them.

they are the major reason my rotators are buggered.

Thx dec11 I will keep this in mind.

[max2extreme]

Thanks, I was looking for 2 exercises. Think I will be using Military Press and Lateral Raises.

If only 2, why lat raise? Military press and front raises best for both aesthetics and everyday use. How many times a day do you lift something laterally? I can't even think of a time in a month. But every time you lift something, you basically do a front raise. If I were you I'd skip on lateral raises if you only are doing 2 shoulder lifts.

A good safe front raise exercise: depending on your strength, take a 25, 35, or 45 plate. Legs a little bent shoulder width apart. Hold plate with both hands and proceed to lift about 45 degrees above head and back down.

[terraj]

I only do side raises...heavy and my delts are pretty wide

[terraj]

If only 2, why lat raise? Military press and front raises best for both aesthetics and everyday use. How many times a day do you lift something laterally? I can't even think of a time in a month. But every time you lift something, you basically do a front raise. If I were you I'd skip on lateral raises if you only are doing 2 shoulder lifts.

A good safe front raise exercise: depending on your strength, take a 25, 35, or 45 plate. Legs a little bent shoulder width apart. Hold plate with both hands and proceed to lift about 45 degrees above head and back down.

I'm not talking about power.....but if you want capped delts.....I promise you won't be disappointed with a shoulder workout focused on lat raises. I get loads of shoulder work from chest and back.....I want my shoulder workout to target those small delts muscles and they are getting hit on back and chest day...therefore they don't need a lot ...but just the right approach...IMO

[max2extreme]

I'm not talking about power.....but if you want capped delts.....I promise you won't be disappointed with a shoulder workout focused on lat raises. I get loads of shoulder work from chest and back.....I want my shoulder workout to target those small delts muscles and they are getting hit on back and chest day...therefore they don't need a lot ...but just the right approach...IMO

I don't disagree with you at all. But for someone who is only adding 2 shoulder exercises to a regiment that doesn't focus on building each muscle group fully, I just dont think lat raises is the way to go for the reasons I said before. If he was actually doing a shoulder workout, your advice would be great. But he's not, he's just adding a few exercises to what seems like a "keep in shape, have some definition" workout (which is fine if thats op's goal, not doggin that approach), whereas you actually have a dedicated day to shoulders and try to hit all parts. Take care.

[Donman1001]

Sorry for the confusion, but I am adding 2 shoulder exercises to a regiment that is focused on building each muscle group fully, and so far I agree with Terraj my chest and back workouts are pretty loaded and I get a ton of shoulder work from them. All in all i would agree with both of your points but Terraj knew what I was looking for where as you were unclear on what my workout routine was like.

[max2extreme]

If i only could pick two exercises... Military press, and upright rows. You will build herculean shoulders from those two. If only one, well then it would be military presses. I think the upright row is a very underrated exercise. You will build huge front muscles that tie into traps from the bi all the way up.

I like upright rows too. I usually don't go heavy on them though (100lbs usually) because I superset them, first doing front raises then uprights.

[Donman1001]

What would u say is better upright rows or barbell rear delt rows?

[max2extreme]

What would u say is better upright rows or barbell rear delt rows?

Why don't you just incorporate a full day to shoulders?

[Donman1001]

When I rework my split in 2 weeks I very well might do so.

[devildog1967]

Dumb bell presses upright row and rear delt cables once a week .. all heads hit

[DaGunz]

What would u say is better upright rows or barbell rear delt rows?

They focus on different areas. Barbell rear delt rows are better for the rear deltoids and the upper back. Upright rows are better for the upper traps and side deltoids. If you already do bent over rows for your back then upright rows on shoulder day are a better compliment.

Also, two exercises for shoulders is not enough. You need three to four exercises per muscle group (two or three compound and one or two isolation). Bench presses and rows for back don't count as shoulders exercises. I saw your other post about the training split. You would be much better off working one muscle group a day, and taking two days off a week. That way you hit enough exercises with enough intensity for each muscle group and have enough time to rest/recoup/grow.

For shoulders I do clean and presses, lateral raises, close grip upright rows, and standing military presses. I do rear lateral raises on back day.

[terraj]

They focus on different areas. Barbell rear delt rows are better for the rear deltoids and the upper back. Upright rows are better for the upper traps and side deltoids. If you already do bent over rows for your back then upright rows on shoulder day are a better compliment.

Also, two exercises for shoulders is not enough. You need three to four exercises per muscle group (two or three compound and one or two isolation). Bench presses and rows for back don't count as shoulders exercises. I saw your other post about the training split. You would be much better off working one muscle group a day, and taking two days off a week. That way you hit enough exercises with enough intensity for each muscle group and have enough time to rest/recoup/grow.

For shoulders I do clean and presses, lateral raises, close grip upright rows, and standing military presses. I do rear lateral raises on back day.

I don't agree with this^, it's a blanket statement. Where would something like HIT fall into that? If you do one excerise correctly...well that can be all you need. You may respond to lighter high volume training well, but most get better results with less....
You can have 3 excerises which rotate each work out.

Please tell why you do clean and presses and standing military presses in the same workout.

[Donman1001]

Dagunz
Ya, I plan on reworking my split to 1 muscle group a day starting nov 1st. And I have started taking 2 rest days, wed/sun.

[DaGunz]

I don't agree with this^, it's a blanket statement. Where would something like HIT fall into that? I wasn't talking about HIT. However, many of the same principles can be applied. Personally, I don't like HIT. I'm not saying it doesn't work; it's just not my style.If you do one exercise correctly...well that can be all you need. Not true. For instance, front raises, or military presses, or bench presses mainly work the anterior deltoids with less stress on the lateral deltoids and almost no stress on the posterior deltoids, so no matter how well you do them you, you will need other exercises to develop the rest of the shoulders muscle group.You may respond to lighter high volume training well, but most get better results with less....Yeah, if you want to be a small endurance athlete. Otherwise, go heavy for around ten reps and three to four sets each exercise.
You can have 3 excerises which rotate each work out.I still don't believe one exercise per muscle group per workout is enough. Would you do leg extensions without leg curls, or bicep curls without triceps extensions, or bent over rows without lat pulldowns?

Please tell why you do clean and presses and standing military presses in the same workout.Clean and Presses are good for many things. To name a few; it trains all of the muscles that are required to lift something from the ground to and through a military press position. For, what good is being able to do a military press if you aren't strong enough to safely get the weight into position? Clean and presses work all of the muscles of the shoulders and more in a variety of positions. The reason I do clean and presses and military presses are because one can lift a lot more weight in the pressing part than in the cleaning part. Therefore, military presses work the anterior deltoid better than clean and presses. In addition, clean and presses are also a working warm up for the following exercises.

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