Lacking Delts

[Stosh_112]

Been trying to build my delts with no success. Upright rows, front and side raises, presses. Any other movement one would suggest for putting on some serious delts?

[stpete]

I do the same exercises as you and i'm relatively happy. But i think my favorite and most successful is presses via the Smith Machine. I workout alone so it helps in that aspect as well. This is my first exercise on delt/arms day. 3-4 warm up sets between 12-15(i'm getting old so it takes a little longer to get warm). 5 working sets w/10 rep max working down to 2 rep max for last set. Then i just burn em out w/the raises. Hell, sometimes i don't even do raises. I just sit on the Smith Machine for 10 sets.

[FireGuy]

How much weight and what is your rep range on the movements?

[Stosh_112]

Been doing 5-8 reps on the rows and presses. 10-15 on the raises. 8-10 sets total. Thinking about upping my press and row reps to 12-15 and see if that might jump start some growth???

[FireGuy]

You didnt answer how much weight you were using. The reason I asked is most people use entirely too much weight on their movements, especially the raises and end up working traps not delts.

[gearbox]

You didnt answer how much weight you were using. The reason I asked is most people use entirely too much weight on their movements, especially the raises and end up working traps not delts.

Can you elaborate?

[gearbox]

I do the same exercises as you and i'm relatively happy. But i think my favorite and most successful is presses via the Smith Machine. I workout alone so it helps in that aspect as well. This is my first exercise on delt/arms day. 3-4 warm up sets between 12-15(i'm getting old so it takes a little longer to get warm). 5 working sets w/10 rep max working down to 2 rep max for last set. Then i just burn em out w/the raises. Hell, sometimes i don't even do raises. I just sit on the Smith Machine for 10 sets.

smith machine (military press)??

[Gaspari1255]

Start off with heavy side raises....then rear delt work...then do your press.....Press is overrated, imo. Front delts get nailed through any chest movement.

[DanB]

Start off with heavy side raises....then rear delt work...then do your press.....Press is overrated, imo. Front delts get nailed through any chest movement.

I agree, overhead press does me more harm than good, it kills my anterior deltoid for some reason, but strangely enough arnold presses dont hurt at all and neither do front raises

[Stosh_112]

Over head weight is 115 straight bar, 30-50 lb arnold press. 95lb row. 20-25lb lat side raises. Use a 45lb plate for frtont raise double grip.

[FireGuy]

Can you elaborate?

For some reason many people seem to think the methods they use for all their other bodyparts dont apply to calves and delts. How many people do you see doing lateral raises with slow and controlled movements of say 2 seconds up 4 seconds down? My guess is not many, most use momentum from their knees on up the swing the DB up, traps fully contracted, then barely slow it down as it comes back down. Try grabbing a lighter weight, one that your medial delt can actually lift not your traps. Then do a slow and controlled movement as you would on any other lift. As you raise the DB drop your shoulder and and keep the trap muscle deactivated. Feel the negative on the way down and keep continuous tension on the delt. You will have to put your ego aside as the dude next to you will be swinging his 30lb DB's while you are more than likely using 8 or 10lbs.

[jamesz123]

My delts improved 150% when I started boxing. When I came back to weight lifting - I changed a few things about my delts - start with heavy weight - max out , than reduce the weight and do high rep - BURRNNNN - do all types of delts work , always super set isolation with heavy movements (like side delt raises with Arnold press). Do delts alone when they are relatively fresh . After a particular heavy work out do not work that area directly and heavily for atleast 2 weeks. Although you can work it lightly or indirectly like working back and chest. If you are on a cycle work it 1x a week
Contract the delts by raising your arm - blood volume he all the way during the workout.
Boxing is high impact (heavy bag etc) - high rep (shadow boxing, etc) and total exhaustion of delts (actual sparring etc). In fact that idea could be used in all body parts ones a while. Just ask Arnold , atleast that is what wrote in his first book. He even used to go to the lake ones a week and do like 50 sets of just one exercise ...till he could not even do a rep ....

[Stosh_112]

Thanks fellas, Gathered some info and decided to go with light weight, slow and pause for side lat raises after my arnold presses ans upright rows.

[croquant]

check out "the mountain dog" way for shoulders... I m pretty satisfied of this program.

And I agree with fireguy about technique... keep it strict!