Hiya people,
I must say I am a supreme advocator on shrugs - they ROCK!!
BUT, in the past few weeks I have realised that there's more than one way and would just like your input on which you guys think is the best, or which would be the best to alternate. I currently have the following:
Olympic bar - classic shrug! Either with bar in front of body, or behind body
Chest Machine - this is using the bench press machine to do shrugs. I find it good cause I can do it like normal bar shrugs, but alsmost as if the bar 'run through' my body, so no need to do behind body and in front of body. Also helps with stability.
Dumbell shrugs. Good, but I quit these cause its very difficult to control when going heavy, and loss of form is real easy
Cable shrugs. Hmmm, how do I describe this. Well, you know you have the tricep pushdown machine. I have seen in many gyms something which looks like that, except there are two connections next to each other, both at the top and at the bottom. Simply attach a handle like used in cable crossovers to each connection at the bottom, so the weight is directed straight down (to avoid pressure on back), and shrug, either one at a time, or both simultaneously. This gives the pump of dumbells, and more, but with the stability and control of cables.
I have tried all of these, and have difficulty deciding which to do. I really like the cable and bench press ones cause they keep form, but I know many people say that if its mass you want, keep away from machines and cables, and stick only to free weights. True??
Any suggestions/advice??
Thanks. PS. Current Shoulder routine:
Smith Machine military press to front x 3 OR Dumbbell press x 3
Hammer strength shoulder press x 3
Seated Lateral raises x 3
Shrugs (some or other form) x 4
Superset front delts and rear delts x 2. (2 supersets).
All in all takes about an hour.
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