Any way to REALLY focus on a muscle group?

[gbrice75]

I have been working out very consistently for just over a year now, and although my primary goal has been (and continues to be) cutting bodyfat, I managed to get a more 'muscular' look. Honestly I don't know if I actually put on any decent muscle (due to low calories), but my muscles definitely look harder, more defined and strength has absolutely gone up.

I have a few bodyparts lagging behind others, but my BIGGEST problem is my shoulders - in particular, the lateral portion of my delt. This muscle has not changed AT ALL duing my entire time working out. My shoulders are complete square, no 'rounded' look whatsoever, and it's embarrasing - especially since my arms are starting to show a bit more now. Everything just looks totally out of proportion.

Is there any way I can really focus on this, or am I just a victim of genetics and have to accept that i'll have sub-par shoulders? Keep in mind that i'm only eating around 1900 calories a day, so I don't expect to grow necessarily, but like I said - NO CHANGE in look whatsoever, unlike my other muscles which have changed somewhat, even on the low calories.

My current shoulder routine is once a week, and consists of:

Seated Military Press (bar in front of face down to chest) - 3 x 8
Dumbell Lateral Raise - 3 x 8
Reverse Fly's (on peck dec) - 3 x 8 OR face down 'rear' lateral raise on inclined bench - 3 x 8
Sometimes I add a few sets of seated dumbell press - 3 x 8

PS - I have tried heavier weight/fewer reps, lower weight/higher reps, more sets (5x5 routine) - same result.

Not sure what else I could really do for shoulders. I used to work them twice a week, so I don't think i'm undertraining now. I actually switched to once a week about 2 months ago because I thought I might have been OVERTRAINING them - but so far, no difference at all.

PLEASE HELP!!!!

[gbrice75]

BUMP! C'mon guys, 24 views and not a single reply? Is there a more appropriate place to post this???

[javerton]

Of course there's a way to focus a muscle group - lateral raises, upright rows and variations of those two. Along with some others I'm sure.

People should not be bothering about lagging body parts until they are fairly advanced, which I would guess you are not (no offence, you just said you'd only been training a year). I doubt anyone would notice it at all anway, we are just much more picky on ourselves than others.

[gbrice75]

Of course there's a way to focus a muscle group - lateral raises, upright rows and variations of those two. Along with some others I'm sure.

People should not be bothering about lagging body parts until they are fairly advanced, which I would guess you are not (no offence, you just said you'd only been training a year). I doubt anyone would notice it at all anway, we are just much more picky on ourselves than others.

Thanks Jav - i'm going to incorporate upright rows since they're nowhere in my routine now.

Yes, i've only been working out for a year - but when you see literally no growth at all while you do see changes in other muscle groups is disturbing.

Still trying to figure out what I said that prompted you to comment in my other thread about how I only seem to what to hear what I want to.... hmm?

[javerton]

Thanks Jav - i'm going to incorporate upright rows since they're nowhere in my routine now.

Yes, i've only been working out for a year - but when you see literally no growth at all while you do see changes in other muscle groups is disturbing.

Still trying to figure out what I said that prompted you to comment in my other thread about how I only seem to what to hear what I want to.... hmm?

Yeah hit up the upright rows mate, alternate them with lateral raises etc. Make sure you don't add too much volume, you can't take volume away from another group and add it to your shoulders, doesn't work like that. If you've only been working out a year I strongly suggest you work on your strength. You're not going to see a guy with small shoulders who can bench 405 and rep out 315 on the military press. Just sayin (in before someone posts a 0.01% exception to this)..

[gbrice75]

Yeah hit up the upright rows mate, alternate them with lateral raises etc. Make sure you don't add too much volume, you can't take volume away from another group and add it to your shoulders, doesn't work like that. If you've only been working out a year I strongly suggest you work on your strength. You're not going to see a guy with small shoulders who can bench 405 and rep out 315 on the military press. Just sayin (in before someone posts a 0.01% exception to this)..

Thanks again - shoulder day is Friday for me, so i'll post up then and let you know how it went!

[javerton]

Good stuff mate, hit it hard. What kind of reps are you doing right now, for your whole shoulder area?

[gbrice75]

Good stuff mate, hit it hard. What kind of reps are you doing right now, for your whole shoulder area?

Until recently, i've basically been doing 3 sets to failure, usually winds up being around 6-7 reps. At the moment i'm on a sort of 'hybrid' 5x5 routine - that's only going until the end of February, then i'm back to my normal routine (just trying to keep things fresh and mixed up).

Military Press
Dumbell Lateral Raises
Dumbell Shrugs
Rear Delt Fly's (reverse pec deck)
I sometimes throw in a set or 2 of dumbell press - I will drop this and add upright rows