How do I get diesel shoulders

[drbrock]

Having the toughest time getting big shoulders. You guys have any secrets? Also training for a half marathon, with all the running I do is there a point to lifting? I have just been doing push ups and crunchs lately.

 

[purbeast0]

my shoulders are my dominant muscle in my body. i used to do barbell sitting military presses but i popped my shoulder doing them YEARS ago so now I soley do dumbell presses.

i do dumbell presses first, then upright rows, then usually side delt raises (whatever the name is) and thats it.

i've had a few people at my gym ask me what I do for my shoulders and when I tell them they usually say "thats it?" heh. granted I do some pretty sick weight for the exercises I do, but it too me some time to get to where I am.

 

[drbrock]

thanks for the info. I will apply those exercises. Maybe in a year or so I will be getting the same questions from other people lol

 

[presidentender]

Heavy weight on overhead press. Don't kill yourself, though. Doing just push-ups and crunches would explain why you're having a hard time getting big shoulders.

 

[MegaVovaN]

Originally posted by: presidentender
Heavy weight on overhead press. Don't kill yourself, though. Doing just push-ups and crunches would explain why you're having a hard time getting big shoulders.

Would barbell OH press work?

Originally posted by: presidentender
Doing just push-ups and crunches would explain why you're having a hard time getting big shoulders.

:laugh:

 

[brikis98]

1. you're not going to grow big muscles of any kind with just pushups and crunches. you need a proper strength training program such as Rippetoe Starting Strength. Not only will this make your whole body significantly stronger, this will also make your shoulders far bigger than if you just did shoulder work.

2. having said that, the main thing for big shoulders is obviously resistance training that targets them. The best exercise by far is the military press with a barbell as shown here. This exercise is amazing for the shoulders but also strengthens your entire upper body, including your back, abs, triceps, and traps. Incline bench press is another solid exercise, although it involves a lot of chest and triceps as well. These two exercises, along with a proper strength training routine (as in #1), will be all you need as a beginner.

3. AFTER you've done your main compound exercises (#1 and #2), if you still have some energy/strength left for some assistance work, other good shoulder exercises include the upright row, lateral raises and dumbell rows.

EDIT --->

forgot to mention: if you are just starting out with strength training, GO EASY on your shoulders. just about everyone who does strength training ends up hurting the shoulder joint in some way, so start with VERY light weight, VERY few exercises (ie, JUST military press) and give your shoulders lots of time to adapt. if you rush it and overdo it... you'll regret it.

 

[MegaVovaN]

brikis98 - Starting Strength includes OH barbell press...which is almost same thing as strict military press.

 

[presidentender]

Originally posted by: brikis98
1. you're not going to grow big muscles of any kind with just pushups and crunches. you need a proper strength training program such as Rippetoe Starting Strength. Not only will this make your whole body significantly stronger, this will also make your shoulders far bigger than if you just did shoulder work.

2. having said that, the main thing for big shoulders is obviously resistance training that targets them. The best exercise by far is the military press with a barbell as shown here. This exercise is amazing for the shoulders but also strengthens your entire upper body, including your back, abs, triceps, and traps. Incline bench press is another solid exercise, although it involves a lot of chest and triceps as well. These two exercises, along with a proper strength training routine (as in #1), will be all you need as a beginner.

3. AFTER you've done your main compound exercises (#1 and #2), if you still have some energy/strength left for some assistance work, other good shoulder exercises include the upright row, lateral raises and dumbell rows.

EDIT --->

forgot to mention: if you are just starting out with strength training, GO EASY on your shoulders. just about everyone who does strength training ends up hurting the shoulder joint in some way, so start with VERY light weight, VERY few exercises (ie, JUST military press) and give your shoulders lots of time to adapt. if you rush it and overdo it... you'll regret it.

I started weight training when I was probably too young, but I started with 4 sets of 12 rather than 5x5 or 5x3. If you do light weights for more reps, you're less likely to hurt yourself. I don't know how old OP is; young or beginning lifters can get a decent chest and shoulder workout by adding dips.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: MegaVovaN
brikis98 - Starting Strength includes OH barbell press...which is almost same thing as strict military press.

yup, it does. i was just pointing it out to explain it's the main way to build your shoudlers.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: presidentender

Originally posted by: brikis98
1. you're not going to grow big muscles of any kind with just pushups and crunches. you need a proper strength training program such as Rippetoe Starting Strength. Not only will this make your whole body significantly stronger, this will also make your shoulders far bigger than if you just did shoulder work.

2. having said that, the main thing for big shoulders is obviously resistance training that targets them. The best exercise by far is the military press with a barbell as shown here. This exercise is amazing for the shoulders but also strengthens your entire upper body, including your back, abs, triceps, and traps. Incline bench press is another solid exercise, although it involves a lot of chest and triceps as well. These two exercises, along with a proper strength training routine (as in #1), will be all you need as a beginner.

3. AFTER you've done your main compound exercises (#1 and #2), if you still have some energy/strength left for some assistance work, other good shoulder exercises include the upright row, lateral raises and dumbell rows.

EDIT --->

forgot to mention: if you are just starting out with strength training, GO EASY on your shoulders. just about everyone who does strength training ends up hurting the shoulder joint in some way, so start with VERY light weight, VERY few exercises (ie, JUST military press) and give your shoulders lots of time to adapt. if you rush it and overdo it... you'll regret it.

I started weight training when I was probably too young, but I started with 4 sets of 12 rather than 5x5 or 5x3. If you do light weights for more reps, you're less likely to hurt yourself. I don't know how old OP is; young or beginning lifters can get a decent chest and shoulder workout by adding dips.

well, if the OP is too young to do starting strength, he's probably too young to do any real strength training anyway.

otherwise, stick with a program developed by professionals that is very well catered - including the 5 rep sets - to beginners.

 

[conorvansmack]

The trainer at my gym showed me "Arnold presses." They are dumbbell presses that you start with your palms facing your chest and then rotate around to palms facing out as you extend. I haven't done a lot of them, but he recommended them.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: conorvansmack
The trainer at my gym showed me "Arnold presses." They are dumbbell presses that you start with your palms facing your chest and then rotate around to palms facing out as you extend. I haven't done a lot of them, but he recommended them.

Yeah, they're fine. I had trouble getting my shoulders big though using those. I could do those for 5-6 reps for 3 sets with 65 pounds, but my shoulders never got huge. I would suggest try doing normal DB presses and see how your progress is with that. I noticed I had less strain on my shoulders and it felt lighter when I rotated. I don't think that's a good thing necessarily.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: conorvansmack
The trainer at my gym showed me "Arnold presses." They are dumbbell presses that you start with your palms facing your chest and then rotate around to palms facing out as you extend. I haven't done a lot of them, but he recommended them.

if you have strong and healthy shoulder joints those are reasonably good... however, this exercise puts too much strain on the rotator cuff for many people and cannot be done without pain. so, do them carefully. if the don't work out, do normal military press with a barbell or dumbbells.

 

[drbrock]

My age is 25 and have been an avid weight lifter and have been in pretty good shape. I had surgery in january so I was out for 3 months. when I was lifting my arms and and chest were getting big but never had that large of shoulders. Also I forgot to mention I am doing pull ups and chin ups along with push ups. I mainly started this thread to see if I can get better definition in my shoulders and gain the mass I had orginally, while also training for a half marathon. My trainer told me that I should only do the running with basic resistance exercise and avoid the gym doing heavy weight lifting. Do you guys agree with the assesment?

Btw thanks for all the exercises. When I reactivate my gold's membership I will be focusing on my shoulders.

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: drbrock
My age is 25 and have been an avid weight lifter and have been in pretty good shape. I had surgery in january so I was out for 3 months. when I was lifting my arms and and chest were getting big but never had that large of shoulders. Also I forgot to mention I am doing pull ups and chin ups along with push ups. I mainly started this thread to see if I can get better definition in my shoulders and gain the mass I had orginally, while also training for a half marathon. My trainer told me that I should only do the running with basic resistance exercise and avoid the gym doing heavy weight lifting. Do you guys agree with the assesment?

Btw thanks for all the exercises. When I reactivate my gold's membership I will be focusing on my shoulders.

your shoulders ARE part of your arms.

 

[gramboh]

If you are serious about the half marathon I'd train 3 times a week using Hal Higdon's plans (I think one short/interval, one mid one long run per week) and then maybe a day of light strength training for maintenane, but I would not be doing Stronglifts or Rippetoe in addition. I'm running a half this Sunday and have been focusing more on strength (Stronglifts 5x5) while doing some HIIT and one run a week, it does not work well, but I don't care about my time I just want to finish.

 

[conorvansmack]

Thanks for the thoughts and warnings on Arnold presses. I'll be careful as I increase the weight. I also notice less strain when I do them and I figure it's hitting different deltoid heads as I rotate, so the stress/strain may be divided between them.

 

[drbrock]

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: drbrock
My age is 25 and have been an avid weight lifter and have been in pretty good shape. I had surgery in january so I was out for 3 months. when I was lifting my arms and and chest were getting big but never had that large of shoulders. Also I forgot to mention I am doing pull ups and chin ups along with push ups. I mainly started this thread to see if I can get better definition in my shoulders and gain the mass I had orginally, while also training for a half marathon. My trainer told me that I should only do the running with basic resistance exercise and avoid the gym doing heavy weight lifting. Do you guys agree with the assesment?

Btw thanks for all the exercises. When I reactivate my gold's membership I will be focusing on my shoulders.

your shoulders ARE part of your arms.

Thanks for the update :laugh: