Yet another work-out thread: Best exercise with free-weights to build shoulders?

[EvilYoda]

I don't work out on a daily basis, nor a consistent routine, but I do it when I can and remember to. I just need to build muscle, but only as much as is possible w/o changing my diet. (Dieting for me at college would require as much effort as working out itself...). My chest responds well, my abs are fine, but I'm a skinny guy by nature, and have always had trouble defining and building my shoulders.

Any suggestions? My friend says that at the gym the cable pulls are good, but I want something I can do with my free-weights at home.

Much obliged, thanks in advance.

 

[vi edit]

- Military Press
- Bent over rows
- Upright rows (easier with curl bar)
- Shoulder shrugs
- Arm raisers (front)
- Arm raisers (to the sides)

 

[Beau]

^^^ what he said. Do high reps with mid weight.

 

[StageLeft]

I always like the arnold press
It's like a standard dumbell press for shoulders but since it uses a slightly increased range of motion you may find that you can't do as much weight.

 

[scorp00]

Military press with dumbells i find is the best, because with dumbells you also have to stabilize the weights.

Arm raises to the front and sides are also good.

Incline bench will also work shoulders a little bit.

 

[EvilYoda]

So far the military press is the only thing I'm using, but I also wasn't clear on the proper technique for that...i.e. where should I start, and stop, and what point of extension shouldn't I go past. (I always thought that my arms shouldn't go past 90°, to reduce strain on the elbows...)

As for the others, I'll look for instructions on them and see how they go. Thanks!

 

[rahvin]

Millitary press is a bench press done sitting instead of laying down. Different muscles are worked depending on if you go behind or in front of your head. Do both and fully extend your arms.

 

[dreamer]

Be careful with military press. I would not do behind the neck at all as it is an unnatural movement.

Everyone I have known who is a avid bodybuilder refrains from doing behind_the_neck military presses as it will eventually lead to some kind of shoulder injury. Personally, I had a partial rip of my rotator cuff because of the aforementioned exercise. It took almost a year to recover from that injury.

I highly recommend this routine:

3-4 sets of Military press (Only in front of your head) Stop when you upper arm is parallel with floor
3-4 sets Dumbell presses - Full range of motion
2-3 sets lateral raises (dumbells of course)

Get at least 2-3 days rest in between each shoulder workout and try to incorporate some type of protein into your diet.

One more tip, feel free to change up every 3-4 workouts and by varying weights, reps and throwing in reverse lateral for the rear delts.

Hope this helps,

Peace,
Allan

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
- Military Press
- Bent over rows
- Upright rows (easier with curl bar)
- Shoulder shrugs
- Arm raisers (front)
- Arm raisers (to the sides)

Hehe all part of my shoulder routine except shrugs, which I did with back (felt it worked my traps more).

I did military press with a straight bar (45lbs) both behind-the-neck and to the top of the sternum/collarbones. I agree that the motion is a bit unusual at first, but I found that a wider grip alleviates much of that problem. Also, I think it builds overall shoulder mass/definition better than doing them in front. I'm also a huge fan of dumb bells for the negatives; you have to control the weight and I liked to rotate them 90 degrees at the top to get a wider range of motion and really get a reinforced rip.

Also raises and bent over rows are great for isos for each delt group. I'd alternate in front and do a fly-type motion for the sides. For the rear delts, 1 dumb bell at a time while kneeling/bent over a flat bench.
You can also do all of these with cross-over cables if your gym doesn't have freeweights or you want different iso angles. Just use 1 arm at a time.

Chiz