Recommend a shoulder routine

SuprSi

I have been using my existing shoulder routine for the guts of a year and always felt that it was grand for what I wanted, i.e. gaining size and strength but was kindly informed (thanks Kevpants!) that it was in fact pretty crap.

So, with the new year approaching I need a new routine. My current routine includes 4 sets of each of the following to failure;

Dumbbell front raises
Dumbbell lateral raises
Military press (barbell)
Shoulder press
Dumbbell shrugs

Because I usually finished these quickly enough I include a few rotator exercises as well.

Can anyone suggest alternatives or a better routine?

yomchi

How is it crap?
You've incorporated compound and isolated movements which is good. However if you have your list in order of how you do them, I would consider doing the big lifts first, like the military press and the DB press, then consider the isolated movements afterwards. You haven't factored in any isolated movement for your rear delts, so take a look at that.

You could start to use a clean and press lift to stimulate the muscle differently. Remember great shoulders are nothing without a good upper body all over, so don't ignore your arms, back and chest!

With shoulders, form is everything. I've seen some scary shoulder workouts in the gym lately. I wouldn't call your routine 'crap' though.

amazingemmet

I'm gonna assume you bench on chest day? If so the front raises are a waste of time. I don't know any of your stats and what the rest of your workout is but it looks like far too much for just one muscle group. Like you have 16 sets for just one small muscle group and thats not including any other work that will effect them as well.

Transform

i see no reason for fontal raises - front delts get enough work from bench press, dips etc put in bent over lateral raises or band pulls instead.

Personally i do not recommend much shoulder work at all as most people get enough shoulder stimulation from the big exercises - no harm in adding in a overhead press and lateral raises but a good hard deadlift will hit the traps enough rather than shrugs

Transform

amazingemmet wrote: »

I'm gonna assume you bench on chest day? If so the front raises are a waste of time. I don't know any of your stats and what the rest of your workout is but it looks like far too much for just one muscle group. Like you have 16 sets for just one small muscle group and thats not including any other work that will effect them as well.

got in there ahead of me emmet!

amazingemmet

IBT (in before transform :pac:)

SuprSi

Jon wrote: »

How is it crap?

Well, to rephrase, he didn't say the routine was crap, just that front and lateral raises are crap, and that's nearly half of my routine. I bench press on a different day and each of my big muscle groups get a day of their own with a smaller muscle group (chest/triceps, back/biceps, etc) so shoulders are left on their own.

yomchi

SuprSi wrote: »

Well, to rephrase, he didn't say the routine was crap, just that front and lateral raises are crap, and that's nearly half of my routine. I bench press on a different day and each of my big muscle groups get a day of their own with a smaller muscle group (chest/triceps, back/biceps, etc) so shoulders are left on their own.

As the lads said, front raises aren't up to much if your benching right. I like lateral raises, if done properly they can really round the delt off. I prefer to use the cable machine or the seated raise, where your facing the back of the bench (bench at90 degrees) keep the nose to the bench which restricts the swinging movement which is often used when the weight is too heavy and form is compromised.

aye

Performing a leaning lateral raise will increase the range of motion

http://www.t-nation.com/img/photos/07-171-training/image033.jpg

Reyman

How high do you go on the lateral raise?

Transform

shoulder level

yomchi

Take care not to copy alot of 'normal' gym goers when they are working their shoulders. a LOT of them will end up with wrecked joints soon enough. It's horrible to look at sometimes, the ROM they swing thir shoulders through.

Reyman

aye wrote: »

Performing a leaning lateral raise will increase the range of motion

http://www.t-nation.com/img/photos/07-171-training/image033.jpg

Hardly true - same range of motion? Easier at the start and harder near the top so a slight change in the stress points

aye

Reyman wrote: »

Hardly true - same range of motion? Easier at the start and harder near the top so a slight change in the stress points

Yeh true, the extra movement you gain at the top is taken off at the bottom.
The leaning aspect should increase the workload of the medial deltoid.

Transform

Oh for gods sake - just do the exercise and aim to get stronger on the basic exercises like deadlifts and chins. The shoulders will take care of themselves once that it done.

Hanley

Transform wrote: »

Oh for gods sake - just do the exercise and aim to get stronger on the basic exercises like deadlifts and chins. The shoulders will take care of themselves once that it done.

Should I put a slight twist in my hand as if I'm pouring a cup of tea, like Arnie says to do?

Transform

Man he even has his own shoulder exercise - the arnold press!!

I was suckered into the "Boulder Shoulder" programs from the old Muscle Media 2000 days - so glad i discovered Hardgainer and many more influences after that.

Basics, abreviated, best

Roper

Transform wrote: »

Oh for gods sake - just do the exercise

In fairness it was a bogey looking exercise.

Whenever I see a guy with bottled tan doing any exercise I'm immediately dubious and make a small mental note never to do it. Call it bodybuilder "aw me shoulder!" prejudice .

Pro-Nutrition

SuprSi wrote: »

I have been using my existing shoulder routine for the guts of a year and always felt that it was grand for what I wanted, i.e. gaining size and strength but was kindly informed (thanks Kevpants!) that it was in fact pretty crap.

So, with the new year approaching I need a new routine. My current routine includes 4 sets of each of the following to failure;

Dumbbell front raises
Dumbbell lateral raises
Military press (barbell)
Shoulder press
Dumbbell shrugs

Because I usually finished these quickly enough I include a few rotator exercises as well.

Can anyone suggest alternatives or a better routine?

Hey. Someone told you that your routine is crap??? I would love to see theirs. I would proably drop the front raises and maybe for a change start off with all raises and then press. When you get to press the shoulders will be full of blood and pre exhausted. I have been doing this every couple of weeks and I have to say that my shoulders have grown like crazy and more definition is coming into the heads of the delts.

Apart from that I think your routine is good but it would do no harm to change it around every couple of weeks to keep the muscle guessing.