Bulking (shoulders)

PrettyBoy

How's it going lads, looking for some tips/new exercises for shoulders as I want to bulk over the next 8 weeks. Want to increase size as much as possible, particularly traps.

My typical shoulder workout would consist of:

Seated DB press
Barbell shrugs
Bar upright row
Plate front raise
DB lateral raise

(All 3 sets of 8-10 reps)

Are there any other exercises that would help me gain size?

Usually do shoulders on Tuesdays, was thinking of doing them on Fridays too from now on so I would be getting 2 full shoulder work outs a week..what are peoples thoughts on this?

Any tips/advice appreciated

Will Heffernan

PrettyBoy wrote: »

How's it going lads, looking for some tips/new exercises for shoulders as I want to bulk over the next 8 weeks. Want to increase size as much as possible, particularly traps.

My typical shoulder workout would consist of:

Seated DB press
Barbell shrugs
Bar upright row
Plate front raise
DB lateral raise

(All 3 sets of 8-10 reps)

Are there any other exercises that would help me gain size?

Usually do shoulders on Tuesdays, was thinking of doing them on Fridays too from now on so I would be getting 2 full shoulder work outs a week..what are peoples thoughts on this?

Any tips/advice appreciated

OK...this one is going to be a bit out of left field (I know that's a bit of an Americanism but I am embracing boards.ie's international flavour) BUT how about this. Instead of hitting your 'delts' to increase your cannonball like shoulders why don't you instead focus on hitting all your underlying shoulder structures? That is, instead of focussing on your prime movers you focus on all your assister and stabilising tissue? I say this because it will have a couple of positive effects. One, that it will look at adding mass, strength and endurance to all the muscles that underly your delts and therefore add to your overall shoulder mass and 'fulness'. Two, improving the mass, strength and endurance of these muscles is only going to improve your shoulder health and if done correctly improve your mobility and stability around the shoulder joint and therefore improve the room for improvement with regard to all your upper body movements and lifts. Three, it will reduce the chances of you over training your 'delts' because as you've already said you do shoulders specifically one day a week already and as you would know you are hitting your delts in an ancillary or supplementary way any other day you train upper body movements anyway so by adding ANOTHER shoulder day you might actually be training shoulder 4 or 5 times a week in reality.

I would also suggest...rather than trying to improve your shoulder mass AND your trap mass in 8 weeks you pick one battle at a time...you could keep your shoulder day as is and change up the exercises there...add another day where you target all your shoulder accessory muscles...all the stabilisers and assisters and look to 'fill out' your delts knowing full well that doing this you are also going to be 'hitting' and improving your trap mass as a result then in 8 weeks time change your focus if your not happy with the results and focus on doing some extra trap work for the next 8 weeks.

Anyway...that's my 7 cents worth. Good luck...always happy to help a man with a plan

El Horseboxo

Barbell military press and barbell push press are the 2 main ones I use. Also hang clean and press and overhead squat for stability.

will56

I would recommend including some rear delt work on the days you train shoulder to help with the overall shoulder health.
What's worked for me the last while has bee to do the following after warming up.

Rear Delt raises - High reps 20+ for 3 sets
Lateral raises - 8-10 reps for 3 sets, last set to failure
Lean away lateral raises - 3 sets aiming for failure around 10 reps

Then move on to your overhead pressing, I do barbell presses.
You'll have to lower the weight but should be able to get a very good pump.

This was the first shoulder workout to leave me feeling it in my delts after.

If you're looking to increase the amount of work you're doing for your shoulder always er on the side of overworking the rear delts.

Liam90

Add a rear delt exercise and i would get rid of barbell shrugs and use dumbbells.

Here's a great video on shrugs, have really developed my traps since watching this video.

Sephiroth_dude

^^^^ He's posted some great videos,very helpful

POSSY

I actually did this recently and my God was it worth it!I do my shoulders twice per week on the days I do my back so here is my back/shoulders routine. Take from it what you like, it mighn't be perfect but I've gotten good results from it.

Bent Over Rows w. Barebell underhand grip
Bent Over Rows w. Barebell overhand grip.
Scapula Pull Ups/ Row with Curling Bar.
Barbell Shrugs
Overhead press
Military Press
Deadlift
Seated Shoulder Press with Dumbbells
Single Arm Vertical row (with knee on bench)
Seated Dumbell Press
Bicep work (the usuals)

A lot of sets in there but if you have the time go for it. Do it twice a week: Light Day and Heavy Day... it's worked for me and added good mass to my upper back, shoulders and traps