lacking shoulders - What helped you grow them when they werent?

[Whopperflopper]

I have grown my delts to the point that an objective eye has told me overshadows some of my other muscles, like chest (my previous best body part).

I did it like this.

Moving a heavy pressing movement to last and starting with isolation work.

I start with rear delts on a machine. Warmup and two working sets only. Then rear dumbbell flies, facing forward on a low incline bench, as heavy as possible with good form in the range of 8-15 reps. Again, only two working sets. Then I do dumb bell lateral raises. Warmups starting with 5s or 10s and go up to my working db weight (40s or 45s right now). 4-5 sets. I try to get 15 reps for all 4-5 sets before moving up in weight. Then I move to a heavy pressing shoulder machine and load it up (after appropriate warmups) as heavy as fucking possible but never dropping below 8 reps. I may only do 1 set of these heavy presses. I might do 2 or 3. If I get one good heavy set (after working up to the heaviest weight), then I can call it a day, but sometimes do another set or 2.

That's it.

I tried all the other stuff others have posted above, but what I have written works best for me.

Experiment and see what works for you. This was all trial and error, and this works for me, so I keep doing it this way for now.

I did something very similar to this before I could actualy see the 3 head separation. I hated trying to wash my hair after this workout. Machines for isolation and military presses for bulk.

 

[Silentlemon1011]

I have grown my delts to the point that an objective eye has told me overshadows some of my other muscles, like chest (my previous best body part).

I did it like this.

Moving a heavy pressing movement to last and starting with isolation work.

I start with rear delts on a machine. Warmup and two working sets only. Then rear dumbbell flies, facing forward on a low incline bench, as heavy as possible with good form in the range of 8-15 reps. Again, only two working sets. Then I do dumb bell lateral raises. Warmups starting with 5s or 10s and go up to my working db weight (40s or 45s right now). 4-5 sets. I try to get 15 reps for all 4-5 sets before moving up in weight. Then I move to a heavy pressing shoulder machine and load it up (after appropriate warmups) as heavy as fucking possible but never dropping below 8 reps. I may only do 1 set of these heavy presses. I might do 2 or 3. If I get one good heavy set (after working up to the heaviest weight), then I can call it a day, but sometimes do another set or 2.

That's it.

I tried all the other stuff others have posted above, but what I have written works best for me.

Experiment and see what works for you. This was all trial and error, and this works for me, so I keep doing it this way for now.

Dont know why
But this blew my fucking mind.
I always start with...

Heavy strict OHP 5 sets min (Buildup to 1 AMRAP EliteFTS style)
Then Viking Press (Same EliteFTS style)
Only then do I incorporate lateral/Front/Rear fly movements etc.

I gotta fucking try this, right fucking now

 

[malfeasance]

Give it a few weeks to see if you notice a difference in how they respond to what you are doing. One day I just looked in the mirror, and especially from the side, I was like, oh, yeah that works.

 

[malfeasance]

That was shortly after I figured out this new way of doing things and noticed a difference in the appearance of my delts. They have continued to grow since then.

 

[StorGuillermoKardamo]

Arnold presses, landmine or viking presses, and waiter walks as a burnout at the end.

I also do a lot of high volume upper back, rear delt, and rotator cuff work as part of my daily rehab (old repetitive motion injury)

 

[Silentlemon1011]

Give it a few weeks to see if you notice a difference in how they respond to what you are doing. One day I just looked in the mirror, and especially from the side, I was like, oh, yeah that works.

Just tried it in the gym.
Really upped my lateral raise game, didnt know I could rep out that much, since I'm so used to raises after OHP
Couldnt push the heavy OHP after

But I'm sure it just takes time/training to get used to lifting a heavier load while tired.

 

[EazyE]

Just tried it in the gym.
Really upped my lateral raise game, didnt know I could rep out that much, since I'm so used to raises after OHP
Couldnt push the heavy OHP after

But I'm sure it just takes time/training to get used to lifting a heavier load while tired.

Adaptation. The delts can take a pounding and often respond better to high rep laterals than anything else. I don’t do a lot of overhead presses these days due to necessity — shoulder issues. I can still press on incline or decline for chest, so that still gives me some pressing variables. Same as for traps — I don’t do shrugs much as they seem to irritate my shoulders but rack pulls and t-bar rows keep my traps in line. Find what works.

 

[juicy122]

Ugh so bs I was loving these new shoulder workouts and now ontario shutting gyms tomorow for a whole month fml bb gains....

 

[Jet Labs]

That was shortly after I figured out this new way of doing things and noticed a difference in the appearance of my delts. They have continued to grow since then.


View attachment 144665

Impressive!

 

[Skarpyona]

Like others have mentioned, volume volume volume.
I like to do 5 sets of 20 reps of landmine OHP with a focus on the negative portion of the lift to really make those delts scream bloody murder

 

[Methyl Mike]

i have a huge chest and pretty big arms but my shoulders really suffer for some reason. My split is chest and tris, back and bis , and shoulder/traps, legs off repeat. On shoulder day i start with db press i lift decent 85lbs for 10 , 10, 10 , then i do seated db laterals low weight high reps and squeeze, then I do cable front delts, then rear delts and traps. Ive been doing it this way for a while and i have tried going heavy and lighter on the movements after db press and i have no luck. For some reason this is the one thing that is affecting my physique my god damn shoulders just dont grow much... any idea what i should try and change? Im frustrated now as this seems to be my weak body genetic and my chest out dominates the shit out of my shoulders. I dont have no capped delts no nothing its just flat and blends in with my arms.

When working shoulders do you get a good burn in your shoulders and how good of a pump?

Just saw your pic, try posting your worst 1 or 2 angles not just your one best. You are not going to improve by hiding what you dont want seen, thats very backwards.

 

[MFAAS]

Just to say it again, arnold presses fucking rule. I have been doing them twice a week because I love them so much, even with already solid/above average shoulders (just good shoulder genetics I think) I've seen some noticeable growth over the last few months!

Also been doing supersets of single arm lateral raises and single arm upright row after my arnold presses. OR I will do some behind the neck presses after my arnold presses. Really liking this shoulder routine a lot right now. All of the shoulder exercises are done after my benches but before triceps (I do PPL program)

 

[Methyl Mike]

Give it a few weeks to see if you notice a difference in how they respond to what you are doing. One day I just looked in the mirror, and especially from the side, I was like, oh, yeah that works.

Everything works at first. You hit your shoulders in an unexpected way so they responded.

 

[Methyl Mike]

Just to say it again, arnold presses fucking rule. I have been doing them twice a week because I love them so much, even with already solid/above average shoulders (just good shoulder genetics I think) I've seen some noticeable growth over the last few months!

Also been doing supersets of single arm lateral raises and single arm upright row after my arnold presses. OR I will do some behind the neck presses after my arnold presses. Really liking this shoulder routine a lot right now. All of the shoulder exercises are done after my benches but before triceps (I do PPL program)

Arnold presses were designed specifically to gst around having to get heavy dumbbells into position overhead. The extra twisting motion makes your reps quite a bit slower and more difficult. They are very inefficient.

If you want to do the original movement which the arnold press is a variation of, do the Scott press. Tip- they were meant to be done standing in front of a dumbbell rack which you lean slightly forward in to, supporting your lower body at the waist. Without the slight forward lean they don't have much to offer.

One arm upright rows did I read that correct? wtf???????

 

[Test_Subject]

Arnold presses were designed specifically to gst around having to get heavy dumbbells into position overhead. The extra twisting motion makes your reps quite a bit slower and more difficult. They are very inefficient.

If you want to do the original movement which the arnold press is a variation of, do the Scott press. Tip- they were meant to be done standing in front of a dumbbell rack which you lean slightly forward in to, supporting your lower body at the waist. Without the slight forward lean they don't have much to offer.

One arm upright rows did I read that correct? wtf???????

Z presses are great, too, as long as your core is strong enough to not limit you.

 

[eery]

Arnold presses were designed specifically to gst around having to get heavy dumbbells into position overhead. The extra twisting motion makes your reps quite a bit slower and more difficult. They are very inefficient.

I can't remember who it was but one of the guys that was around Arnold said he made up the movement to "stand out from the crowd" lol.

I agree, Arnold presses are a shit exercise.

 

[Methyl Mike]

Z presses are great, too, as long as your core is strong enough to not limit you.

I had to look that up and you know after lifting THIS LONG I never once thought to do something like that. Looks functional. In fact today is shoulder day i think im gonna try them.

 

[Numbers999]

i have a huge chest and pretty big arms but my shoulders really suffer for some reason. My split is chest and tris, back and bis , and shoulder/traps, legs off repeat. On shoulder day i start with db press i lift decent 85lbs for 10 , 10, 10 , then i do seated db laterals low weight high reps and squeeze, then I do cable front delts, then rear delts and traps. Ive been doing it this way for a while and i have tried going heavy and lighter on the movements after db press and i have no luck. For some reason this is the one thing that is affecting my physique my god damn shoulders just dont grow much... any idea what i should try and change? Im frustrated now as this seems to be my weak body genetic and my chest out dominates the shit out of my shoulders. I dont have no capped delts no nothing its just flat and blends in with my arms.

High volume & site oil injection. People say site injection doesn’t work but mine have blown the fuck up once I started pinning each one twice a week. They didn’t blow up like this on previous cycles when I wasn’t pinning them. Gotta be site injection!

 

[Methyl Mike]

I asked my good friend what he thought about arnold presses with one armed upright rows and this was his exact response

 

[Test_Subject]

I had to look that up and you know after lifting THIS LONG I never once thought to do something like that. Looks functional. In fact today is shoulder day i think im gonna try them.

They were popularized by Zydrunas Savickas — arguably the greatest strongman in history.

They don’t isolate the delts quite as much as seated or standing OHP do because you really have to concentrate on keeping your core tight, but for developing pure power in the shoulder girdle and core they’re awesome.