? about shoulders

[lynnesq2]

Cathe or whomever has any suggestions:
I have been doing a lot of shoulder exercises over the past 8 -9 weeks and am just not seeing definition. My friend said maybe I am doing TOO much. Here is my routine: 2x per week: please advise if you think this is too much, or possibly not enough!
12 lbs 3 sets of military presses, 15 reps
10 lbs 3 sets of upright rows, 15 reps
8 lbs 3 sets of lateral raise, 12 - 15 reps
8 lbs 3 sets of front raise, 12 - 15 reps
8 lbs 3 sets of bent-arm lateral raise, 15 reps
thanks so much. Lynne

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Lynne! Looking at what you have marked down, I wouldn't say that you are doing too much but may I suggest changing the exercises a bit and also playing around with the order, weight selection, and reps. This is not to say that what you are currently doing is wrong but since you are not seeing results after 8 to 9 weeks we need to find a routine that your body responds more favorably too.

Here is my suggestion:

Since many people are strongest with MILITARY PRESSES, lets start with that and do a two warm up sets of 10 pounders (when I say that I mean 2 dumbbells at 10 pounds each) at 15 reps. Now start a third set with 12 pounders and do 12 reps. Now a fourth set with 15 pounders and do 10 reps. Now for your fifth set use 10 to 12 pounders (you'll have to see which one you can handle)and shoot for 8 to 10 SLOW reps. For your SLOW reps, go up 6 seconds and down two seconds.

(Your shoulders should have some nice warmth in them now).

Next exercise: LONG LEVER SIDE LATERAL RAISE
Do two sets of 12 reps with 8 pounders
Do one set of 8 to 10 SLOW reps (up 6 seconds down 2 seconds)with 5 pounders.

Next exercise: FRONT RAISE
Do two sets of 12 reps with 8 pounders
Then one set of 8 to 10 SLOW reps (up 6 down 2)with 5 pounders.

Next exercise: REAR DELT RAISES
Do two sets of 12 reps with 5 or 8 pounders
Do one SLOW set of 8 to 10 reps with 3 or 5 pounders.

Final exercise: SIDE LYING EXTERNAL ROTATIONS
Lying on your side, knees bent, head supported with arm that is under you. Now with a dumbbell in your top arm and your top arm bent in a 90 degree angle at your side, rotate your arm upward as high as it comfortably can go without moving your elbow from its position. FORM POINTER: Do not let top arm touch body at all. Rotate the dumbbell upward, keeping your elbow in a fixed position as if your elbow is a rotisseri stick.

Do two sets of 10 reps with 5 pounders.
Then do one SLOW set(up 6 down 2)of 8 to 10 reps with 3 pounders.

Do this workout 2 times per week. If you are ever pressed for time, you can leave out the rear delt raises since the lying rotation calls upon the rear delts too. If you do not start to see a difference in three weeks, change things around again. Good Luck!

BTW, You will LOVE the shoulder routine of the slow heavy series. Your shoulders will be cooked!

 

[lynnesq2]

Cathe: thank you so much!! I cannot WAIT for the slow & heavy series. I love all your tapes, but just was not getting enough shoulder work w/the pure strength tape! maybe i needed to use heavier weights.
Thanks again;you're the best!

 

[Aquajock]

This response by La Cathe is suitable for framing!

Thanks!

Annette

 

[kathryn]

My 2 centavos (to take or leave as you wish)

Lynne,
I have two suggestions, from different sources.
A couple of years ago, Muscle and Fitness magazine ran an article on the best exercises for each body part. For shoulders, they chose 45% rear delt raises (the rear delt is often given short shrift in shoulder routines, the 45-degree angle incorporates the side delts, and the front delts are incorporated in any chest press movement). To do this, either lie face down on a bench inclined to 45-degrees or (since you won't be using "body builder" size weights) bend forward at a 45-degree angle, making sure you keep you core (abs and lower back) strong and supported.

Health for Life, a company that has done a lot of research on the most effective exercise techniques and order of exercises (the company's founder helped Kathy Smith with her two "Secrets of a Great...Body" videos) recommends doing exercises in the following order: rear delts, side delts, front delts. You thus progress from the weakest delt muscle (rear delts) to the strongest (front). The rear delts will tire out from the reps you do for them, but they will still be used somewhat when doing side delt flies. In turn, the tired side delts will be somewhat used when doing front delt reps.
You might also want to play around with reps and weights. If you can do it safely, you could have better results using a weight for overhead presses that you can only lift for 12 reps in good form. You could start with this heavy rep compound exercise (2 sets), then do 2 sets each of rear, side and front delt raises.
I personally don't recommend upright rows, since they can be stressful to the shoulders and cause impingment of the shoulder joint.