building shoulder mass and shape

[eema]

Hi Cathe and all,

Here's my question: I'm doing Cathe's upper body rotation for maximum gain - bi's, tri's and shoulders once a week heavy plus Pure Strength once a week for each body part. If I don't do Pure Strength then I use either CTX or MIS and just do the exercises slower and add a few more reps. My eating is clean and has been for 3+ years, I consume between 80-100 grams of protein a day and 60% of my diet is carbs. My cardio is somewhere between 3-5 times a week. My problem? My shoulders. My biceps have a nice fullness, my triceps are showing definition but I can't get that nice fullness to my shoulders (a la Cathe in S&H). Is there an exercise for the shoulders that is a must to incorporate to build that shape? I don't understand why that particular part is so resisitant to shaping. I'd chalk it up to genetics, but then why are my biceps and triceps getting bigger? Thanks, Eema

 

[Marlene123]

No one has addressed your question so I guess I will give it a try. I hope I can help.

I can understand your concern that your shoulders are not developing as well as your biceps and triceps area. You really need the shoulders to do their part in order to have a balanced look in the upper body.

When I first discovered this forum, someone asked Cathe a question about a rotation to maximize upper body muscle development. I did not keep a copy of it but I did make some notes on what she said. So, bear in mind that the following is not her exact wording but what I wrote down in my little workout notebook. I believe the exact issue was better shoulders, biceps and triceps but if you are interested in just shoulders, it still should give you some new ideas to try.

To maximize muscle development and achieve cuts and definition, Cathe advised the following:

Avoid overdoing cardio

Eat extra protein

Get extra sleep

Eat 200-300 calorie extra on heavy lifting days.

For each body part you are concentrating on, pick four exercises and do them as follows:

1. First exercise, 4 sets of 8 reps with absolute heaviest weight you can handle with good form. Perform the reps slowly.

2. Next three exercises, choose a weight not quite as heavy and do 3 sets of 12 reps.

I don't think she mentioned any particular exercises for each body part, but if I were to do shoulders I would select the following:

Start with military presses using a barbell for the 4 sets of 8 reps.

My next three would consist of side lateral raises, forward raises and rear flyes.

There are lots of different exercises to work shoulders and I have given you my personal four favorites. If these don't seem to work for you, pick others that better suit your needs. You asked if there was any particular shoulder exercise that is a must but I don't think there is. Your shoulders have three heads so you need to work them all to maximize results. Military presses work the entire shoulder. Side laterals, forward raises and rear flyes work each head, the medial, anterior, and posterior respectively.

Since you say that you are getting good results in the biceps and triceps I would contine to use Pure Strength upper body one time a week, the upper body work from either MIS or CTX for a second workout in the same week, and the above four exercises in the same week too. That would bring you up to 3 shoulder routines each week and two for each other upper body part. Just be sure to put a day of rest between them. My concern was development of shoulders, biceps andd triceps and I found that working these particular parts three times a week has given me great results. I do shoulders, biceps and triceps three times in a week, chest and back two time in a week. Perhaps if you add one extra day of just shoulders each week you will achieve what you are looking for.

I believe that I have interpreted what Cathe said correctly. It was quite a while ago and I am referring only to the notes I took at that time. If I have not properly re-stated her instructions I apologize and don't mind being corrected by anyone out there (including Cathe of course).

I hope this gives you some ideas to think about, Eema.

Let us know how it works for you.

Marlene

 

[eema]

Marlene,

Thank you so much for replying to my question - and so thoroughly at that! Yes, you had Cathe's upper body advice exactly right - that's the rotation I'm following. You mentioned two things that I'm not doing. One is that I don't do a lot of rear delt flyes. I think one reason is that I'm not always sure where I'm feeling it - upper back or posterior delts. I'll start doing those this week. Also your advice to hit the shoulders 3X's a week. Since it worked so well for you, I'm going to try it. Thanks again, Eema