Critique my Rotation...enough shoulder work??

[Stacy]

I tend to be bigger thru the shoulders, think a swimmer's shoulders, keeping that in mind, and knowing that some of my cardio workouts will be premixes from Xtrain and LIS which have some compound moves that work the shoulders, do you think this is balanced enough, even though I'm omitting a separate shoulder workout? (I only have 5 days a week to workout usually) In no particular order....

--30 min cardio + chest + biceps
--Longer cardio + abs
--an Ultimate Yogi power yoga
--30 min cardio + back + triceps
--Circuit workout + abs

I'll insert the rest days where I feel they are needed. I'm planning on going heavier for the upper body, using primarily Burn Sets or parts from STS 2 or 3.

 

[lisa_la_machina]

I have never done a rotation with this approach before, so I can only provide an opinion. I would suggest that you try this rotation for a time...like 4-6 weeks...and see at that point if you are getting the results you are hoping for. Even though you aren't adding a specific shoulder workout, your shoulder muscles will still be assisting as you do other strength workouts so they will not be completely left out (for example, doing a pushup also works your shoulders, as do many yoga moves).

Also, if you include any kickboxing for cardio, you will be working your shoulders there as well during the punching moves (especially if you wear weighted gloves).

So, I say go for it!

 

[tralaiven]

I so understand what you are doing! I have always had very broad shoulders! In fact, I wear a size 6 or 8 on the bottom (I am 5'9"), but in order to have a shirt fit my shoulders I have to get at least a 12 or even a 14 To accomodate my football player shoulders and then the rest of the shirt hangs

So, my game plan has regularly been to go very easy on my shoulders and concentrate on my triceps, delts, and biceps. If there are overhead shoulder presses in any workout, I keep it light, like 5 pounds...because the last thing I need is more shoulders! I am even careful with lats exercises because my big shoulders naturally means a wide back.

Personally, I think that if you relate to anything I have written, you will be happy with leaving out or going light on your shoulders as I have been doing!

Best wishes

 

[Stacy]

Thanks, I can totally relate! And, I'm short and things are already long in the sleeves, so buying them even bigger to accomodate my shouders, well, it ain't pretty! I've given up wearing any sort of tailored shirt that button up the front, I feel like I'm going to bust thru the shoulder seams like the Hulk!

I'm going to give that rotation a go!

 

[Bobbi-B]

Makes sense to me!

I go light on shoulder-specific work too, but for a different reason. Due to past injuries, my shoulders remain vulnerable during isolation exercises. I keep them busy supporting chest and back work, and if I do any isolated shoulder work, I use REALLY light weights, like 2 to 5 lbs. and I think of the shoulder isolation exercises more like physical therapy/range of motion work.

When I try to go heavier I inevitably aggravate old injuries, but my shoulders seem happy to help out in a "supporting role" with push-ups, etc. and I don't notice any long-term ill effects of focusing less on shoulders.

So I think your rotation sounds fine!