How to increase shoulder muscles?

[Shaz]

My shoulders never get sore. I know muscles don't always get sore, but they never grow either. They never get tired when I work them even if I try to concentrate! I tried Slow Heavy shoulders yesterday, and although I used heavy (for me) weights, I couldn't feel anything specific in my shoulder muscles, and I feel nothing today. I don't have this problem with any other body part! Am I just strange?? My shoulders are the boniest part of me and I REALLY want them to develop some size and shape. I have P90X, but haven't really got into it. I might try again, but would prefer to use Cathe videos if possible. Any advice?

 

[Maximus]

Hi Shaz--I'm not sure what's on Cathe's tapes b/c I just do her cardio stuff, but I can give you my routine, which has given me great size & definition:

3 sets 10 military press w/dumbells
3 sets 10 side raises
3 sets 10 incline raises
3 sets 10 front raises

They're all very basic & effective exercises. I would recommend starting w/8-10 lb dumbells & working your way up from there. Hope this is helpful......

 

[maxwells]

Hey Shaz --

Do you have Cathe's Pyramid Upper Body? If not, then I would say definitely buy it. I had the best results with it.

I think my shoulders have grown mostly due to the following things:
1. Cathe's PUB
2. Kickboxing
3. More Protein

The most important thing for me (and probably a lot of women) is getting enough protein to allow for muscle growth. I used to workout like a maniac but never looked like it because I was eating way too many carbs and not enough protein. As soon as I started eating more protein, my body changed a lot.

If your shoulders don't get tired after doing PUB (using same weight as Cathe) then you are just strange Make sure you pay attention to the negative phase of the movement. There should be tension on the muscle at ALL times so don't allow them to relax at the bottom!

Shonie

 

[kathryn]

For any muscle to grow, you have to work it hard, and let it have enough rest. That's sometimes hard with the shoulders, because you also work them when you do chest and back work. So if you do a rotation where you do back day 1/ chest day 2/ shoulders day 3, you are actually working the shoulder 3 days in a row.

It's also tempting to want to work lagging muscle groups more often, thinking that it will stimulate growth. Instead of working the shoulders more, go as heavy as you safely can on your shoulder exercises. And be sure to work all three heads of the shoulder: front, side and rear (though if you do a lot of chest work, additional isolated anterior shoulder work isn't really necessary, because the anterior delts are well worked during chest presses.)

I recommend doing a 2-day split (upper and lower body) like PUB. Doing each workout 2 x/week. Go as heavy as you can safely on the shoulder exercises. On the second workout, do your shoulders FIRST, after the warm-up, so you can go as heavy as you can and put more energy into the body part (this is called "priority training": you work the body part you want to improve first, when you have the most energy. Another split could be chest/back then shoulder/arms (P90X has this split, as well as a chest/shoulder/triceps and back/biceps split: P90X helped me improve my shoulders, and includse some very nice shoulder warm-ups and stretches as well).

And don't worry about not feeling sore in the muscles. DOMS is not necessary for muscle growth and strength improvement.

 

[sbwells]

For some reason, my shoulders really respond to the Cardio & Weights Heavy Weight Premix. I always go heavy and I did this workout for most of last summer since I was cycling so much. Much to my surprise (I was hoping only to maintain), the shoulders developed nicely.

YMMV,
Susan:7