The shoulders have a very important task for all sportsmen, bodybuilders, powerlifters and crossfitters, who are looking for the "V shape”, That famous shape that has a narrow waist and a high part of the back very wide.
Before analyzing the training and exercises for this muscle district, let's take a brief overview of theshoulder anatomy:
- Front deltoids: flex the shoulder, abduct it and extra rotate the humerus.
- Side deltoids: abducting the shoulder.
- Posterior deltoids: extend the shoulder and abduct it.
- Trapezius: movement of elevation and rotation of the scapula.
We have selected those that are for us best shoulder exercises, but let's not forget that subjectivity and specificity are the first criteria to keep in mind when organizing a training card!
Index
EXERCISES FOR SHOULDERS
Military Press
Push-up exercise for the shoulders, which mainly affects the deltoids, involving secondary trapezius, scapula elevators and triceps. It is done standing up by relaxing with the barbell.
Arnold Press
This exercise also affects the deltoid; it is performed on the bench with the handlebars, stretching the arms upwards and rotating the handlebars at the same time.
Side stands
they can be performed sitting or standing with dumbbells; mainly involve the lateral head of the deltoid. Care must be taken to keep the forearm immobile, not to raise the elbows and not to continue the trajectory of the movement beyond the height of the shoulders.
Rear risers
Useful exercise for posterior deltoids; it can be performed standing or on a bench (straight or inclined), with the bust at 90 degrees.
Pull to your chin
Fundamental exercise for the development of the trapezius and secondarily of the deltoid and upper back muscles; it can be performed with a barbell or cables, a pinch (made with three fingers) wide or narrow.
HOW TO ENLARGE THE SHOULDERS?
Whoever trains in the gym surely has asked himself this question; the shoulders, like all other muscles, grow thanks to:
- mechanical tension
- metabolic stress
- muscle damage
The training volume is the determining factor for hypertrophy and, over time, it must increase, as the body gets used to stressful stimuli; at the same time there must be a progressive overload!
Deltoids are small muscles, which recover quickly, so they can be trained, directly and indirectly, several times a week.
Specifically, the front deltoids are already stressed during the exercise of flat bench, so a person who inserts it into their training routine will have no particular need to do other sessions to train this muscle. The lateral and posterior deltoids, on the other hand, can be stressed more often.
As for repetitions, it is always better to use medium-low ranges in multi articulator exercises such as military press and high repetitions in isolation exercises.
Combining multi-joint exercises and isolation exercises will ensure optimal shoulder development and, as with other muscle areas, in most cases, it is a winning choice!
How often do you train your shoulders? What are your favorite exercises and why?
Tell us about it in the comments!