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tammyp
04-05-2009, 09:48 AM
i need to add some width to my shoulders. what do u think is the most effective exercise?

GirlyMuscle
04-05-2009, 09:55 AM
How do you mean width? Wider in the delts so you appear wider? Across the back?

philborg
04-05-2009, 10:08 AM
Going along with what mike said, I like to do upright rows for 3-4 sets starting with a pretty wide grip and then going a little narrower(which makes it easier) each consecutive set as you fatigue. The first 2 sets you feel it mainly in your delts and the last 2 your traps help out but you steel feel it in the side heads.

tammyp
04-05-2009, 10:11 AM
How do you mean width? Wider in the delts so you appear wider? Across the back?

i tend to look straight up and down from the front, so i wantedto add there to balance out my legs

GirlyMuscle
04-05-2009, 10:16 AM
Understood.

I'll leave it to the experts. I look forward to seeing what everyone says.

Frosty
04-05-2009, 11:42 AM
Upright rows trashed my traps and forearms and didn't touch my delts. But that's just me. I like using a cable machine, leaning towards the pulley with my legs out, and having my arm go behind my back and doing lateral raises like this. I also like heavy wide grip push presses with a controlled eccentric.

Frosty
04-05-2009, 11:53 AM
I recommend experimenting to make sure you hit the lateral delt. This is actually reasonable tough because it takes just the right exercise and just the right form.

I say take a decent list of exercises and start experimenting one by one. Take the first one, do 10-20 sets of it, and in a couple days, note where you get sore. Did it hit the right area? Try with the next, too. Maybe you can come back to some and modify the form if you felt it hit your delts well, just not your lateral delt.

red barraca
04-05-2009, 12:06 PM
rotate uni-lateral cable or db raises with bb press and db press.one week raises first next week presses first.wide grip shoulder bb front raise .6-8 inches from chest

chasebny
04-05-2009, 12:12 PM
Try hammer gripping lateral raises and cable lat raises. Keeping the wrist in the same positionso that at the bottom, your pinkies are touching your thighs, and at the top, you could do a thumbs up iron cross.

tammyp
04-05-2009, 02:41 PM
thanks for the tips guys!

Wheels
04-05-2009, 06:25 PM
Something that worked fantastic for my lateral heads was cable laterals, 7s style.

8-10 reps per set, 30-45 seconds rest between sets, 7 sets total. The weight should be heavy enough for you to fail in the 8-10 rep range. If it gets too hard as you progress, lower the weight. I'm sure you're familiar with 7s, but just making sure. I noticed not only a significant increase in cappage utilizing this, but also extra detail.

ChunkyThunder
04-05-2009, 10:47 PM
Upright rows trashed my traps and forearms and didn't touch my delts. But that's just me. I like using a cable machine, leaning towards the pulley with my legs out, and having my arm go behind my back and doing lateral raises like this. I also like heavy wide grip push presses with a controlled eccentric.

Have you tried pre-exhausting your lateral delts before? They may just be significantly stronger than the other muscles involved so that might help

AussieRugbyPlayer
04-06-2009, 12:30 AM
Wouldn't just DB seated side lateral raises do the trick? Or even standing cable side lateral raises?

If you worked the entire shoulder e.g. front, mid and rear delts, wouldn't that just increase the width?

Just a thought.

Wheels
04-06-2009, 01:54 PM
Wouldn't just DB seated side lateral raises do the trick? Or even standing cable side lateral raises?

If you worked the entire shoulder e.g. front, mid and rear delts, wouldn't that just increase the width?

Just a thought.

I'm sure Tammy has tried the above; her lateral heads may just be a weak point. Ergo, asking the board for additional tips on what may help them grow.

Frosty
04-06-2009, 03:06 PM
Have you tried pre-exhausting your lateral delts before? They may just be significantly stronger than the other muscles involved so that might help

Good point. This might work. I know I have this issue with my brachialis overpowering my biceps with a lot of curl work, and prefatiguing the brachialis can help me recruit the biceps.

ChunkyThunder
04-06-2009, 03:19 PM
Good point. This might work. I know I have this issue with my brachialis overpowering my biceps with a lot of curl work, and prefatiguing the brachialis can help me recruit the biceps.

it should, I'm about to start doing it for my legs because my lower back is lagging and its screwing up my squats.

SpeedoGuido
04-07-2009, 11:50 PM
i need to add some width to my shoulders. what do u think is the most effective exercise?

If that's you in your avatar pic I wouldn't change a thing...... that's just how I like 'em......... I'm just sayin' !

Formula94
04-08-2009, 01:35 AM
If you've seen battle for the olympia 2007, in Dex's workout he was doing laterals on an incline bench leaning on your side...tried them and love them! It really takes the traps out of the movement so you feel the contraction right down to the belly of the lateral head. Not only that but, for me at least, I don't have to go heavier than 17.5-20lb dbs so I feel it doesn't put too much pressure on the rotator.

Frosty
04-08-2009, 09:55 PM
I used a delt isolation machine for delts. Normally I'm not big on machines but this one was GREAT. I can really isolate them and it has resistance through a greater range of motion, plus I was able to do slower eccentrics easier than with many other exercises. Great exercise. Really trashes the delts.