Exercises for wider shoulders

[Ryan Bracewell]

Push Presses with heavy weight
Side Raises
Rear Raises
DONE

[Sandpig]

Wide grip uprights work for me.

[Frosty]

Wide grip uprights work for me.

And this same lift hits my forearms and traps, which was kinda my point I was trying to make.

[Envirolover]

Thanks for all the great tips guys! I know what your saying Frosty and it seems my traps take the most abuse during my shoulder workout based on the soreness I have the next day.

[the_gift]

lots of side lateralls, cables, heavy weights and lots of light weights/high reps..

[Frosty]

Thanks for all the great tips guys! I know what your saying Frosty and it seems my traps take the most abuse during my shoulder workout based on the soreness I have the next day.

That's a good indicator that you're not really targeting and hitting your lateral delts hard.

There are some different ways to try to get around that issue. Pre-fatiguing the lateral delts before pressing motions will make them work harder during pressing. For example you could try a lateral delt isolation machine, then immediately hit up your OH press or upright row, then rest a little. Repeat this 10 or more times. See if that makes a difference in how sore your lateral delts are two days later. Go heavy, hard, and lots of sets so there's no question on what is sore

[MichaelWayne]

Agree with Frosty, I like to take the ALR approach. Fatigue with a lighter weight for a good exhaust/pump, then pile it on (good form!) with pressing.

I've noticed a good difference in training. Shoulders don't play by the same rules the other muscles do, you have to sneak up on them....then stab em.

[RDFinders]

Agree with Frosty, I like to take the ALR approach. Fatigue with a lighter weight for a good exhaust/pump, then pile it on (good form!) with pressing.

I've noticed a good difference in training. Shoulders don't play by the same rules the other muscles do, you have to sneak up on them....then stab em.

that is very interesting what you said, "shoulders don't play by the same rules the other muscles do" i have felt that way for years about mine. but i have put a lot of focus on my legs and now am starting to put more emphasis on my upper body - arms, specifically.

[Envirolover]

That's a good indicator that you're not really targeting and hitting your lateral delts hard.

There are some different ways to try to get around that issue. Pre-fatiguing the lateral delts before pressing motions will make them work harder during pressing. For example you could try a lateral delt isolation machine, then immediately hit up your OH press or upright row, then rest a little. Repeat this 10 or more times. See if that makes a difference in how sore your lateral delts are two days later. Go heavy, hard, and lots of sets so there's no question on what is sore

Awesome dude, thanks! I will give that a try tonight as I am doing my shoulders.

[Trixter]

Just tossin' in my two cents that I've had good luck with side lying lateral raises before smith shoulder presses with a slightly wider grip. Had the same problem for a long time with traps feeling more worked than the delts. That and finishing them off with some constant tension sets to finish burning them out.

[Envirolover]

Just tossin' in my two cents that I've had good luck with side lying lateral raises before smith shoulder presses with a slightly wider grip. Had the same problem for a long time with traps feeling more worked than the delts. That and finishing them off with some constant tension sets to finish burning them out.

Ah cool, I forgot about those! I will try them next week. I really burned my shoulders bad tonight so I will see how I feel tomorrow. Thanks dude!

[Frosty]

Ah cool, I forgot about those! I will try them next week. I really burned my shoulders bad tonight so I will see how I feel tomorrow. Thanks dude!

It can be VERY effective to trash your shoulders, see what exactly is sore in 2 days, and then take at least a week off from touching the shoulders and try it again with something different so you get really sore again. Once you find a great way to hit the lateral delt hard, then we can work on different rep ranges and shit with those lifts to really hit the lateral delts

[Wheels]

I recently saw a variation of the side lateral, MMI I think, in which you grab onto something in the gym and lean to the left or right. You then perform a side lateral like you always have. It REALLY isolates the lateral head, even more so than lying laterals for me. My lateral heads are so sore just the most basic of tasks illicit pain (in a good way ofc ).

[Frosty]

I recently saw a variation of the side lateral, MMI I think, in which you grab onto something in the gym and lean to the left or right. You then perform a side lateral like you always have. It REALLY isolates the lateral head, even more so than lying laterals for me. My lateral heads are so sore just the most basic of tasks illicit pain (in a good way ofc ).

Those can be good, where you lean towards the thing you're leaning on, and do a side lateral raise either behind the back or in front, and lifting the arm up to parallel to the ground. This uses the traps less and can target the delts in a different way and more in the bottom and semi-stretched position. With cables or DBs.

[Formula94]

You may also want to try pre-fatiguing your traps before starting shoulder work.