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Hey errybody. Been doing shockwave (as laid out in the book) and CBL for about a month now and have seen spectacular results. After dieting down to 170 on an IF program, I stumbled upon Keifer's work and never looked back. Now I am sitting back at 195 and am leaner than I was at 170. Gotta love this stuff.Anywho, I do have one area I would like to see if anyone can help me with: Medial (mother efing) deltoids. They have always been one of the things that I wanted on my body. I have always had a big chest and ridiculously huge legs (I completely fill out loose-fit jeans) but I really want some nice, delineated deltoids. However, they have (of course) always been the one muscle group I have had the most trouble building. While shockwave has done wonders for my strength and size, I was wondering if anyone could make a recommendation or two for the shoulders/triceps day so that I can really grow my medial delts. Thank you in advance for the help, you guys are an amazing community.
What have you been doing thus far?Honstely, the things that have worked best for me have been the really simple lifts. Some of the things I do:-- Use cables for side lateral raises instead of DBs and I use a light weight and go for super high reps. Generally at the very end of the workout because my delts are screaming by the time I hit 20 reps 3 or 4 times.-- For any sort of shoulder pressing (standing, seated, etc.), I ALWAYS use DBs instead of BBs. This allows me to 1. get more of a full range of motion and 2. bring my arms down beside my head, bordering on slightly behind (instead of in front). I like this because it pretty much takes your upper chest out of the equation. --Upright DB rows. I like these wwwaaaaayyy better than using a BB. Take it one hand at a time and really focus on pulling up to a consistent point. You can even mix in a few sets where you only go through the upper 1/2s for the range of motion (which allows for constant tension on the delts instead of them releasing when you drop your arms all the way down).Those are the big ones for me. My delts aren't super huge, but I've got better straitions on them than any other muscle group at the moment.
How wide are you, naturally? You might suffer from narrow clavicles.Fear not... you just need to get your medials out there to make up for it (Phil Heath did, so did Branch Warren).You might try running Delts twice a week, a heavy day and a lighter isolation day. Use shock techniques like supersets, drop sets, FST-7, etc. Pre-exhaust helped Frank Zane.Try something like this (not Shockwave, standard BB'ing):Dumbbell Seated Lateral Raises 3 x 10 (this is the pre-exhaust)Standing Barbell Military Press 3 x 8Standing Cable Lateral Raises 3 x 12 (w/ 1 drop set to failure on the final set -- 30% drop in weight)Rear Delt Lateral Raises 3 x 10-15Upright Rows w/ Barbell 3 x 12 (w/ 1 drop set to failure on the final set -- 30% drop in weight)You might also consider exercises like the Push Press, b/c it will allow you to go heavier than a standard Military Press. http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/push-pressCory
Good stuff guys.I found some good stuff here on Meadows site.http://www.mountaindogdiet.com/training_shoulders.phpSupprised how light he goes on some of it. I think of it as getting the pump and then going for low reps higher weights with full delts.
Good stuff guys.I found some good stuff here on Meadows site.http://www.mountaindogdiet.com/training_shoulders.phpSupprised how light he goes on some of it. I think of it as getting the pump and then going for low reps higher weights with full delts.
With the exception of the DB presses I do, I almost always keep it astonishingly light weight. The super high reps for the super pump seem to really positively affect the delts. And even though I go heavier for most of my shoulder presses, I always add drops to my final set (typically 2 drops) and up the reps as the weight decreases. Delts are toasted by the time you're done with that.
OH!I almost forgot the Ahren's Press. I throw in a few sets of these from time to time. Puts really, really solid tension on the delts if you make sure to press out wide enough.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRbpxxgsmX4
I do upright rows, push press, dumbbell shoulder presses, lateral raises, and that's mainly it. I save rear deltoids for back days. I mainly do shoulders as laid out in the shockwave protocol, but I am no stranger to exercises and have been lifting for a while. Push press still is probably one of my absolute favorite exercises.As far as width, I have a 44" chest and a 30" waist, so I am certainly not narrow. My traps, anterior deltoids, biceps, triceps are all fine and see constant improvement. My medial delts are improving, but i just want them to look like shirt-stretching boulders!Also, I'm 5'8 (maybe 5'8 1/2), 195, probably right around 14-15% bf. Just a generally stout, stocky guy. I am strong in my medial delts (I usually use 30lbs for DB lateral raises, and push press 160+ for 5-8) they just aren't popping out like I would really like.
Here is a article by John Meadows. http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/shoulder_training_the_mountain_dog_way He has some really good stuff that you might not have tried before. I don't mean obscure, stupid exercises, just different way of doing the stuff that works. It help me get over my medial deltoid rut.Also I highly reccomend to train the crap out of your rear delts. They are underdeveloped in most people and I swear once I brought mine up to speed, my medials began to grow again.
I'm assuming by medial deltoid you actually mean anterior deltoid? Not trying to be an ass, just clarifying.
Here is a article by John Meadows. http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/shoulder_training_the_mountain_dog_way He has some really good stuff that you might not have tried before. I don't mean obscure, stupid exercises, just different way of doing the stuff that works. It help me get over my medial deltoid rut.Also I highly reccomend to train the crap out of your rear delts. They are underdeveloped in most people and I swear once I brought mine up to speed, my medials began to grow again.
+1 so hard it hurts!Definitely train rear deltoids. They get worked with back, but a little direct will help. Ever seen someone who lacks a back / rear delts? They slope forward in posture, and their development looks off. Very painful to look at. Almost as bad as chicken legs.Cory
I'm assuming by medial deltoid you actually mean anterior deltoid? Not trying to be an ass, just clarifying.
I took it as his side-delts (a.k.a., lateral delts), since they are commonly referred to as medials (even if that may not be 100% anatomically accurate). When someone says anterior, I think of the front delts.I am assuming he wants more width, not thickness. That is how I am trying to assist.Cory
Just did some geeking out. Looks like medial and lateral are both accepted names for the deltoid in the middle. Anterior = Front of the bodyLateral = Side of body, Medial = MiddlePosterior = Back of the body
Just did some geeking out. Looks like medial and lateral are both accepted names for the deltoid in the middle. Anterior = Front of the bodyLateral = Side of body, Medial = MiddlePosterior = Back of the body
Actually medial deltoid is not technically correct. It has the least medial orgin. I got this from wikipedia.
Just did some geeking out. Looks like medial and lateral are both accepted names for the deltoid in the middle. Anterior = Front of the bodyLateral = Side of body, Medial = MiddlePosterior = Back of the body
Actually medial deltoid is not technically correct. It has the least medial orgin. I got this from wikipedia.
While this is technically true... I do have to add:Good old Wikipedia, where there is such a fine level of quality control. 😛But, honestly, let's not argue semantics. When someone says Medial or Lateral Delt, I know what they mean.Cory
Just did some geeking out. Looks like medial and lateral are both accepted names for the deltoid in the middle. Anterior = Front of the bodyLateral = Side of body, Medial = MiddlePosterior = Back of the body
Actually medial deltoid is not technically correct. It has the least medial orgin. I got this from wikipedia.
While this is technically true... I do have to add:Good old Wikipedia, where there is such a fine level of quality control. 😛But, honestly, let's not argue semantics. When someone says Medial or Lateral Delt, I know what they mean.Cory
I actually thought that was an acceptable term for the middle deltoid until Dmunnee mentioned it. Anatomy doesn't interest me at all, so I now very little about the proper names for all the muscles.
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