You Don't Have Shoulders.

[T-Bar]

I've noticed alot of beginners posting their workouts with "shoulders" included, as if you had a "shoulder" muscle. Shoulders are actually made up of three muscles, not one. The front (anterior) deltoids, the middle (lateral) deltoids, and the rear (posterior) deltoids. This is important to know when putting together a routine, because these muscles have different functions. It is also important to make sure that none of these muscles are neglected or over-trained.

The front delts are called into play heavily during any pressing movement. When doing bench presses, a wide grip will tax the shoulders even more. The lateral head may also come into play to a lesser extent. An isolation movement for the front delt would be any type of raise to the front, however, if you're doing lots of heavy bench presses your front delts are likely getting all the work they need.


The lateral delt is worked doing over-head presses (along with the front delts). When doing military presses with a wide grip will hit the lateral heads harder and a close grip will hit the traps more. The only way to isolate the lateral head of the delts, is with lateral raises. This is one isolation movement that I feel everyone should do to keep the lateral heads from lagging behind.


The rear delts are worked when you do rowing exercises. Bent-over rows, T-bar rows, Cable rows etc. The rear delts are pulling muscles. To isolate the rear delts, do some type of bent-over raise. You can do them standing up bent-over, seated bent-over, lying on your stomach on a bench, etc. If you find that your rear delts are lagging, do some type of bent-over raise, not just for aesthetics, but to avoid potential injury when doing heavy over-head presses.

So what does this have to do with a beginners "shoulder" work-out? Well, unless you want work your front and lateral delts twice in one week, it makes sense to work them on chest day. Unless you want to work your rear delts twice in one week, it makes sense to do bent-over raises on back day, and not with front and rear delts.

Just something to keep in mind. :)

[Raffi]

Although this article didn't introduce me to anything new, never the less, great article, usefull info to loads of poeple I am sure. Good job bro.

[Scar]

Originally posted by T-Bar
. When doing bench presses, a wide grip will tax the shoulders even more.

I don't agree...I think a closer grip involves the delts more

[T-Bar]

Originally posted by Scar
I don't agree...I think a closer grip involves the delts more

Actually close-grip bench presses work the tri-ceps more.

[Scar]

Originally posted by T-Bar
Actually close-grip bench presses work the tri-ceps more.

Really..you don't say..Close grip bench IS a tricep exercise! It involves the shoulders more than a wider grip and a little bit of the inner chest..

Look mate....you're wrong about a wider grip involving shoulders more..the wider the grip the more chest is involved...the narrower the grip the more triceps and shoulders are used. Obviously the higher the incline affects delts more too!

I was politely telling you that I thought you're wrong...now I'm just telling you..you're wrong

[T-Bar]

Originally posted by Scar
Really..you don't say..Close grip bench IS a tricep exercise! It involves the shoulders more than a wider grip and a little bit of the inner chest..

Look mate....you're wrong about a wider grip involving shoulders more..the wider the grip the more chest is involved...the narrower the grip the more triceps and shoulders are used. Obviously the higher the incline affects delts more too!

I was politely telling you that I thought you're wrong...now I'm just telling you..you're wrong


I think you and I have a different idea of what a wide-grip is. When I say wide-grip, I don't mean a few inches outside of shoulder-width. I mean WIDE, and you will feel that in your delts. As far as close-grip working the delts, we must be doing them differently, because I feel these in my triceps only. After all, it is a tri-ceps exercise, like you said. If close-grip worked the delts harder I probably couldn't do it (I have a bad shoulder).

[Kimchi604]

i can see how close grip can kill your shoulders.. if your grip is so narrow that your hands are touching each other.. this isnt the way to do close grip..

close grip should be done with the grip at least 1 foot apart..

any narrower your looking at some serious wrist injuries.. lol

[T-Bar]

I don't lower the weight all the way down when I do close-grip either, that way the tri-ceps do all the work.

[Mc_Garnicle]

Originally posted by Raffi
Although this article didn't introduce me to anything new, never the less, great article, usefull info to loads of poeple I am sure. Good job bro.


bump !

[Quinner]

Hey- one useful thing for you newbies out there- your build is set for life. If you have a small build, you will always have a small build in my opinion. You can increase you'r muscle mass, thus making you'r build appear larger, but you can't change you'r bone structure.

Ex. You can't actuall increase the size of you're shoulders, but you can build up you're delts and traps. That will make you're shoulders appear larger, and in my opinion, your traps arn't difficult to build, and when they are built up, that will do great things for you'r appearence!!!

[ironman57]

Originally posted by T-Bar
I've noticed alot of beginners posting their workouts with "shoulders" included, as if you had a "shoulder" muscle. Shoulders are actually made up of three muscles, not one. The front (anterior) deltoids, the middle (lateral) deltoids, and the rear (posterior) deltoids. This is important to know when putting together a routine, because these muscles have different functions. It is also important to make sure that none of these muscles are neglected or over-trained.

The front delts are called into play heavily during any pressing movement. When doing bench presses, a wide grip will tax the shoulders even more. The lateral head may also come into play to a lesser extent. An isolation movement for the front delt would be any type of raise to the front, however, if you're doing lots of heavy bench presses your front delts are likely getting all the work they need.


The lateral delt is worked doing over-head presses (along with the front delts). When doing military presses with a wide grip will hit the lateral heads harder and a close grip will hit the traps more. The only way to isolate the lateral head of the delts, is with lateral raises. This is one isolation movement that I feel everyone should do to keep the lateral heads from lagging behind.


The rear delts are worked when you do rowing exercises. Bent-over rows, T-bar rows, Cable rows etc. The rear delts are pulling muscles. To isolate the rear delts, do some type of bent-over raise. You can do them standing up bent-over, seated bent-over, lying on your stomach on a bench, etc. If you find that your rear delts are lagging, do some type of bent-over raise, not just for aesthetics, but to avoid potential injury when doing heavy over-head presses.

So what does this have to do with a beginners "shoulder" work-out? Well, unless you want work your front and lateral delts twice in one week, it makes sense to work them on chest day. Unless you want to work your rear delts twice in one week, it makes sense to do bent-over raises on back day, and not with front and rear delts.

Just something to keep in mind. :)

[edd91]

Originally posted by Scar
and a little bit of the inner chest..



Sorry but you can't isolate the 'inner' chest, the muscle fibres in your pectorials run horizontally, you recruit a whole fibre not half a fibre