12 sets for shoulders = too many?

[bornagainalco]

Most muscle groups I do a max of 9 sets, but because shoulders have 3 heads I do 3 x seated dumbell press sets to warm them up, then 3 x isolation sets for each head. Is this too many sets?

[Mark1T]

Most muscle groups I do a max of 9 sets, but because shoulders have 3 heads I do 3 x seated dumbell press sets to warm them up, then 3 x isolation sets for each head. Is this too many sets?

I asked this question yesterday, basically, and Defiant1 concurred that as long as you do your shoulder routine 1x per week, it is ok.

I actually do 20 sets 1x per week. If you do them 1x per week, you gotta smoke 'em.

[Defiant1]

I asked this question yesterday, basically, and Defiant1 concurred that as long as you do your shoulder routine 1x per week, it is ok.

I actually do 20 sets 1x per week. If you do them 1x per week, you gotta smoke 'em.

Yepper. Delts can take a lot of work.

[DiamondDelts]

Yepper. Delts can take a lot of work.

As always I agree with D1 on this. The delts respond well to high volume.

[al1]

Don't delts get hit on chest and back day as well?

[Rokk]

Don't delts get hit on chest and back day as well?

Yes, but if worked on a weekly basis with 3-4 days b/t chest and delts, they should recover.

[Defiant1]

As always I agree with D1 on this. The delts respond well to high volume.

Everyone, we are exactly the same person. We are from that Star Trek episode where Kirk got split into two parts.

[DiamondDelts]

Everyone, we are exactly the same person. We are from that Star Trek episode where Kirk got split into two parts.

He is I and I am him.

[Moreps]

Like most people I used to train delts on their own once per week and It was definitely overtraining. Not good. Why? I compete. Sometimes 6-8 shows per year. My shoulders started to improve when I cut back to 2x and sometimes 1x per month. No more than 6 total sets.
I did a NYS show last year where the head judge told me afterwards that my shoulders came up considerably from the year previous, especially the caps. My "secret"? 3 sets of heavy push presses and wide grip dips.
Figure that one out.

[DiamondDelts]

Like most people I used to train delts on their own once per week and It was definitely overtraining. Not good. Why? I compete. Sometimes 6-8 shows per year. My shoulders started to improve when I cut back to 2x and sometimes 1x per month. No more than 6 total sets.
I did a NYS show last year where the head judge told me afterwards that my shoulders came up considerably from the year previous, especially the caps. My "secret"? 3 sets of heavy push presses and wide grip dips.
Figure that one out.

Presses only workouts for the delts work for some but not all. Some people will need isolation. It all depends on how good your genetics are. If you have naturally square shoulders, you might be able to get by with just presses. But to build my delts up I had to add in isolation movements due to my natural sloped shoulders. I did heavy presses with strict form for years and my shoulders still looked ****ty until I started adding in some isolation movements for them.

[Moreps]

Presses only workouts for the delts work for some but not all. Some people will need isolation. It all depends on how good your genetics are. If you have naturally square shoulders, you might be able to get by with just presses. But to build my delts up I had to add in isolation movements due to my natural sloped shoulders. I did heavy presses with strict form for years and my shoulders still looked ****ty until I started adding in some isolation movements for them.

Actually I don't believe my genetics are all that great. Like most of us here, I must scratch and claw for every ounce of muscle. I used to believe that I had naturally "sloped" shoulders as well. What basically corrected this imbalance was heavy back workouts focusing on weighted chins, BB rows, T-bar rows, and parallel grip weighted chins which hits the rear delts very hard. Over time, these excercises gave my narrow clavicles the illusion of width and corrected some postural flaws too.

Another strange tidbit: Whenever I go through a 6-8 week cycle of front squats, where I'm balancing a heavy weight across my front delts, it greatly increases my shoulder thickness.

[DiamondDelts]

Actually I don't believe my genetics are all that great. Like most of us here, I must scratch and claw for every ounce of muscle. I used to believe that I had naturally "sloped" shoulders as well. What basically corrected this imbalance was heavy back workouts focusing on weighted chins, BB rows, T-bar rows, and parallel grip weighted chins which hits the rear delts very hard. Over time, these excercises gave my narrow clavicles the illusion of width and corrected some postural flaws too.

Another strange tidbit: Whenever I go through a 6-8 week cycle of front squats, where I'm balancing a heavy weight across my front delts, it greatly increases my shoulder thickness.

Yeah, I use the same exercises in my back workouts. But you got me on the front squats thing. My delts have never grown from those.

[imageek]

I do 20+ sets for my shoulder, 8 sets of side laterals alone, I'm a masochist. I do them to the point I can't side lateral a 10lb DB.
I work my shoulder once a week, 3 days after chest day.

[$AJ]

i think it's a lot, esp. considering how many sets you get for then from other places.

[MDogg]

I do very little shoulder isolation work, used to not do any at all. Now I do 2 to 4 sets and my shoulders have always been way ahead of my other muscles.

[DiamondDelts]

I do very little shoulder isolation work, used to not do any at all. Now I do 2 to 4 sets and my shoulders have always been way ahead of my other muscles.

Can I borrow your genetics for a little while.

[Rocky_Maivia]

12 sets pfft.

I've been doing 10-14 sets on Tuesday and 10-14 on Friday. Totalling up to 28 sets / week. My delts are fuller and thicker as a result of it. My T-shirts are getting tight.

[DiamondDelts]

12 sets pfft.

I've been doing 10-14 sets on Tuesday and 10-14 on Friday. Totalling up to 28 sets / week. My delts are fuller and thicker as a result of it. My T-shirts are getting tight.

Noooooooooooo! I want to be the only person in the world with big delts!

I mean,um, pftt,pftt. You are obviously overtraining and need to cut back you shoulder training to 4 sets one day a week like the norm on this board used to say.

[Rocky_Maivia]

Noooooooooooo! I want to be the only person in the world with big delts!

Your reign of shoulder terror shall soon be over Diamond. I shall be the shoulder master of the universe. All those with puny shoulders will bow down before me!

I mean,um, pftt,pftt. You are obviously overtraining and need to cut back you shoulder training to 4 sets one day a week like the norm on this board used to say.

Yeah. What was I thinking *smacks forehead*

[GGHT]

Noooooooooooo! I want to be the only person in the world with big delts!

I mean,um, pftt,pftt. You are obviously overtraining and need to cut back you shoulder training to 4 sets one day a week like the norm on this board used to say.

LMAO

[MrSinister]

yep i do 12, 3 for anterior, lateral and posterior, and 3 sets of shrugs.
I always make sure i never do shoulders until a day after chest/back or a day before respectively.

[BleedingIRUN]

I did 14 today with shrugs at the end, dont know if i pushed it extra till the net morning.. so well see

[Retoaded]

I did 14 today with shrugs at the end, dont know if i pushed it extra till the net morning.. so well see

Need to get in Delorean and set Flux Capacitor next time.

[frogman2121]

Most muscle groups I do a max of 9 sets, but because shoulders have 3 heads I do 3 x seated dumbell press sets to warm them up, then 3 x isolation sets for each head. Is this too many sets?

You can do just one warm up set, don't need 3. What do you mean by max 9 sets per muscle group? Like 9 sets for chest, 9 for bis, etc? Either way you don't need more than 3x per exercise. Lift heavy and keep it low volume otherwise you're just wasting time doing cardio...