Shoulders holding me back on chest day

[jakestorm]

Hey guys, so i recently changed my routine from Chest/Bi's and Back/Tri to Back/Bi's and Chest/Tri's. For the sake of muscle confusion.

I've stuck to my original routine for about 2 months and everything went well.

Now, i switch to this new routine, and i complete the Back/Bi's day with relative ease (no problems there....bit of a different feel)

However, once i get to Chest/Tri's, my shoulders feel like they give up on me. I can hardly do any of the benchpress sets or anything involving shoulders for that matter. I use to be able to complete them with my original routine, but not anymore. I dont want to get weaker! I want to be able to push my maxes beyond my limit

Im suppose to be working out my chest/tri, not shoulders...what gives? I feel kind of discouraged because i have to lower the weights dramatically in order to continue with my set..

THis is the 2nd week i've been doing this and it feels like sht. I feel i gotten weaker and its not helping me out.

Please help!

Cliffs:

-Tried out new routine (Chest/Tri)
-Cant complete bench sets and other cuz shoulders getting exhausted
-Have to lower weight to complete sets
-Should i switch back to Chest/Bi

*EDIT*

Full routine:

-Monday : Back/Bi (used to do Chest/Bi)
-Tues: rest
-Wed: Chest/Tri (used to do Back/Tri)
-Thurs: rest
-fri: shoulders/traps
-sat: rest
-sun: legs

[AplhaLift]

Hey guys, so i recently changed my routine from Chest/Bi's and Back/Tri to Back/Bi's and Chest/Tri's. For the sake of muscle confusion.

I've stuck to my original routine for about 2 months and everything went well.

Now, i switch to this new routine, and i complete the Back/Bi's day with relative ease (no problems there....bit of a different feel)

However, once i get to Chest/Tri's, my shoulders feel like they give up on me. I can hardly do any of the benchpress sets or anything involving shoulders for that matter. I use to be able to complete them with my original routine, but not anymore. I dont want to get weaker! I want to be able to push my maxes beyond my limit

Im suppose to be working out my chest/tri, not shoulders...what gives? I feel kind of discouraged because i have to lower the weights dramatically in order to continue with my set..

THis is the 2nd week i've been doing this and it feels like sht. I feel i gotten weaker and its not helping me out.

Please help!

ugggg

cliffs?

[jakestorm]

ugggg

cliffs?

not used to doing cliffs but here lol

[dabbe]

why dont you pre-exhaust your chest with some flies, or cable crossovers before hitting bench

or

get stronger shoulders xD

[B-ryminD09]

use to have the same problem. when do u do shoulders? and what else do u do w/ shoulders?

but what i did, was to make sure i had like 3 days inbetween shoulders and chest day, and gave shoulders their own day, well i'd do traps w/ shoulders, but yea.

edit: also make sure ur form is good on bp. squeze ur shoulder blades together, tuck ur elbows, and bring the bar down to ur lower chest.

[henryrox]

Fix your form and also you shouldn't feel jack **** in your shoulders during back day unless you are not properly engaging your back.

[musclemanmike23]

Your shoulders aren't holding you back, I'm going to go ahead and assume that your lack of working out your shoulders is holding you back. Your shoulders are just one of the crucial parts for powerful bench press movements. Without strong shoulders and triceps, you won't get the most out of your full ROM movements. Based upon the routine you've displayed, I don't see any shoulders routines, or leg routines, abs, etc. So I'm just basing my own opinion upon the info given (Just incase you were wondering and so there isn't any confusion or me being bias with no reason.)

So if there is more than just the chest/tri's and back/bi's in your routine, please post them! So maybe I, or other experienced weightlifters/bodybuilders, fitness trainers, etc etc can help you out. If not, then I suggest that on your chest/tris day, and you're bench pressing, then stick to partial reps, so you arent working your shoulders and tri's as much (and then focus on tris on other exercises in your tri routine.) But I highly recommend you stick with full ROM movemnts, if you lack the shoulder routine, or get on in there! Your full ROM benchpress won't get any stronger without strong shoulders and tris (as I have already reiterated.)

[JAXXED_MACC]

why dont you pre-exhaust your chest with some flies, or cable crossovers before hitting bench

or

get stronger shoulders xD

agreed

[jakestorm]

i usually start off working out my triceps and the first exercise i do is Close Grip BP.

By then my shoulders are already getting kind of exhausted. Once im completely finished my tricep workout, i lack shoulder strength in order to push the bar on my chest portion of the workout.

I never had this problem when i used to do Chest/Biceps instead of Chest/Triceps.

Should i revert back or get used to it?

[B-ryminD09]

i usually start off working out my triceps and the first exercise i do is Close Grip BP.

By then my shoulders are already getting kind of exhausted. Once im completely finished my tricep workout, i lack shoulder strength in order to push the bar on my chest portion of the workout.

I never had this problem when i used to do Chest/Biceps instead of Chest/Triceps.

Should i revert back or get used to it?

either go back to chest/bi's, or hit chest before tri's.

[s1mon]

someones already said it - you need to pre-exhaust your chest by doing cables or flies before your bench or dumbell press, that way your shoulders wont give out before your chest _b

[musclemanmike23]

someones already said it - you need to pre-exhaust your chest by doing cables or flies before your bench or dumbell press, that way your shoulders wont give out before your chest _b

That wouldn't solve anything. His problem is his shoulders, not his chest. Which is why he should do some shoulder work. If he pre-exhausted his chest before he did his bench press movements, he would do that much worse, since he doesn't have the shoulder strength, hence feeling even weaker than he did before, hence a weaking of his mentality, and not lifting as well.

Perhaps you should read over my comment, and tkae something from that.


Btw, I'm not trying to downplay your advice S1mon, and the previous posters whom have said the same thing, or along the lines of the samething, since that's good advice if he wanted to change up his chest routine, and confuse his muscles, or pre-ehxhaust them, but that's not case in this scenerio. He needs shoulder strength, so his shoulders don't give out. Afterall, it is logical, isn't it?

[spencer13]

i posted a topic on this earlier and people replied to me like i was crazy. i did traps/shoulders yesterday and thought that was why i couldnt bench today and people told me that wasnt it

[jakestorm]

I havent switched up the days of my workout specifically. I train my shoulders/traps , 2 days after my Chest/Tri's. (they dont feel sore by then).

Here is what i do for shoulders incase you guys are wondering:

Standing military press: 3x8
Alternate side lateral raises: 3x10
Reverse Flyes: 3x10
Rotary cuff exercises: 2x10
Alternate shoulder raises: 3x10


My question is, should i go heavier on the shoulders? Because i really want to solve this problem so that i dont get too discouraged.

I have no access to cable/machines that gyms have and gym membership is out of the question for now.

Im sticking to barbells/dumbells only guys

[B-ryminD09]

i'd throw in either arnold or just normal db presses, and upright row to ur shoulder day.

[musclemanmike23]

I havent switched up the days of my workout specifically. I train my shoulders/traps , 2 days after my Chest/Tri's. (they dont feel sore by then).

Here is what i do for shoulders incase you guys are wondering:

Standing military press: 3x8
Alternate side lateral raises: 3x10
Reverse Flyes: 3x10
Rotary cuff exercises: 2x10
Alternate shoulder raises: 3x10


My question is, should i go heavier on the shoulders? Because i really want to solve this problem so that i dont get too discouraged.

I have no access to cable/machines that gyms have and gym membership is out of the question for now.

Im sticking to barbells/dumbells only guys

If you want to build more mass and strength into your shoulders, then by all means go heavier, however, heavy reps usually are in the 3-6 rep range, and i would keep doing what you do for the rotator cuff, since that exercise is not meant to go heavy on. Just keep building upon those rotator cuffs, and you'll have powerful, strong and massive shoulders!