Why do people work their shoulders so much?

[clutcher45]

EVERY MUSCLE should be worked. That's obvious.

But there are certain muscles which clearly get more attention than others, like:

Chest
Lats
Shoulders
Quads
Hamstrings

For example, if you look up the most popular routines in bodybuilding, they are usually centered around 5 core exercises that target each of these muscles. Squats target quads mainly, deadlifts target hamstrings mainly, bench press targets chests, barbell rows target lats, and overhead press targets shoulders...

But ...

Do you guys notice one muscle group that doesn't fit in?

Yup, shoulders. It's the SMALLEST muscle group in the list, and it's actually much, much smaller than the other ones.

My question is, why do shoulders get so much attention in so many famous routines, when it's a relatively small muscle? For example, you don't see any bicep isolation exercises in stronglifts or starting strength, yet overhead presses are always there? Why?

Personally, whenever I do a routine, I ignore all overhead presses from it (for example, Starting Strength and Allpros have you doing overhead presses 3 days in a week), and then I just squeeze in 1 day in the week where I work my arms in general: so biceps, triceps, and shoulders, all in 1 day.

[bLinkMoore]

Shoulders are crucial for getting that V-taper. Bodybuilding routines are designed (surprise) to "build your body". You want a full chest, wide back, broad shoulders, and you don't want to be the guy with chicken legs.

Also, shoulders get their own lift because they aren't hit in the other exercises. Yes, bench press engages your front delts a little bit, and keeping tight form on squat will *technically* engage your shoulders--but don't expect to get bowling ball shoulders from doing those exercises.

Triceps, however, are massively worked in bench press, and biceps get a lot of work from any pulling motion; rows and pull-ups primarily.

Ignoring an entire lift from a routine is a bad idea. The program is there for a reason, and leaving out part of it will hurt progress.

I, for example, have always had good shoulders. I've climbed since I was about 4 (actual climbing, not just playing around in trees) so my rear delts grew great, and I had some solid caps. I basically neglected shoulders for the first year of lifting while I focused on bringing up lagging parts, and now my shoulders are a lagging part. My physique has suffered noticeably because I felt left shoulder work out of my routine for too long.

No offense meant, but if you're following a novice routine, you probably aren't knowledgeable enough about lifting to challenge the techniques in the program in favor of something that you think makes more logical sense.

TL;DR, Shoulders don't get as much activation from bench press and rows as the biceps and triceps, therefore needing their own, specific exercise

[yoked4women]

if your shoulders aren't broad, you're doing something wrong

and you look dumb with skinny shoulders

[johndoethethird]

Shoulders make your physique "pop" and gives you a better V-Taper with and without clothes. Biceps and triceps are much smaller muscle groups and I see people hammer away every other day if not every day.

[gcoulson]

I'm confused. You argue against shoulders being in a routine because they're a small muscle...but then add triceps and biceps?

[health4life24]

Every muscle should be given attention. Simple.

Novice routines typically don’t have a lot of isolation for arms because they are worked during many compound exercises. And a novice doesn’t need the same amount of volume that someone who is more advanced does.

Obviously as you get more advanced, things change.

[OldFartTom]

Warning: This post may contain traces of irony. if you have an allergy or intolerance... Do Not Consume

Whadayamean bro, Shoulders are hooooge (only front delts of course), biceps, (maybe traps), abs, pecs, triceps, quads.... But what are these hamystrings you speak of? does Kris Gethin have them (or Brad Pitt in fight club?), if so I want a big-sized bottle of some and where in the mirror should I be looking to find them?

[Cleveland33]

For example, you don't see any bicep isolation exercises in stronglifts or starting strength, yet overhead presses are always there? Why?

when you overhead press the way they teach it in Stronglifts or Starting Strength, it's more chest than shoulders, which is why it's so important.

[AkiraFudo]

Shoulders are front-middle-back push&pull also the women think shoulders are hot

[andy0w]

Perhaps shoulders are important.

I'm just starting. And during warmup I get totally knackered when I involve my arms shoulder high or overhead.

[Nubygaines]

EVERY MUSCLE should be worked. That's obvious.

But there are certain muscles which clearly get more attention than others, like:

Chest
Lats
Shoulders
Quads
Hamstrings

For example, if you look up the most popular routines in bodybuilding, they are usually centered around 5 core exercises that target each of these muscles. Squats target quads mainly, deadlifts target hamstrings mainly, bench press targets chests, barbell rows target lats, and overhead press targets shoulders...

But ...

Do you guys notice one muscle group that doesn't fit in?

Yup, shoulders. It's the SMALLEST muscle group in the list, and it's actually much, much smaller than the other ones.

My question is, why do shoulders get so much attention in so many famous routines, when it's a relatively small muscle? For example, you don't see any bicep isolation exercises in stronglifts or starting strength, yet overhead presses are always there? Why?

Personally, whenever I do a routine, I ignore all overhead presses from it (for example, Starting Strength and Allpros have you doing overhead presses 3 days in a week), and then I just squeeze in 1 day in the week where I work my arms in general: so biceps, triceps, and shoulders, all in 1 day.

no starting strength does not have you press 3 days a week, a proper low bar back squat works the entire body from the back down, the deadlift also works whole body, in fact when I did starting strength my biceps and traps grew more than they ever did before on any other routine I ever did, my late grew thick and wide and my forearms looked like baby Popeye...all from deads.

[Nubygaines]

EVERY MUSCLE should be worked. That's obvious.

But there are certain muscles which clearly get more attention than others, like:

Chest
Lats
Shoulders
Quads
Hamstrings

For example, if you look up the most popular routines in bodybuilding, they are usually centered around 5 core exercises that target each of these muscles. Squats target quads mainly, deadlifts target hamstrings mainly, bench press targets chests, barbell rows target lats, and overhead press targets shoulders...

But ...

Do you guys notice one muscle group that doesn't fit in?

Yup, shoulders. It's the SMALLEST muscle group in the list, and it's actually much, much smaller than the other ones.

My question is, why do shoulders get so much attention in so many famous routines, when it's a relatively small muscle? For example, you don't see any bicep isolation exercises in stronglifts or starting strength, yet overhead presses are always there? Why?

Personally, whenever I do a routine, I ignore all overhead presses from it (for example, Starting Strength and Allpros have you doing overhead presses 3 days in a week), and then I just squeeze in 1 day in the week where I work my arms in general: so biceps, triceps, and shoulders, all in 1 day.

And to add, OHP isnt an isolation exercise its a shoulder triceps, upper back and when done properly core and leg exercise, assuming your squeezing your quads to get that full body tension

[jk202]

Show me any lifter (particularly natty) who's shoulders are too big

[Nubygaines]

when you overhead press the way they teach it in Stronglifts or Starting Strength, it's more chest than shoulders, which is why it's so important.

no. Its not more chest. Its more total body with the shoulders and triceps doing the bulk of the work

[DCSpartan]

. Squats target quads mainly, deadlifts target hamstrings mainly, bench press targets chests, barbell rows target lats,

None of the above is true.

Those are all compound lifts which hit multiple major muscle groups. I doubt you spend as much time in the gym as you did writing that ridiculous post.

[Cleveland33]

no. Its not more chest. Its more total body with the shoulders and triceps doing the bulk of the work

Not the way it's taught by Ripp and by extension the guy from Stronglifts.

[sooby]

They're all compound movements, you're approaching this in a complete vacuum. You're building full body strength and size.

[Nubygaines]

Not the way it's taught by Ripp and by extension the guy from Stronglifts.

the chest assists of course but its obviously not more chest. If you doubt open up the starting strength book and read the chapter on the press

[pondman]

If you are doing OHP, heavy with a bar, your whole body is going to get involved. It's going to task your tricep, but just at a different angle. OHP should be a lift you want to do. It can build mass throughout your body.

[Zjunky]

Shoulders get a lot of work because they are not a single muscle like a bicep, but a group of small muscles. You bicep curls your upper arm to your lower arm - that's it. The shoulders push, pull and rotate. Each motion has a different muscle in charge of that.

The different exercises use different angles to make sure you hit each muscle. With the shoulders, even a simple push can be a complex exercise.

[Nubygaines]

If you are doing OHP, heavy with a bar, your whole body is going to get involved. It's going to task your tricep, but just at a different angle. OHP should be a lift you want to do. It can build mass throughout your body.

this!!

[DCSpartan]

I dont think OP lifts.

[gcoulson]

I dont think OP lifts.

Na. Classic troll thread. Start a controversial thread, and then step back to watch the fallout without contributing to the discussion.