Exercises in the gym on the shoulders. How to build shoulders in the gym. What safety precautions must be followed during training

Shot from the movie "The Incredible Hulk"

For men, inflated shoulders are visually wider, for women, well-designed deltas (another name for shoulders) create an excellent illusion of a narrower waist.

In fact, it is the shoulder-to-hip ratio that forms that great proportion that everyone is talking about so much - the hourglass. It looks beneficial for both men and women.

Shoulder biomechanics and deltoid anatomy

Before starting to review the best delta exercises, you still need to understand the anatomy of the shoulder joint.

Therefore, in the next few paragraphs - the theory we need to understand how to generally "pump" our deltas, because the technique of basic movements is the key to success on the way to rounded and embossed shoulders.

First of all, it is important to remember that the shoulder joint is the most mobile joint, providing most of the movement of the shoulder girdle. It allows you to move your hand forward / backward, from side to side to turn it in and out, move it along the body in front and behind, and rotate counterclockwise and clockwise. It is also worth remembering that the shoulder joint is also the most fragile, which is why it is very susceptible to injury.

Why are the shoulders called "deltas"?

It's simple: the deltoid muscle is the shoulder. It, this muscle, can be divided into three bundles:

Anterior bundles (anterior delta)

Participate in lateral abduction of the arm during external rotation of the shoulder. Their role in shoulder flexion is small, but they help in this movement of the pectoralis major muscle (elbow just below the shoulder). Promote the muscles of the subclavian, pectoralis major, and broadest back during internal rotation of the shoulder.

Lateral bundles (middle delta)

They are involved in the lateral abduction of the shoulder when it is in internal rotation and in horizontal abduction during its external rotation, but practically do not participate in the horizontal extension of the shoulder (during its internal rotation).

Rear bundles (posterior delta)

They take a large part in horizontal extension, especially due to the small participation of the latissimus dorsi in this movement in the horizontal plane.

The other horizontal extensors - the infraspinatus and the small round muscles - also work together with the posterior portion of the deltoid muscle as external rotators, as if in contrast to the internal rotators - the pectoralis major muscles and the broadest.

The posterior portion of the deltoid muscle also plays a large part in the overextension of the shoulder, supported by the long head of the triceps.

With the theory finished, let's move on to practice - exercises.

Front delt exercises

1. Bench press or army press

By nature - bench press. According to the degree of involvement of the joints in the work - basic (polyarticular).

The most common front delta exercise.

Technique: we take the barbell in our hands from the floor / from the racks, throw / place it at chest level, laying it exactly on the collarbone. On inhalation, we lift the bar above our head, on exhalation, we lower it to the initial position - on the chest.

I recommend moving the barbell slightly behind the head in the peak of the positive phase (when the bar is at the very top), as weightlifters do, because then the load on the shoulder muscle is maximized, and the ligament suffers less damage from the load.

Watch your back in the exercise - do not bend it too much, so as not to overload the back extensors and not to overstrain. And do not shvung the projectile (by sitting down at the moment of lifting) - this way you will not get the load into the muscle we need.

Do 8 to 10 reps per set. The exercise is basic, because a large number of repetitions will simply tire not only your shoulders, but also the synergistic muscles (accessory muscles) - and also overload the stabilizers - the abdominal muscles and those same extensors that I mentioned earlier.

2. Bench press sitting from behind the head

By nature, it is also a bench press. According to the degree of involvement of the joints in the work - basic.

Technically, the exercise is very similar to the military bench press, but there is one key difference and one minor one. Secondary - our position is now sitting, which means that the possibility of shvunganut the barbell (lift with the help of a squat with legs) is definitely excluded.

The key difference is that we raise the projectile from behind the head and lower it similarly behind the head. This manner of execution allows you to stretch the front delta a little more, BUT (!) Follow the technique very carefully!

All movements from behind the head are a colossal load on the rotator cuff of the shoulder, which, in turn, is very fragile. Hence another important point: in this exercise, take less weight, and do more repetitions, then the risk of injury will be minimized.

3. Seated Vertical Dumbbell Press

By nature - bench press. According to the degree of involvement of the joints in the work - basic.

The exercise is not much different from the previous one. The only difference is that we have dumbbells in our hands, which means that it will become a little more difficult to stabilize (control) the weight, as a result of which the front delta will load better and more pointwise.

In addition, dumbbells allow you to increase the range of motion. Try not to lower the elbow joint too much, it should not be significantly lower than the shoulder joint at the peak of the negative phase (during lowering). In terms of breathing, everything is similar to the previous exercises.

It is also advisable to take the whole thing a little less, and the repetition range to vary from 10 to 20.

4. Lifting dumbbells in front of you

An excellent exercise for "finishing off" the front delta. Technically as simple as possible.

Initial: dumbbells are lowered, stand straight, feet hip-width apart. While inhaling, we raise the dumbbell in front of us "to the horizon" (the level when the shoulder, elbow and wrist joints are extended in one line parallel to the floor). As you exhale, the dumbbell is lowered into the original exercise.

Despite the fact that the nature of the exercise is swinging, it should be performed as closely as possible. In addition, due to the fact that the movement is isolated, you should not lean on heavy weights - it is fraught with injury.

Take dumbbells light, perform a large number of repetitions - from 15 to 20. By the way, when performing hands, you can either alternate or do both at once.

Exercises for middle deltas

5. Swing with dumbbells to the side

By nature - flywheel. In terms of the degree of involvement of the joints in the work, it is isolated (small-joint).

Perhaps the best exercise for the middle delta beam. It is precisely this that allows us to acquire round, spherical shoulders that make us wider.

There are incredibly many options for the technique of this exercise: someone suggests making the movement as controlled as possible, someone suggests throwing a dumbbell slightly in the positive phase (during lifting), and already in the negative phase, lowering it under control. I will tell you about the exercise through the prism of the classical technique.

Put your feet at the width of the pelvis, the dumbbells are lowered in the starting position.

While inhaling, take the dumbbells to the side to such a level that the shoulder is just above the elbow, and the elbow is just above the hand, then the innervation (inclusion) of the middle bundle of deltas will be maximum.

As you exhale, lower the dumbbells to their original position.

Let me remind you that the exercise is also isolated, so chasing weights in it is a counterproductive idea, since the average bundle of deltas is small and weak in itself, and therefore often invites small stabilizers and the main synergist (accessory muscle), the trapezium, to help.

Stabilizers and accessory muscles will instantly connect if you overestimate yourself and your shoulders by taking heavier dumbbells, and also try to unload our medium beams to the maximum.

So do high reps (15 to 20) with moderate weights.

6. Rod pull to the chin (broach)

Traction by nature. According to the degree of involvement of the joints in the work - basic.

The barbell row to the chin, or as they say in weightlifting - the broach, is a popular exercise and is also often used in the gym.

But you will reasonably wonder why the basic exercise is after the isolated one, and not vice versa, as is always the case? The answer is precisely this - the basic exercise. And this means that, being fresh on the middle delta beams, we will want to take more weight, from which it follows that our equipment will suffer, from which the average delta beams will receive insufficient load.

We will not be able to take a lot of weight with previously tired ovens, which means that we will perform the movement technically and fully load the middle beams of deltas. It's that simple!

Technically, it is also not entirely simple, because you need to pull the bar carefully, without casts, and the amplitude of the movement should be moderate.

Our starting position: we hold the bar in our lowered hands. While inhaling, we pull the bar to the chin line, without taking the projectile far from the body. We bring it to the peak of the positive amplitude (upward movement) - the elbows and shoulders are at the same level, and then on the exhale we lower it until the arms are fully straightened.

The same nuance regarding the weight of the projectile - the bar should not be heavy. Otherwise, you will "miss" the middle deltas and be sure to load the same trapezoidal ones, moreover, load them as if they were agonists in this exercise (the main muscle group, not the auxiliary one).

Rear delta exercises

7. Swing to the back delta with dumbbells in an incline

By nature - flywheel. In terms of the degree of involvement of joints in work, it is isolated.

Finally, we come to the most unpopular bundle of our deltas - the back. Few people in the audience give it due attention, and it is this bundle that makes our shoulder harmoniously developed.

Starting position - the dumbbells are lowered, our body is tilted forward in order to shift the emphasis of the load onto the back beams.

While inhaling, we move the dumbbells to the sides so that the elbow joint is almost equal to the shoulder joint.

In the peak of the positive phase, in no case do we bring the shoulder blades together, so that instead of the shoulders, the latissimus dorsi are not involved in the work.

On exhalation, under control, we return the dumbbells to their original position.

The back is in a neutral position - we do not bend or twist the spine, the legs are slightly bent at the knees.

I think it has become quite obvious that any swinging movement to a small beam is a neat and aimed work, in other words, we take moderate weights and perform a large number of repetitions.

8. Dumbbell abduction to the back delta with dumbbells

By nature - traction. According to the degree of involvement of joints in work, it is isolated.

Despite the fact that the movement is traction, it still remains isolated, that is, the work goes in one short movement in one joint - the shoulder.

Moreover, this exercise is small-joint, but here you can take significant weight, because the posterior delta can be pulled a lot and willingly, it is not for nothing that it is a synergist (auxiliary muscle) in almost all traction movements, including pull-ups and deadlifts.

Starting position: the body is tilted forward, the dumbbells are at the hips, the arms are slightly bent at the elbow joint.

While inhaling, we take our arms back, leaving our arms also slightly bent at the elbows.

The shoulder blades are in no way reduced, so as not to shift the load vector on the back.

As you exhale, we return the dumbbells to their original position.

As I mentioned, more weight can be taken here than in swing movements, but the rep range should also remain high, since the rear delta loves volumetric work.

So, in total, we got 8 exercises for the shoulders. This list is more than enough to build massive deltas.

But do not forget about what I mentioned at the beginning of the article: shoulders are a very fragile muscle group, and therefore you need to approach their training as responsibly as possible.

Warm up thoroughly, use a balanced approach to the choice of working weights, control the exercise technique, and then success awaits you!

Read us, tell us about us, live long and prosper. Thank you for the attention!

By the way, we recently debunked ... Are you sure you know what proper nutrition looks like? So, most likely you are mistaken!

I am sure that experienced athletes who are versed in the issue of periodization of training, biomechanics of movements and the theory of building specialized micro- and mesocycles on their faces have a smile when they read the title of the article. Because there are no most powerful or best exercises. There are more effective and less effective movements, but it is not the exercise itself that is much more important, but how to combine it with others within a weekly cycle.

People who are less sophisticated in sports continue to look for magic exercises, magic powders and magic pills that will quickly achieve results. Unfortunately, there are none. On the other hand, if you approach the issue reasonably, you can actually improve the shape of the deltas and achieve a significant increase in their volume over a very modest period. It took me eight months. After a year and a half, the deltas from a lagging group turned into a dominant muscle group.

Below are some principles to help you build a smart workout program with an emphasis on shoulder development. And, of course, I will show the heels of the most effective exercises for this.

Two major mistakes that hinder the development of mighty deltas

The first mistake

Incorrect exercise technique. Therefore, pay special attention to their description below and on the video - I picked up the highest quality videos.

Because of the crooked technique, people load anything but their shoulders. Traps, back, arms, overload the shoulder joints. In the first three cases, the load is ineffective - too little weight for these muscles or the wrong vector of movement. And the result of the last case will be an injury that will throw you off for a month and a half in training.

Looks at the barbell, "bear grip" - it will all end badly

In addition, here it is worth mentioning the frankly dangerous exercises that can severely damage the shoulder joints. A separate article has been written about this - be sure to read:

Second mistake

Too much load on the deltas, because of which they do not have time to recover. After all, these are small muscle groups that work in almost all pulling and pushing movements during chest and back training.

Let's remember one of the variants of the classic split:

Chest + back
Arms + deltas

During the workout of the pectorals, you have so well loaded the front bundles of deltas. And working on the back, they additionally swayed the rear bundles of deltas. After a day, load the same muscles again thoroughly, but 48 hours is too short to restore them. The muscles are not yet ready for serious work, which is why strength results and, as a result, muscle volume do not grow either.

Moreover, the arms are also loaded well during the workout of the chest and back. It turns out a double blow to all small muscle groups.

Let's add the wrong exercise technique to this whole batch and we will get problems with the development of deltas (and arms too) in those whose muscle groups are not naturally dominant.

The Most Effective Shoulder Exercises

There are a lot of all kinds of exercises for the development of deltas (the shoulder, in fact, is part of the arm from the delta to the elbow, and the deltoid muscle is the very ball of three beams that you want to develop) is great. You can work with blocks, with dumbbells, with a barbell, not to mention dozens of specialized simulators.

Below I will give the most effective movements in my personal opinion, which is not the ultimate truth. It was these movements that I used to work out the deltas to their current state (photo at the end of the article).

First, a little theory. The delta consists of three beams. Front, middle and back. The front one is responsible for pushing movements, the rear one for pulling. The middle delta is partially involved in both cases, plus when the arms are moved to the sides.

In fact, for the effective development of deltas, two basic exercises are enough - the bench press and the deadlift.

There are enough press movements in strength training for any person - all guys love to bench press, decently loading the front delta. But with traction movements they hose. And if they do pull the bar to the chin, then in most cases it is wrong, loading the trapezoid and injuring the shoulder joint.

As a result, we see a situation when the front delta is more or less developed, and the back one is absent altogether. Let's fix the situation.

Army press (bench press standing)

An excellent basic exercise for developing the front delta, which partly involves the middle beam as well. The grip width is average, that is, you take the bar slightly wider than your shoulders. Take it too wide - the chest will steal part of the load, too narrow - overload the triceps, which will fail before the delta works well.

My personal advice is that I do not recommend dropping the barbell below the level of the chin so as not to put a breaking load on the joint. Even if the flexibility allows you to lower the barbell to your chest, you shouldn't tempt fate. The risk of injury does not justify the additional stretching of the muscle for its supposedly better growth.

Note that the military press also trains your core muscles well.

A variant of the exercise from Yaroslav Brin:

Not a bad alternative from Denis Borisov (just do not bend your hands back, the bar should lie on the base of the palm, not on the pads, so as not to injure the hand):

And another interesting option from Adam Kozyra:

Sitting or standing dumbbell press

An alternative to the army press is to do a standing dumbbell press. In the case when there are difficulties with the lower back and a large compression load is undesirable, you can do a dumbbell press while sitting with a slight inclination of the bench (80 °).

Of the features, I will only note the moment where it is necessary to lower the dumbbells - to the level of the ears or so that the angle between the shoulder and forearm is 90 °. Lower it below - create a breaking load on the shoulder joint. Also, do not forget that the dumbbells are on the base of the palms, and not on their pads (calluses).

A variant of the exercise from Denis Borisov:

And from Yaroslav Brin:

Barbell pull to the chin (to the chest)

The second basic movement is for the development of deltas, in particular the middle and back beams. The main mistake is to make this movement, grasping the bar with a narrow grip, and then pull it higher, lifting your elbows almost over your head. In this case, you injure the shoulder joint and force the trapezium to work, but not the delta.

The most effective way to perform the exercise is shown in the video below (wide grip, slight forward bend, pull to the chest, elbows do not rise above the level of the deltas):

Machi (breeding) with dumbbells standing

An excellent option for additional study of the middle beam of deltas, but subject to the correct execution of the exercise. To avoid mistakes, watch the video carefully:

Leads back in the Butterfly simulator (plus swings in the slope)

A couple of additional exercises to work out the posterior beams of deltas will not hurt, since this group most often lags behind in development.

In the backward bending in the Butterfly simulator, it is important to move the shoulders forward and work within the amplitude (it is very short) so as not to use the back muscles:

As for the swings of dumbbells in the slope - similarly: we bring the shoulders forward, the trapezoid is "smeared" on the back, we work within the amplitude (the elbows do not rise above the level of the deltas):

How to intelligently build a microcycle for the development of deltas

If you are a beginner, then with an emphasis on deltas you can not bother at all. Work in Full Body mode and your shoulders will develop perfectly on the presses and deadlifts. It is enough to include an army press, a barbell pull to the chin in the program and alternate these exercises in two basic blocks. I gave an example of such blocks in the first episodes of the BeardyBuilding podcast and in.

If you already have a couple of years of training experience, but deltas are still lagging behind in development, here is a basic diagram of how to cheer them up. Personally, she helped me a lot.

Four-day split:

Monday: legs (3-4 exercises).
Tuesday: chest (2-3 exercises) + front delta (1-2 exercises - army press or dumbbell press, lifting dumbbells in front of you with a hammer grip).
Wednesday: recreation.
Thursday: back (3-4 basic exercises) + back delta 1 exercise (any of the above).
Friday: triceps (two exercises) + biceps (1-2 exercises, after all, when working on his back, he has already loaded himself) + middle delta (2 exercises - barbell pull to the chin, dumbbell swings to the sides).

The meaning, I think, is clear - together with the pectorals, the front delta is well loaded and it is enough to finish it off with 1-2 exercises. Together with the back, the back delta is loaded and one exercise at the end is enough to finish it off. Plus a couple of mid-delta exercises on hand day.

Three-day split

If you don't have the time or desire to do four strength training sessions per week, then add one basic triceps exercise on chest day. For example, a narrow grip bench press or a French bench press. On the day of the back, add one or two biceps exercises (PSB and / or lifting dumbbells for biceps while sitting on an incline bench). On the day of the legs, after training the lower body, do exercises for the middle delta (barbell pull to the chin and standing dumbbell swings).

A specialized version of the microcycle with an emphasis on the upper body

I practiced this option for four months from October last year to January this year inclusive. The point is to visually enlarge the upper body without the need for extra muscle gain. To do this, we make the back more bumpy (emphasis on training its inner part), protruding trapeziums, more powerful deltas, plus pectorals.

Great specialization is obtained if the target muscle group is trained a couple of times a week. In my case, I did four strength training sessions a week, in which I separately worked out the thickness (tuberosity) and width of the back, hammered the deltas a couple of times and a couple of times with the chest. The exercises below are just an example, you can use any of your choice. Two or three warm-up sets, two workers.

Monday (chest + traps + deltas):

Two chest presses for 10-12 reps (for example, a bench press, a 30 ° dumbbell press, or a Hummer press).
Shrugs with dumbbells or a barbell (15-20 reps) + T-row with an emphasis on the chest or linkage (10-12 reps).
Army press or standing dumbbell press.
Pull in the rope handle to the chest.

Tuesday (Legs + abs):

3-4 leg exercises for pumping all muscles (squats with a barbell, leg extension, deadlift, platform press, lunges - 8-12 reps) + (20-25 reps).
Crunches and reverse crunches on the press (20-25 reps 3-4 sets).
Neck (so as not to be skinny against the background of wide shoulders) - lifting the head with a pancake on the forehead and / or on the back of the head.

Thursday (Back Width + Deltas):

Three to four favorite back-width exercises (pull-ups, hummer or bar / dumbbell rows, vertical pulldowns, pullover, etc. - 10-12 reps).
Row of the bar to the chin and swings with dumbbells to the sides (10-12 repetitions, swings can be 12-15 repetitions).

Friday (arms + chest for tone):

One harsh basic chest exercise for three working sets of 12-15 reps. In my case, it was chest push-ups from the bars with a weight on the belt.
A couple of basic exercises for biceps (for example, PSB, lifting dumbbells for biceps while sitting) + a couple of basic movements for triceps (press with a narrow grip, French press, extension in the block, etc.) for 10-12 repetitions.

Briefly about the main thing

The leitmotif of the article is not just to give some basic scheme for work, but to teach the principles of effective development of certain muscle groups.

In particular, success depends both on the correct technique for performing the exercises, and on the reasonable construction of the microcycle, so as not to overload one or another muscle group. Use training for muscle assistants (synergists) if you want to save time and not overload the body. Or intelligently cycle training on muscles that are not related to each other in any way, if you want to work them out as efficiently as possible within the framework of one workout. Moreover, in this case, it is advisable to take one large muscle group and one small one. Let's say chest and biceps, back and triceps, etc.

Developing a beautiful, athletic body is not as easy as it sounds. Here you have to think. At least, if you want to progress, and not stagnate for years.

Exercises for the shoulder girdle are needed, first of all, for women with an A-shaped body type ("pear"), so that the figure becomes proportional. You don't even have to talk about men, because the broad, strong shoulders make the silhouette sporty and look sexy.

The best equipment for strength training are dumbbells and a barbell. Let's talk in more detail about effective shoulder exercises that you can do at home and in the gym.

Basic exercises

Dumbbell press (position - sitting)

When performing such a bench press, three bundles of deltoid muscles are simultaneously involved- middle, back, and especially front.

I.P .: Sitting on a bench with a back (tilt angle - 80–90 degrees), arms are bent, elbows are directed to the sides, forearms are up, palms with a projectile are turned forward.

Hands are straightened, lifting the dumbbells, inhale, exhale, lower it down.

Performing the exercise, make sure that the elbows are directly under the hands, not pushing forward. Exhale on the bench press, inhale when lowering. The back is kept straight without bending.

Arnold press

This is the development of Hollywood actor and bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger. During one of the workouts, he turned his palms around at the lowest point of the amplitude and felt that the load on the deltoids increased than with conventional presses.

The Arnold press engages the front, side heads of the shoulders, to a lesser extent, the posterior heads.

Pressing requires a bench or high-backed chair.

On inhalation, the dumbbells are raised. When the elbows reach chin height, the wrists are gradually rotated 180 degrees. At the top, the palms are already directed away from the face. Having lingered at the top for a second, the hands are also gently lowered, the wrists are turned again so that at the bottom of the palms the palms are again directed to the face. The head is not lowered, the chin remains parallel to the floor surface all the time, the gaze is directed straight ahead.

Even the slightest inaccuracy leads to muscle unloading. Therefore, at the top point, dumbbells are not allowed to touch, the elbows are fully straightened.

Beginners need the lightest weight so that 10 reps can be done effortlessly.

The Arnold press is performed while sitting and standing, and the result is different in each case. So, when doing the exercise while sitting, muscle strength increases, while standing, the mass increases.

Lifting dumbbells to the sides

This classic exercise develops the middle head and visually expands the shoulders.

I.P .: standing, legs are set shoulder-width apart, palms with dumbbells clamped in them are directed downward, arms are slightly bent at the elbows. The body is slightly tilted forward, the abdominal muscles are tense, in the back there is a natural deflection.

Hands slowly raise - slightly above shoulder level. In the upper position, the palms are directed downward or to the sides (thumb down). In the latter case, the shoulder muscles are under heavy loads due to the increase in amplitude.

Lifting dumbbells forward

Such the lift allows you to work out the front of the delta separately from the middle and thoracic regions.

I.P .: the dumbbells almost touch the hips, the body is naturally bent, the arms are slightly bent and fixed at the elbows, only the shoulder joint works.

On inhalation and subsequent holding of the breath, the arms are raised to shoulder level or slightly higher. At the top point, exhale, hands slowly lower. The distance between the upper limbs (shoulder-width apart or slightly wider) is stable.

To make the front of the delta work at full strength, take extremely heavy weight, which can be raised to the desired level.

Video training on the shoulders

High thrust

Another name is used - "pull to the chin". Traction loads the side sections, the front and back sections are also involved in the work.

I.P .: standing, arms slightly bent at the elbows.

The dumbbells are pulled up using the strength of the shoulder muscles, so that their line is parallel to the surface of the floor or slightly higher. At the same time, they try not to use other muscles.

Breeding dumbbells (from a prone position)

This exercise requires an incline bench.

I.P .: lying on an incline bench face down, arms with a sports equipment are slightly bent at the elbows and perpendicular to the body. The arms are raised to the sides until the shoulders are parallel with the floor. When lowering, they maintain tension, but the muscles do not relax.

Push ups

I.P .: emphasis on hands and toes. The palms are spread slightly wider than the shoulders at chest level, directed forward.

Taking a breath, they lower themselves: the arms are bent at the elbows to a right angle, on exhalation they return to I.P.

One-handed dumbbell lift

Exercise trains the supraspinatus muscle- one of four forming the rotator cuff.

I.P .: reclining on your side, the dumbbell is held with a grip on top. The arm is extended along the torso.

The hand is raised perpendicular to the floor, returned to its original position.

Press the bar from behind the head

The weight of the bar is chosen so as to perform 8 repetitions. Exercise is traumatic therefore, it is necessary to accurately master the technique of its implementation.

The exercise can be performed from a sitting or standing position. For diseases of the shoulder girdle, a Smith machine is used. In the lower position, the bar is lowered to the middle of the neck height, not lower - the projectile remains suspended.

I.P .: Sit under the barbell and grab with a medium grip. The elbows are located strictly under the bar, the back is slightly arched. When using the bench, the back is tilted at an angle of 75-80o, rest against it with the shoulder blades.

While inhaling, they hold their breath, raise the projectile, while the elbows are spread apart. The arms are straight at the top and the bar is directly overhead. After a short pause, exhale and smoothly lower the barbell into the I.P., but do not put it on your shoulders until you finish the approach.

Press the bar from the chest

Deltoid and small muscles are loaded.

I.P .: standing, legs apart shoulder-width apart. Bend forward, raise the bar without bending, and put it on the chest.

With a powerful push, the projectile is squeezed up, slowly lowered onto the chest. Make sure that the back remains straight and does not sag in the lower back.

Increase or decrease the volume?

Beginners first master the technique of each exercise, doing 12 repetitions. Start with a low weight that allows you to complete this program.

To reduce volumes

Broad shoulders bother the girls. To lose weight in the shoulders, perform 12 to 15 times in 3 sets.

To increase muscle mass

Workout options for men

Program No. 1

vertical dumbbell presses;
dumbbell press (standing position);
the same, sitting;
alternate lifting of dumbbells to the chin (pull only one hand, the other remains below);
lifting dumbbells to the sides.

Program number 2

bench press (from behind the head);
the same, from the chest;
lifting one dumbbell to the side (lying position);
breeding dumbbells to the sides, standing;
lifting dumbbells forward;
the same, one dumbbell;
dumbbell bench press (sitting position);
the same, standing.

Program for girls

Girls tend to look fragile and feminine, so they are afraid of such exercises. But fears are in vain: only those who strive for such a result and do exercise with a lot of weight are at risk of overdeveloping this part of the body.

Lesson program:

dumbbell bench press from a sitting position;
lifting dumbbells to the sides, forward (alternating movements);
dumbbell pull to the chin;
raising hands with dumbbells on an incline bench.

Deltas are loaded when performing a number of basic exercises. That's why train the shoulders no more than 1 time per week.

Video training for girls

Warming up before training is necessary for the exercise to be of great benefit and to protect yourself from injury.

Here is a set of warm-up movements:

rotate their shoulders back and forth, perform alternately for the right and left shoulder or synchronously for both sides;

rotate with hands, maintaining the greatest amplitude, perform alternately for the right and left shoulder or synchronously for both sides;

the arms are bent at the elbows at chest level and jerk them backwards; swings with straight arms vertically (one time - the right hand is above, the left one is below, two times - on the contrary), they try to take the limbs as far as possible behind the back.

Whatever your deltoid goal, one of these seven workout programs will help you achieve it!

No two athletes train exactly the same. Whether it's the choice and sequence of exercises, the number of sets and reps in each, how long it takes to complete the exercise or set, the length of rest periods, or what training techniques are used, each athlete has their own training DNA.

Among the millions of gym goers, there are probably millions of different shoulder workouts. Personality is good, but certain principles make some programs better than others, especially for specific purposes.

So instead of presenting you with a million ways to build deltas - which will make this article a little time consuming to read - it will be reduced to seven really good shoulder workouts, each focused on a specific deltoid development goal.

Pay particular attention to how you can manipulate exercise selection and order, sets / reps, training volume, and various advanced principles to focus on a particular goal.

If you find a program you like, try it for 4-8 weeks, then go back to your regular workout or try another pattern from the list.

Explanation of training

The training schemes presented do not include warm-up sets. Do as much as you need to, but never push your muscles to failure.
Choose a weight that will allow you to achieve muscle failure within the specified rep range.
If you have a training assistant, do some forced reps on your hardest sets of bench presses. If there is no partner, do drop sets on the last set of each exercise, reducing the weight by about 25% when muscle failure is reached and moving to the second point of failure.

Goal: gain muscle mass in the shoulders

To build muscle, always start your workout with the toughest exercises - multi-joint overhead presses, in the case of delt training - that will allow you to lift your maximum working weight.

In this muscle building workout, the first basic exercise is followed by a second multi-joint exercise, followed by isolation movements for each of the three deltoid heads: anterior, middle, and posterior. Maintaining overall training volume at a high level also promotes muscle growth.

You can make your workout more challenging in several ways. For the overhead press, start with dumbbells, which are a little harder to control and provide more range of motion than the barbell. You will also follow a reverse pyramid pattern that will increase the number of repetitions, bringing the muscles closer to failure.

For the first two sets, use a fairly heavy weight and work in the lower rep range - just 6 - to achieve more strength gains than you would get with slightly higher reps and lower working weights.

As the muscles get tired and fatigued, reduce the weight by about 5 kilograms or 2.5 per side on subsequent sets. Finally, on the two hardest sets, especially on the last one, get the help of a buddy so you can squeeze the last reps.

Since the front deltas get enough load on the chest day, and the middle deltas take on the bulk of the overhead presses, it is not uncommon for the rear deltas to be left out.

In this workout, you will train them before the other two, as long as you have a little more energy. However, feel free to change the order of isolation exercises in this diagram based on your weak points. If you think your delts are balanced enough, simply reverse the order of the isolation movements from one workout to the next.

Workout 1: Increase Shoulder Muscle Mass

Seated Dumbbell Press- 4 sets of 6, 6, 8, 10 reps (rest 2 minutes)
Wide-grip vertical barbell row- 3 sets of 8, 8, 10 reps (rest 2 minutes)
- 3 sets of 8, 10, 12 reps (rest 1 minute)
- 3 sets of 8, 10, 12 reps (rest between 1 minute)

Purpose: relief of the deltoid muscles

Working with light weights for high repetitions is no longer considered the best approach for achieving deltoid relief.

This workout focuses on increasing shoulder size (moderate weight, medium reps) and then large training volume work in conjunction with supersets to increase calories burned both during and after exercise (called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption or EPOC , English excess postexercise oxygen consumption - the amount of oxygen required for the oxidation of the undeoxidized metabolic products accumulated in the body during intense muscular work, this is also called oxygen debt)

Workout 2: Deltoid Bump

Normal execution

Seated Barbell Press

Superset

Standing side raises of dumbbells
Seated Bent-Over Dumbbells- 3 sets of 10-12 reps (rest 60-90 seconds)

Superset

- 3 sets of 10-12 reps (no rest)

Superset

Peck Deck Hand Raises- 3 sets of 10-12 reps (no rest)
Side lifts using an expander or rubber band- 3 sets of 10-12 reps (rest 60-90 seconds)

Objective: Establishing a Foundation for Beginners

This basic workout consists of one overhead press and isolation exercise for each of the three deltoid heads. For the first exercise, use the machine first to understand the sensation of movement before moving on to free weights.

While moving to free weights will initially be a challenge for your coordination, it is better for gaining muscle mass in the long run. Start with light weights to focus on correct technique first. Only add weight when you can fully control the movement.

Workout 3: For Beginners

Seated Overhead Press
Standing side raises of dumbbells- 3 sets of 12 reps (rest 60-90 seconds)
Raising arms in front of you from the lower block- 3 sets of 12 reps (rest 60-90 seconds)
- 3 sets of 12 reps (rest 60-90 seconds)

Objective: development of the middle deltoid fascicle

To make your shoulders look wider, you need to emphasize the middle deltas. This in turn helps to create a V-shaped torso, giving the illusion of a narrow waist. Of course, the key to doing this is to do more exercises that target your mid-deltas.

In addition to basic exercises, you can use different angles of isolation movements for different training stimuli and perform these exercises with medium body displacement earlier in the workout when your strength level is highest.

You can alternate this workout in your weekly split with a more balanced delta workout where all three heads work out evenly (such as Workout 1).

Workout 4: focus on middle deltas

Bench press standing- 4 sets of 8 reps (rest 2 minutes)
Barbell Row - 3 sets of 8-10 reps (rest 60-90 seconds)
Side lifting of a dumbbell with one hand while standing with a slight tilt to the side- 3 sets of 10 reps each arm (rest 60-90 seconds)
Standing side raises of dumbbells- 3 sets of 10-12 reps (rest 60-90 seconds)

Objective: Development of the posterior deltoid fascicle

Rear deltas tend to lag behind both beginners and professional bodybuilders. Simply put, they do not receive the same stimulation as the front and middle deltas, which are active in chest exercises and multi-joint shoulder movements.

The hind deltas receive an indirect load on the day of back workout, but still, too many lifters focus on working out the "mirror" muscles.

If your back deltas are lagging behind in development, simply follow this procedure for 4-8 weeks, or alternate with a more balanced shoulder program.

Workout 5: focusing on the rear deltas

Seated Dumbbell Press- 4 sets of 8-10 reps (rest 2 minutes)
Raising hands with dumbbells while lying on an incline bench- 4 sets of 8-10 reps (rest 60-90 seconds)
Raising hands in a crossover from the upper blocks
Peck Deck Hand Raising- 3 sets of 10-12 reps (rest 60-90 seconds)

Objective: Development of the anterior deltoid fascicle

If you train your chest, you probably already have well-developed front delts. After all, they work in all pectoral exercises, especially those performed on an incline.

But relatively weak front delts will keep you from pumping big breasts, so here's a front delta-focused workout that you can use in place of your regular shoulder workout.

Divide chest and shoulder workouts, especially with an emphasis on the front delts, so that at least 48 hours pass between them, for their full recovery between workouts.

Workout 6: Focusing on the front deltas

Bench press standing- 4 sets of 8-12 reps (rest 2 minutes)
- 4 sets of 8-12 reps (rest 2 minutes)
Lifting dumbbells in front of you- 3 sets of 10 reps (rest 60-90 seconds)
Raising arms in front of you from the lower block- 3 sets of 10-12 reps (rest 60-90 seconds)

Objective: to pre-tire the deltas

As with pectoral workouts, triceps can sometimes be a limiting factor in shoulder training as well, especially when doing presses.

If your triceps always fatigue before your shoulders are properly loaded, you can never bring your delts to full failure.

The pre-fatigue method solves this problem. Here, you first do isolation delt exercises and then move on to doing basic pushing movements while the triceps are still strong. Thus, deltas will fail earlier than triceps.

Even though the deltas will be fresh and strong when doing isolation exercises because you do them first, avoid the temptation to take on heavy weights due to the added tension in the elbow joints.

In addition, since the muscles are already very tired by the time you get to the multi-joint exercises, the machine version of the overhead press may be a little safer.

By switching the exercise order, your muscles will be slightly stronger in isolation movements, but slightly weaker in the overhead press, so adjust your weight accordingly.

Workout 7: the pre-fatigue method

Lateral raise of the arm from the lower block- 4 sets of 8-10 reps each arm (rest 60-90 seconds)
Lifting the bar in front of you in straight hands- 3 sets of 10 reps (rest 60-90 minutes)
Peck Deck Hand Raising- 3 sets of 10 reps (rest 60-90 seconds)
- 3 sets of 8-10 reps (rest 2 minutes)
- 3 sets of 10-12 reps (rest 2 minutes)

What is required

Beautiful and voluminous shoulders are an attractive appearance for both an athlete and an ordinary person. Developed shoulders bring the body shape closer to a V-shape, making the figure more athletic.

Let's take a look at some basic shoulder exercises that will help you achieve a powerful upper and will be a great stimulus for further muscle gain.

How to organize training correctly?

The decision to build up your shoulders does not arise from scratch. Either someone persistently recommended this to you, or in the process of working on yourself, you felt that not everything was in order with this zone. In the first case, the most logical option is to start going to the gym. And you definitely need a coach who will assess your baseline, prioritize and advise a course of effective shoulder exercises.

If you are not new to sports, an instructor is not necessary: you will be able to independently develop a training plan. It doesn't matter where you train - in the gym or at home. The main thing is to have access to the necessary athletic equipment.

And don't forget the three principles of effective training.:

regularity;
continuity;
progressiveness.

In other words, classes need a system. Keep the interval between training days long but stable. The training process itself must be continuous. If you have allocated yourself 1 hour, then during it you cannot take unplanned pauses. It is important to gradually increase the load while maintaining the correct technique.

Shoulder anatomy

The shoulder muscle is otherwise called "delta" for its similarity to the triangular shape of the Latin letter of the same name. The biceps and triceps are located below and do not belong to the deltoid muscle. Therefore, an athlete doing shoulder exercises must understand that as a result, only the top will pump, but not the arms themselves. It is for this reason that delta exercises are suitable for girls who want to have relatively wide shoulders, but do not want to be too muscular.

The deltoid muscle is attached to three bones: the humerus, scapula, and collarbone. When doing the exercises, take into account the individual characteristics of the body. If you have had fractures or dislocations of the listed bones, it is recommended to work out only with a trainer, and the load should be limited. A similar requirement for injuries of the shoulder joints or their ligaments.

The delta consists of three bundles: anterior, middle (lateral) and posterior. We will consider their location and participation in training in more detail in the table.

The two main functions of the delta are: pushing the load away from you and pulling it towards you. These two components give rise to all the variety of movements that we use in exercises to train the shoulders. When we swing in front of us, press with dumbbells and barbells, we develop the push function (front beam). Swings through the sides or in a slope, as well as all kinds of traction - this is the second component (middle and back beams).

For the full development of deltas, you need to perform at least one exercise for each of the beams. Most often, athletes "fall out" the back and middle, since the front one is easy enough to pump due to its participation in all presses, and the exercises for the other two beams are either neglected, or not done enough, or with the wrong technique (for example, swings with heavy dumbbells with cheating) ...

Warm up

- a very important step before every workout. In this case, it is necessary to warm up the shoulders and minimize injuries. For 5-10 minutes, do simple warm-up exercises in the starting position - standing on the floor:

Head tilts in different directions and rotation in a circle.
Circular rotation of the shoulders back and forth.
Alternate raising of hands up through the sides and lowering.
Horizontal hand swings.
Again, circular rotations of the hands back and forth. Then one hand is forward and the other is back. Change hands.

- one of the most common, so pay due attention to the warm-up, do it as carefully as possible.

Basic exercises

We bring to your attention some of the most effective basic shoulder exercises so that you can choose the most suitable for yourself. The first few trainings are best done with an instructor so that he supervises you, explains and shows you the technique.

Also, do not forget about isolation exercises - most of the movements on the middle and back beams are exactly like this, but this does not mean that they are ineffective. You just need to correctly combine the base and isolation, depending on the goals, length of service and training experience.

Bench press from the chest while standing and sitting

Otherwise called the army bench press. This is the most effective exercise for developing the pushing function of the deltoid muscle.

And that's why:

In a free weight exercise, the mass of stabilizing muscles works.
Large range of motion: you can touch the barbell to your chest, you can lower it to the chin if you are uncomfortable doing it too low.
Exercise is within the power of anyone, not just weightlifters. It is enough to choose a comfortable weight.

Advice! The grip of the bar for such an exercise should not be taken too wide or too narrow. The best option: slightly wider than the shoulders. In this case, the forearms in the starting position should be perpendicular to the floor. When lifting the barbell, do not follow it with your eyes. Do not fully extend your elbows - this is true for all shoulder presses.

The exercise can be performed while sitting:

It seems to many that this will reduce the load on the spine, but in fact the opposite is true - the load on the intervertebral discs in this movement will be greater in the sitting position. And if for small weights there is not much difference, and you can start doing the exercise while sitting, and then switch to the standing option, which is more difficult in technique, then with large weights it is definitely worth working only in a standing position.

Another option is sitting in Smith. Here, the movement will be strictly specified by the design of the simulator, which "turns off" part of the stabilizing muscles and slightly facilitates the bench press itself. That is why the weights will be slightly higher here. However, a given motion vector can be a problem - the risk of injury to the shoulder joints increases, since here you will not be able to move the projectile in the plane of the floor, only perpendicular to it.

Bench press from behind the head while standing and sitting

In this exercise, you will take less weight than in the previous version, although the amplitude here is obviously shorter. However, the shoulder joints have less freedom, which increases the risk of injury. In addition, you need to lower the projectile behind your head more slowly and in a controlled manner - you can accidentally hit the back of your head.

Lift the barbell straight up from behind your head, in the same plane as your forearms. Leaning forward is fraught with the fact that you fall and drop the projectile on your neck. If you lean back, you can injure your shoulder joints. It is best to do this exercise in front of a mirror or with an instructor.

The exercise is performed in a similar way while sitting (including in Smith), but for this, as in the previous exercise, you need to have a pumped lower back and a healthy spine. Also, in a seated position, it is more difficult to drop the projectile. While standing, you can step back and forth to adjust your balance.

Many believe that the exercise is aimed at developing the middle beams of deltas. They do work, but the front ones still take on more load. That is why all pressing exercises should be attributed to the base on the front deltas.

Attention! We do not recommend this exercise to anyone. Leave it to those who play sports professionally. The risk of injury to the shoulder joints is too high. This exercise can be replaced with a press from the chest or dumbbells without loss of effectiveness.

Seated Dumbbell Press

Along with the military bench press, this is the best basic exercise for building massive deltas. Many professional athletes even prefer it to the bench press.

It is best to perform the exercise on a bench with a backrest set at or close to 90 degrees. At the top point, you do not need to touch with dumbbells, also do not straighten your elbows to the end. At the bottom, lower the shells to the most comfortable depth.

Arnold press

This is a variation of the previous exercise, which allows you to actively use, in addition to the front, also the middle delta. It was named in honor of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who, by the way, did not have very developed deltas. But the athlete actor still remains the benchmark for many athletes, and such a bench press modification is really very good for the variety of the training process.

The difference here is that in the initial position, the arms with the dumbbells are in front of the head, and not to the side. The grip is reverse, that is, the palms look back. In the process of lifting the shells up, the hands are turned 180 degrees. At the top, everything is similar to a simple dumbbell press. When lowering, a reverse turn occurs.