Shoulder and traps training

[ripitupbaby]

Thanks Rip...did this workout today.  I had to laugh because I was carrying the printout around the gym w/me and referring to it from time to time and a guy goes, "Whose workout is that?"  And I said "ripitupbaby's."  He was like "Who?" lol 

WHAT?  He hasn't heard of "ripitupbaby"??  WTF!!  WHERE has he been?!? 

 

[Butterbean]

WHAT?  He hasn't heard of "ripitupbaby"??  WTF!!  WHERE has he been?!? 

 

[ripitupbaby]

I haven't been doing specific shoulder workouts lately.  I've incorporated some shoulder training into my chest workouts so that I don't overtrain them, and it seems to be working out pretty well.

On my heavy chest days, I do negatives on the bench press.  Until I did these, I had no idea how much they FRY the fronts of my shoulders.   

On other chest days, once a week, I do three sets of dumbell laterals, three sets of dumbell front raises, and three sets of rear delts on the pec deck (reverse).  It seems to be more than adequate for shoulder training.
I have seen some improvements in my strength and am up to 25 pounds on the DB lateral raises, sets of 8-10.   

[trab]

In the shirt - avoid resit the negative. Waste of pressing energy.
"The faster down, the faster up" Louie Simmons.

Hes right, bring it down fast and you may even need row it down the final inches for a touch.
 Then explode.

[ripitupbaby]

In the shirt - avoid resit the negative. Waste of pressing energy.
"The faster down, the faster up" Louie Simmons.

Hes right, bring it down fast and you may even need row it down the final inches for a touch.
 Then explode.

Gotcha.  Things will change when I start using the shirt.  And there will be little to no additional shoulder work when I get a little closer to the meet.

 

[Luv2Hurt]

Well today was delts and traps for me.  I really enjoy training delts, I really think they have the most impact for your physique.

Well I wanted to do front presses in the smith machine but some dude was there doing a marathon chest thing.  We have 4 smith machines in our gym but one the flex one is not good for presses as the bar travels at an angle.  The other one I just never use for some reason?  The other two are the same Icarian I think. The guy was on one and the other one someone had a decline bench in there and lots of weights on the bar and I did not feel like tearing it apart so I decided to do a different workout.  Probally good those circumstances pushed me to do a fairly different work out than normal.

So I started with....

Seated DB lateral raises 6x12-20  The heaviest i went was 35lbs for 2 of the sets at the end with a drop set to finish.  I have never seen the need to use heavy weights on laterals.  See people heaving 50+ around and not growing.

DB Rear laterals on 45 degree bench 5X10-12 25 lbs was plenty for these.

Smith front presses super seated with DB front raise  6x8-15  This had me pushing hard.  I was pre exhausted from the first 2 exercises and this felt great!  I still was able to push some pretty good weight to my suprise.  Front raises used 25's

Then shrugs in smith machine 5X12-15 and DB 2x15

30 Min's on the elliptical and off to eat a couple big cheese burgers 

This is going to be a good gaining season!!  It feels like i have learned a lot about how to train in the last couple years and feel very in touch about what I need now.  I think I will make my best gains this comming year. 

I will compare this pic next summer with how I am then.

[ripitupbaby]

You are still looking lean and mean Luv Baby.   

[Luv2Hurt]

You are still looking lean and mean Luv Baby.   

Well thanks sweetie 

Gonna try and stay within 15 lbs of my comp weight this winter.  That should be plenty to grow on.  That training belt will not get to only 5 holes showing 

[davidpaul]

thats a solid gun right there luv

[Luv2Hurt]

thats a solid gun right there luv

Thanks DP!  I worked hard all summer to try and bring my back and arms up.  Tried some new things and I made some progress, Im still working hard to make them better and they will be 

[Arnold jr]

All time best for me this wk on DB shoulder press...well, in terms of actual weight maybe not, but in my mind it's my best.

Last spring my best was 110lb DB's for 9reps and my form was not as tight as it is now...too much momentum IMO. I weighed 230+ then, so that is obviously not that impressive of a lift IMO.

This wk, weighing 208lbs DB press 100lb DB's for 8 with perfect form IMO

Anyway, I've always struggled with my shoulder training...it's my least favorite bodypart to train, probably because it is my weekest by far in terms of strength. Anyway, I'm happy with this lift for now, even so, based on what I can press with the BB or what I can press on chest lifts I feel it should be higher then this, but like I said, I'll take whatever I can get, lol!

[Luv2Hurt]

All time best for me this wk on DB shoulder press...well, in terms of actual weight maybe not, but in my mind it's my best.

Last spring my best was 110lb DB's for 9reps and my form was not as tight as it is now...too much momentum IMO. I weighed 230+ then, so that is obviously not that impressive of a lift IMO.

This wk, weighing 208lbs DB press 100lb DB's for 8 with perfect form IMO

Anyway, I've always struggled with my shoulder training...it's my least favorite bodypart to train, probably because it is my weekest by far in terms of strength. Anyway, I'm happy with this lift for now, even so, based on what I can press with the BB or what I can press on chest lifts I feel it should be higher then this, but like I said, I'll take whatever I can get, lol!

That sounds great man!  The worst part is getting the bigger DBs into position.  If Im gonna get hurt it will usually be kicking up the DBs, hard on the back cause you have to kind of twist a little to get that 2nd DB up.  So I do these with some trepidation even though I know they are the best excersise for putting the size on the delts IME.

[Arnold jr]

That sounds great man!  The worst part is getting the bigger DBs into position.  If Im gonna get hurt it will usually be kicking up the DBs, hard on the back cause you have to kind of twist a little to get that 2nd DB up.  So I do these with some trepidation even though I know they are the best excersise for putting the size on the delts IME.

Agreed, that is the worst part. That's why having a good partner is a fantastic thing...having someone hand them to you is invaluable IMO. Unfortunately, I've been flying solo a good bit lately, I can always find a decent spotter when I need one, but if it's not someone who is a regular training partner I don't ask them to hand the DB's to me...all I want is the 2nd one handed to me, but for some reason this is a task many can't seem to figure out how to do, lol!

[trab]

Try them Db hooks, I forget the name. Saves the work of cleaning them.
WOrks great.     Powerhooks?

[Luv2Hurt]

Try them Db hooks, I forget the name. Saves the work of cleaning them.
WOrks great.     Powerhooks?

Yeah I think I posted a link to them in this thread and they are a great idea.  Having to hand them to someone sucks, its very akward.  If you have a partner who you are doing them with I guess its better, but still hard for both people.  And yes i would never ask an aquaintence to do it either cause just having to lift them from the ground to hand off is an injury waiting to happen, cause you cant hold them right and you have to lift it kind of high.

http://www.fitstep.com/fitness-equipment-reviews/equipment-reviews/power-hooks-review.htm

[ripitupbaby]

Good for you AJ!

Definitely be careful with kicking them up....I tweeked my back a few years ago (doing deadlifts), and it was kicking up the DBs for presses the next day that finally put me over the edge.  Just what Luv said happened...I twisted my back a little to get them up, and my back was already hurt (I was stupid to be working out in the first place), and that was it...my husband ended up carrying me out of the gym and dressing me the next morning and carrying me to the chiropractor.  I was out of commission for about 8 weeks.  

I've come to learn over the last few months that a good spotter is worth his/her weight in gold.   

[Arnold jr]

I've come to learn over the last few months that a good spotter is worth his/her weight in gold.   

No doubt!

This was several years ago, but I was doing squats one day alone and on my last set I asked some random guy to spot me...I asked if he knew how to spot and he assured me it was no problem. Well, I got a handfull of reps just fine, can't remember how many, but on my last one, I got stuck in the hole...I couldn't budge at all. What did my spotter do? He stood there looking at me until I crashed...a lot of help he was, lol!

Needless to say, I've never asked a stranger for a spot since then.

Good for you AJ!

Awesome, I got "ripitupbaby" approval

[ripitupbaby]

No doubt!

This was several years ago, but I was doing squats one day alone and on my last set I asked some random guy to spot me...I asked if he knew how to spot and he assured me it was no problem. Well, I got a handfull of reps just fine, can't remember how many, but on my last one, I got stuck in the hole...I couldn't budge at all. What did my spotter do? He stood there looking at me until I crashed...a lot of help he was, lol!

Needless to say, I've never asked a stranger for a spot since then.
Awesome, I got "ripitupbaby" approval

I trained alone for three months this fall, and it was while I was trying to figure out this bench press training.  I have sooo many stories about bad spotters.  One time, I had to ask a guy to spot me on heavy negatives.........and then I had to explain to him what a negative is.