Focusing on the chest-shoulder tie-in

[240 is Back]

I have decent upper chest thickness (due in most part to chest usually being day 1 of my week, before my week gets busy and workouts derail).

I have very weak shoulders. 

I am adding 45 degree side raises to address the very weak rear delts, and consistent BB shrugs to address the small traps (never a focus before).

However i have no idea how to improve the area where my chest and shoulders meet.  Any training advice would be appreciated. thanks!

[Hedgehog]

I have decent upper chest thickness (due in most part to chest usually being day 1 of my week, before my week gets busy and workouts derail).

I have very weak shoulders. 

I am adding 45 degree side raises to address the very weak rear delts, and consistent BB shrugs to address the small traps (never a focus before).

However i have no idea how to improve the area where my chest and shoulders meet.  Any training advice would be appreciated. thanks!

Side raises. And more side raises.

Don't forget about side raises.

The thing you need to do though, is to avoid cheating them, as you seem to have some traps, the true sign of guys going to heavy on the side raises.

Try seated side raises, and machine side raises. Leave your ego at home, and make sure it's the side delts that lifts, and not the front delts.

You could do some Seated DB presses as well, but mainly, make sure to work side raises.

-Hedge

[240 is Back]

medium to high reps?

[Your MAAAAaaaa]

You should stop worrying and build some overall mass first.


ta ta

[Hedgehog]

medium to high reps?

10-15.

Yeah, I'd say that's medium to high reps.

On occasion, do a strip set, where you do 10 reps with perhaps the 15 lbsers, then go instantly to the 12 lbsers, get 8 or so reps, grab the 8 lbsers, bang out 10 more, and so on.

Just changing up things on occasion.

-Hedge

[leonp1981]

I've occasionally used 'W' presses to really hit the side delts.  These can also be done on a slight incline to shift the stress to the front delts.  Basically its just a dumbell press, but instead of pressing straight up, you press up and out, so at the top of the movement, your arms are between 30-45 degrees from vertical.  You can really feel it in the individual delt heads.

For good thick traps, heavy deadlifts 

[lightweight]

Side raises. And more side raises.

Don't forget about side raises.

The thing you need to do though, is to avoid cheating them, as you seem to have some traps, the true sign of guys going to heavy on the side raises.

Try seated side raises, and machine side raises. Leave your ego at home, and make sure it's the side delts that lifts, and not the front delts.

You could do some Seated DB presses as well, but mainly, make sure to work side raises.

-Hedge

I was under the impression he wanted to strengthen the front delt, not the side delt.

[jpm101]

Dips (in all forms) can hit that tie-in area for a lot of people. If your gym has a "V" type dipping bar, which allows an extra wide grip, than so much the better. Or if you can dip with the knuckles facing forward, elbows out, that tends to hit the focus area. Or trying doing a muscle-up/press up on a chinning bar. Check out some gymnast (those on the parallel bars or horse events for example) for that delt/pec blend. Might also try DB inclines, with the DB's held in a hammer grip and pressed closer to the body. Can use a BB too, with a closer grip. Consider the overhead military press, with a closer grip. Do a search for Gironda (might try T-nation.com..had a good article on his methods on "V" bar dipping) for that delt/pec tie-in)

Up-right rows can hit the traps and is an exceptional exercise for the laterial head. And to a lesser degree, the front delts and rear.   Reverse Pec Decks for the posterior head as well as one arm DB rows with the elbows out wide and in line with the shoulders themselves. Might try doing laterial raises while lying on a incline bench, one side at a time. Can also lay on a mat, on your side, with a DB in front on you. Raise it up overhead and lower it behind your back. From the behind position, raise it up and lower back to the starting position. Alternate this way for 8-10 reps.  As far as regular standing lateral raises go, I prefer the slight cheat version. The DB's are held in front of the body, and with a slight heave, raised to a little higher than ear lever. Good mass builder in my view The thumbs are pretty much facing downward at the top  position. Good Luck.

[240 is Back]

You should stop worrying and build some overall mass first.


ta ta

been trying that for 3 years, and still look like a bulky guy who occasionally trains.

since i've been cutting for a few weeks, people have been asking me about it. Losing 5 or 10 pounds of water and fat has made everything cut thru.

[Hedgehog]

I was under the impression he wanted to strengthen the front delt, not the side delt.

Yes.

But IMO, he really needs to focus on the side delts development. And benchpress will help him with the front delts.

Seated DB presses are good for overall delt development too.

-Hedge

[egj13]

You should stop worrying and build some overall mass first.


ta ta

Have to agree.

[Overload]

Incline press...