Do you guys do any direct work for the front delts?

[Yev33]

I have very rarely done any direct front delt work because I was following the common logic that front delts get plenty of stimulation from all of the pressing movements. I have recently started doing them consistently not necessarily for shoulder development but for overall shoulder health. I have always done direct work for the side delts and the rear delts.

[WOOO]

i do... usually front raises as part of a superset

[Montague]

I train them, but very rarely.
When I do, it's usually with a short bar on the cable. I stand with my back to the weight stack, and the cable runs between my legs. Done this way, there is still tension on the front delt fibers even at the lowest position.

[Borracho]

Not me...no rear delt work either. Don't train traps directly either.

But if any of the above muscles begging to lag than for sure I'll start hitting them directly.

[Yev33]

Right now I am doing seated front plate raises with a 45 for 3 sets of 9-12 at the end of my pressing workouts. It's early to tell about the long term, but my shoulders are starting to feel better during my pressing movements.

WOOO how has your overall shoulder health been?

[Yev33]

      Personally I think that there is something to be said about the importance of isoloation work for muscle groups like shoulders, low back, hamstrings, quads, chest. Not just from a development point of view but for balance and injury prevention. I know that Olympic athletes like gymnasts, weightlifters, throwers, etc. don't use isolation movements like these, but then again most of them are late teens to mid twenties and might not feel the same types of aches and pains as those of us who have been training for 10 years and are around the 30 and over mark.

[WOOO]

Right now I am doing seated front plate raises with a 45 for 3 sets of 9-12 at the end of my pressing workouts. It's early to tell about the long term, but my shoulders are starting to feel better during my pressing movements.

WOOO how has your overall shoulder health been?

i had multiple issues back in my football days (left dislocation and several sprains (sub-locations) of both over the years)... they were uncomfortable into my late 20s but these days they're fine... especially since i started doing yoga regularly... my flexibility is pretty good these days and i never have any pain

[Borracho]

      Personally I think that there is something to be said about the importance of isoloation work for muscle groups like shoulders, low back, hamstrings, quads, chest. Not just from a development point of view but for balance and injury prevention. I know that Olympic athletes like gymnasts, weightlifters, throwers, etc. don't use isolation movements like these, but then again most of them are late teens to mid twenties and might not feel the same types of aches and pains as those of us who have been training for 10 years and are around the 30 and over mark.

My left shoulder is messed up and just recently did I consider starting to train my rear delt directly for rehab purposes. What do you think about this though....my right shoulder is and has always been perfectly fine*knock on wood* ...its always been the left one giving me problems on and off ever since I started training years ago.

[Borracho]

i had multiple issues back in my football days (left dislocation and several sprains (sub-locations) of both over the years)... they were uncomfortable into my late 20s but these days they're fine... especially since i started doing yoga regularly... my flexibility is pretty good these days and i never have any pain

ahaha outed!! j.k...
 
It's like you guys are reading my mind over here. Been doing some physio for both my back and left shoulder recently. It turns out my lower spine looks a little too straight and that is causing me pain. So I'm gonna be doing yoga soon to help with flexibility as the lower back stretching exercises I've been doing have helped with my lower back pain tremendously.

[WOOO]

i've mentioned my fondness for yoga several times 

ahaha outed!! j.k...
 
It's like you guys are reading my mind over here. Been doing some physio for both my back and left shoulder recently. It turns out my lower spine looks a little too straight and that is causing me pain. So I'm gonna be doing yoga soon to help with flexibility as the lower back stretching exercises I've been doing have helped with my lower back pain tremendously.

[Yev33]

My left shoulder is messed up and just recently did I consider starting to train my rear delt directly for rehab purposes. What do you think about this though....my right shoulder is and has always been perfectly fine*knock on wood* ...its always been the left one giving me problems on and off ever since I started training years ago.

Everyone inevitably favors one side over the other (to some extent) when doing barbell and even dumbell work so it makes sense to not have an issue with both shoulders, or perhaps one more than the other.

The front, rear, and side delts are relatively small muscle groups compared to the pecs and lats, so I think to say that the 3 delt heads get plenty of work from pressing and rowing might be wishful thinking. In my expirience to properly hit them you have to make it a point to concentrate on them and it's a bit counter productive trying to concentrate on the rear delts when you are doing a heavy set of bent over rows.

This whole thing started to get my attention when I did a 3 times a week full body routine at the beginning of last year. The majority of my isolation work that I used to do got cut out. I started noticing a slight pain in my right shoulder after several months. I didn't think much of it at the time. Then after 5 months I switched back to my usual training and the slight pain went away. Back in last August I decided to do another cycle of full body training, this time it was my left shoulder that started to give me problems. But this wasn't a slight pain, this was damn near a full blown injury. Since then, I have dropped the full body training and my shoulder is getting better and better.

[Yev33]

i've mentioned my fondness for yoga several times 

Nothing wrong with yoga, if it keeps you injury free and improves your joint and ligament health the joke is on the "tough guys" who are getting injured.

I have been meaning to look into doing some yoga myself.

[WOOO]

Nothing wrong with yoga, if it keeps you injury free and improves your joint and ligament health the joke is on the "tough guys" who are getting injured.

I have been meaning to look into doing some yoga myself.

you'll love it... the chicks are hot and they are happy to have you join in

basic yoga is pretty easy if you are in shape but the advanced poses are both challenging and satisfying

[Borracho]

Everyone inevitably favors one side over the other (to some extent) when doing barbell and even dumbell work so it makes sense to not have an issue with both shoulders, or perhaps one more than the other.

The front, rear, and side delts are relatively small muscle groups compared to the pecs and lats, so I think to say that the 3 delt heads get plenty of work from pressing and rowing might be wishful thinking. In my expirience to properly hit them you have to make it a point to concentrate on them and it's a bit counter productive trying to concentrate on the rear delts when you are doing a heavy set of bent over rows.

This whole thing started to get my attention when I did a 3 times a week full body routine at the beginning of last year. The majority of my isolation work that I used to do got cut out. I started noticing a slight pain in my right shoulder after several months. I didn't think much of it at the time. Then after 5 months I switched back to my usual training and the slight pain went away. Back in last August I decided to do another cycle of full body training, this time it was my left shoulder that started to give me problems. But this wasn't a slight pain, this was damn near a full blown injury. Since then, I have dropped the full body training and my shoulder is getting better and better.

Just by visually looking at my delts I would think that the lack of direct work is not a problem. Either way I'm gonna start doing direct work on lateral and front heads to see if theres any relief in shoulder discomfort. Not really looking for growth though especially in the rear delt...hoping light sets of 15 will be enough.

you'll love it... the chicks are hot and they are happy to have you join in

basic yoga is pretty easy if you are in shape but the advanced poses are both challenging and satisfying

I'm pretty stiff...don't know if I'll be able to perform...the yoga.

Seriously though, I'm very inflexible atm. My cardio is up there but flexibility has never been a priority...just realizing now how important it is.

[WOOO]

I'm pretty stiff...don't know if I'll be able to perform...the yoga.

Seriously though, I'm very inflexible atm. My cardio is up there but flexibility has never been a priority...just realizing now how important it is.

takes weeks to feel 'normal' but it's good shit

[Borracho]

takes weeks to feel 'normal' but it's good shit

Gotta start somewhere right...

[Yev33]

Just by visually looking at my delts I would think that the lack of direct work is not a problem. Either way I'm gonna start doing direct work on lateral and front heads to see if theres any relief in shoulder discomfort. Not really looking for growth though especially in the rear delt...hoping light sets of 15 will be enough.

Personally I am not really doing this in terms of development either. I just know that muscle imbalances can cause issues and pain, so from that perspective I want to try and see how this works out. I know a lot of people with shoulder issues and discomfort and I rarely see anyone do any direct front delt work.

I have done my fair share of stupid shit in the gym like doing heavy 4 rep max sets on incline and flat dumbell presses, but I also have always made it a point to have a balance between my back work and pressing as well as direct rear delt work. So I guess when I compare myself to others I know my shoulder health is in damn good shape. But I also know that discomfort is a sign of worse issues down the road so I am trying to be proactive.

[Yev33]

you'll love it... the chicks are hot and they are happy to have you join in

basic yoga is pretty easy if you are in shape but the advanced poses are both challenging and satisfying

Haha, with my work schedule though a yoga dvd may be the best option.

[Montague]

Personally I am not really doing this in terms of development either. I just know that muscle imbalances can cause issues and pain, so from that perspective I want to try and see how this works out. I know a lot of people with shoulder issues and discomfort and I rarely see anyone do any direct front delt work.

I have done my fair share of stupid shit in the gym like doing heavy 4 rep max sets on incline and flat dumbell presses, but I also have always made it a point to have a balance between my back work and pressing as well as direct rear delt work. So I guess when I compare myself to others I know my shoulder health is in damn good shape. But I also know that discomfort is a sign of worse issues down the road so I am trying to be proactive.

I like to do a little rotator cuff work prior to pressing. I prefer doing external rotations using a cable/handle as opposed to the bands because the tension is uniform throughout. I also like doing unilateral Cuban presses with a light plate. These movements help warm and stretch/loosen the area a bit, as well as flush some fluids into the region.
The combination of elasticity, warmth, blood, and synovial fluid makes my delts feel nice and tight (in the good sense) while pressing.

[Borracho]

Personally I am not really doing this in terms of development either. I just know that muscle imbalances can cause issues and pain, so from that perspective I want to try and see how this works out. I know a lot of people with shoulder issues and discomfort and I rarely see anyone do any direct front delt work.

I have done my fair share of stupid shit in the gym like doing heavy 4 rep max sets on incline and flat dumbell presses, but I also have always made it a point to have a balance between my back work and pressing as well as direct rear delt work. So I guess when I compare myself to others I know my shoulder health is in damn good shape. But I also know that discomfort is a sign of worse issues down the road so I am trying to be proactive.

I hear ya brother good luck with that.

[Donny]

I agree 100% with Yev33 who really has hit the nail on the head. you should work all 3 heads of the delts and not just a BB/DB press. I also started to do A plate front raise(holding plate in my hands) thanks to njflex( steve) and his advice in the Mature thread. Tri sets are perfect for delts(in my humble opinion)

[WOOO]

Haha, with my work schedule though a yoga dvd may be the best option.

YouTube and downloads dude.

[Yev33]

you cant isolate any of the 3 heads, jst like you cant isolate upper or lower pecs.

the muscle as a whole grows or it doesnt.

and even if you could, benchpress and military press hit the front very hard, rows hit the rear very hard.

Did you even bother to read all of the posts in this thread or did you just read the thread title and decide to bless us with your opinion?

[Yev33]

I like to do a little rotator cuff work prior to pressing. I prefer doing external rotations using a cable/handle as opposed to the bands because the tension is uniform throughout. I also like doing unilateral Cuban presses with a light plate. These movements help warm and stretch/loosen the area a bit, as well as flush some fluids into the region.
The combination of elasticity, warmth, blood, and synovial fluid makes my delts feel nice and tight (in the good sense) while pressing.

This is something I should have been doing  years ago.

[oldtimer1]

I do my rotator cuff after training. I wouldn't want those little stabilizer muscles weak when I press. I'm thinking about doing some yoga because I'm as stiff as a board. Besides I could be the only guy in the class.