SHOULDERS: The Only TWO Exercises You Need For GROWTH!

We’re back with my ONLY TWO exercises you need for growth series and this time we are targeting SHOULDERS! 

Believe it or not, most lifters don’t really understand the anatomy and functions of their shoulder muscles and as a result, they do not understand how to properly target them for GROWTH.  They pick way too many exercises for such a small muscle group and end up getting nowhere, fast. Also keep in mind that with too many exercise variations you’ll end up frying your shoulders and reducing their contribution to lift as much weight s possible on your chest, back or arm days.

The truth is, you only need TWO exercises to train your delts properly and this is NOT minimalistic training, this is training SIMPLE.

Exercise #1: Barbell Shoulder Press (6 Sets: 6 – 8 Reps)

The first shoulder exercise you absolutely need is the Barbell Shoulder Press. The reason why you’re doing a barbell press rather than with dumbbells is simply because you will be able to handle more weight. Dumbbells require more core control and stability, which is AWESOME, but not needed for our goals right now which is pure OVERLOADING (aka Mechanical Tension) for growth. But there are a few key components I want you to keep in mind when pressing.

1.  Use A Shoulder-Width Grip

You DON’T need to go super wide with this movement. Just grab the bar about shoulder-width apart or very slightly wider. This way, you’ll be able to use more of your triceps without straining your wrists or even worse, your shoulder joints.

2.   Perform A Full Range Of Motion

This range begins with the barbell touching your upper chest and ends when your elbows are locked out, your shoulders are ELEVATED and your head is pushed THROUGH the barbell.

3.   Do NOT Bounce The Weight Off Your Chest

Instead, try to maintain the following tempo. SLOW negative, briefly touch your chest, EXPLODE up with maximum force and repeat.

Complete 6 sets of 6 – 8 reps with about 90 seconds to 2 minutes rest between sets, and don’t be afraid to take advantage of cheat reps on the last few sets. A great thing about the barbell is that when you start to fatigue you can crank out a few more reps by utilizing a push-press. You will essentially skip the concentric phase of the movement, but still focus on controlling the negative. So don’t be afraid to add a bit more weight on your last set, just utilize the push-press if you get stuck on rep 6, but want to finish strong with 8.

Exercise #2: Dumbbell Reverse Fly (6 – 7 Sets: 10 – 15 Reps)

Now, although the basic Barbell Shoulder Press will target all three deltoids (front, middle & rear), you DO WANT to add a bit more focus on the often-neglected rear delts. But let’s go over a few quick things before you start bending over and flailing your arms around.

1.   Do NOT Rush Your Reps!

Unlike the barbell press, the reverse dumbbell fly is a precision movement. If you go too fast, you will never feel your rear delts activate and all will be for nothing.

2.   Focus On Holding At The Top

Start with the dumbbells hanging beneath your chest and then explosively lift the dumbbells out and away from your torso. HOLD for 1-2 seconds and then return to the starting position (WITH CONTROL) and repeat.

3.   DO NOT Engage The Upper Traps

Maybe even have someone hold your phone and film you for a set. If you’re RAISING your shoulders (or shrugging) while performing the reverse fly, then you’re activating too much of your upper traps.

Once you have proper form nailed down, complete 6 – 7 sets of 10 – 15 reps and remember to keep the rest periods SHORT! You want to focus on METABOLIC STRESS with this exercise so 45 to 60 seconds rest between sets is all you need to power through and see GAINS!

A quick trick you can utilize to help you isolate your rear delts more is to rest your forehead on a bench with your upper body almost parallel to the floor. Once in place, start performing reps still utilizing the three tips I just mentioned. The big difference this time however is you don’t have to worry so much about core control and can focus a bit more on the movement.

Conclusion
Be sure to give this workout a shot and if you want to combine it with back, chest, or arms that would work great! If your shoulders are a lagging bodypart, you can even hit them one more time after a hardcore leg day for double weekly sessions.