how to strengthen shoulders??

[tay1506]

I have really week shoulders compared to the rest of my body. I was just wondering if someone could tell me what they would do to focus mostly strengthening the shoulders??? Usually I do a max of 6 reps on bench and focus mostly on core strength with rows, dips, pullups, etc , but my shoulders are still struggling pretty bad.

Thanks in advance for the replies!!!

 

[silver_shadow]

try heavy push presses. start off with sets of 5 and pyramid up to heavy doubles and singles. then a back off set of 5-6 strict presses. do this instead of bench for some time (maybe 8 weeks) and off course, look to push those numbers higher each week.

 

[Lee]

upright rows and shoulder presses should help

 

[Protobuilder]

tay: what's your program look like? That'll help people know how best to help you.

Silvershadow has a good idea. You just need to start working an overhead press of some sort and focus on adding weight to the bar consistently over time, while eating to support your growth. A real easy program might look something like this:

Strict standing military BB press on Tuesday, for example, and heavy push presses on Friday. Tuesday, you might pyramid up through 5 sets to a top set of 5, and strive to add anywhere from 1 to 5 pounds each week (but 2.5 is a good jump for ohp and even 1.25 pounds is a good jump if you're not pressing heavy weight). Then, on Friday's push presses, you might pyramid up through several warmup sets and then try 3 straight sets of heavy triples, focusing on really popping the weight up and supporting it strongly at lockout. I wouldn't drop flat pressing completely though. I'd just work it in/around your overhead pressing. You could do your OHP work either after flat bench, or on diff't days. Set out your program.

 

[Tweakle]

Patience stacked with consistancy

I took some time off training shoulders everytime I got an injury and as a result I've not been happy with my overhead strength or shoulder development.. focusing on seated presses with the bar from a dead stop for the last three months has brought it up a lot.. dumbbells help as well, you might actually be stronger with DBs than the bar when it comes to overhead pressing if your leverages are anything like mine.

Focus on overhead pressing, do it everytime you train pressing moves and accept that doing it after chest means it'll suffer a little at first.. but you adapt

 

[tay1506]

Im 5' 8" 190 and i mostly run something like a WSB i never really know what im gona do before i start working out. I just have a problem recovering from direct shoulder work for some reason. It might have too do with the fact that i most likely tore my rotary about 5 months ago on my left shoulder and i hurt my right not too long ago also, but not as severe. I can row 225 5 times and bench 260+, but can't even do 12 pullups. I sometimes do military presses i can only do about 135 6 times. I guess ill just start focusing on military and then bench. I was even thinkin about some cleans and other olympic lifting. I really can't do much else with the 600 $ setup i got since i don't have a bench. It's just so aggravating and i think thats why my bench is stalled.

Thanks for the help!!

 

[Protobuilder]

This is real simple.

i never really know what im gona do before i start working out.

You can military 135x6. That's pretty decent. And that's probably just showing up any day of the week and deciding to try military. Now imagine if you implemented some focused order into your workouts. You'd start working on the military press at predetermined, regular intervals. That weight would shoot up, no question.

 

[tay1506]

I don't think it is good at all i should be able to do my body weight and compared to my other lifts it sucks. I kinda take back i don't know what im gona do because i do to some extent. I always floor press and row since i can only go to 90, but besides that im not sure. It just depends how I feel, but i always work out to the best of my ability with usually 2 upper body 2 lower body days.

 

[Protobuilder]

Good luck.

 

[salemlot]

Do you do anything to strengthen your rotator's? Like you could use a mini band to strengthen them and it may help strengthen your shoulders indirectly. I can't do pullup either i can bench 375 but probable can't do 3 pullups.

 

[tay1506]

I used to do this thing thats kinda like a wheel that u turned to strengthen my rotaror's, but i now work at home. Maybe ill order some bands from elitefts.com or somethin. About 4 weeks ago i played some football and i was the QB and the next day my shoulder hurt as bad as when i tore my left one, but it went away 4 days later thank god. So thats definatly something to put into mind.

 

[medical]

Actually TORE your cuff 5 months ago!?!? Dude, RC's can take a LONG time to heal (as in years!). You could just be really unbalanced. Be careful......

 

[tay1506]

Yeah it hurts when i lift heavy however i heal very fast for the most part and i try not to think about pain. Just about 3 weeks ago i broke my foot and diden't go to work for 2 days, but besides that i still lift heavy even though it hurts alot. Speaking of breaking bones and stuff i was wondering if anyone knows why i have week tendons and bones??? I broke my left foot walking up stairs. I broke my hand punching a wall. I also crushed my growth plate stepping down a step at a park about 3 years ago. The doctor said it will most likely not grow back right, but he ended up taking the cast off 2 weeks early. When i walk my ankles just give out alot and sometimes a just bust my ass for almost no reason at all. My left one does it more than my right i think because my right is strong because thats how i broke it in the first place. Ive always wondered why that happens and never asked a doctor about it. Anyways just thought maybe someone would have some idea and maybe know how to strengthen my ankles.

Thanks for the help everyone that has commented!!!

 

[silver_shadow]

here's a strengthen your ankles thread:
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=488097

 

[BennyGunnz]

the only thing that worked for me throughout my time lifting was heavy DB presses followed by Military presses, 4 sets of each repping 12,10,8,6

 

[cactus_jack]

I feel my shoulders are weak but not as weak as before. I started doing a seated military press on a smith machine. I started doing about 150 5 times now Im doing 220 for 3 reps no on this and all my other shoulders lift have followed with strength. Maybe give it a try, I will warn you though. My shoudler joints are starting to ache more doing this weight cause its real heavy for me. So maybe use it to jump start your program only.

 

[tay1506]

I do military presses and have gone from about doing 95x1 to 135x5. I don't think that machines(smith machine) contribute that much to strength gains. They also do not work your stabalizers which may end up getting you hurt in the long run.

 

[Illuminati]

Im 5' 8" 190 and i mostly run something like a WSB i never really know what im gona do before i start working out. I just have a problem recovering from direct shoulder work for some reason. It might have too do with the fact that i most likely tore my rotary about 5 months ago on my left shoulder and i hurt my right not too long ago also, but not as severe. I can row 225 5 times and bench 260+, but can't even do 12 pullups. I sometimes do military presses i can only do about 135 6 times. I guess ill just start focusing on military and then bench. I was even thinkin about some cleans and other olympic lifting. I really can't do much else with the 600 $ setup i got since i don't have a bench. It's just so aggravating and i think thats why my bench is stalled.

Thanks for the help!!

I know that I'm jumpin on this a little late, but if you are running a WSB style set up for your workout, then you dont need to do much, if any shoulder work. in powerlifting your shoulders take a beating from everything (any pressing, deadlifting, and squatting) so it really isn't necessary to hammer your shoulders and worry about strengthening them. The only thing that you should be concerned with is making your 3 lifts go up. As long as they go up, you should be happy, and not worry about anything else. As a powerlifter, if you feel as though you need extra shoulder work, train them once every 3 or 4 weeks

 

[tay1506]

Well my workout is usually set up like a WSB style, but I think my shoulders are still lacking. I would like to be just as good at every major compound lift as I am at the 3 including military press. Everytime I go heavy on bench my shoulders are killing me afterwards which leads me to believe I could put up more weight if they were stronger.

 

[Smurfy]

it seems that since you have somewhat recent injuries to both shoulder capsules, you are having pain following pressing movements such as bench. that's expected really. also, remember that most everyone has SOME sort of strength imbalances in their bodies meaning some are weaker in the chest and stronger in the back, some have stronger shoulders and weak legs/hips, etc. shoulder strength may be one thing that lags for you. just be careful that you dont force yourself too much on the shoulder strength when you have had recent injuries there. like someoen else already mentioned, rotator cuff injuries have the potential to cause long-term lingering issues. the last time I dislocated my shoulder was probably 10 years ago, but to this day I continue to have lingering pain inside the joint after movements such as lateral raises, upright rows, flyes, etc.

but to answer your questions about what movements will most likely aid in shoulder strength, I have found that push presses, standing strict BB presses, cleans and also Incline bench have all contributed to my shoulder strength which overall for me is one of my strongest body parts.

 

[Illuminati]

Well my workout is usually set up like a WSB style, but I think my shoulders are still lacking. I would like to be just as good at every major compound lift as I am at the 3 including military press. Everytime I go heavy on bench my shoulders are killing me afterwards which leads me to believe I could put up more weight if they were stronger.

I missed the part where you talked about your previous injuries. sounds like you haven't given yourself enough time to heal from when you got injured.

also, who wide of a grip are you using when you bench?

 

[tay1506]

My Grip is almost to the rings on the outside. A little more than shoulder width apart.