Wide shoulders have long been considered a sign of courage. Of course, appearance is not the only indicator of a person’s assessment, and is often misleading. Nevertheless, they are “greeted by clothes,” and in our case, by physique. The wider the shoulders, the narrower the waist, and the more athletic a person looks. Therefore, men like to work out their shoulder muscles, despite the fact that their training is associated with a number of difficulties.
Training of this muscle group is hampered by the fact that they quickly get used to the loads, have an anatomically complex structure and are very prone to injury. Therefore, to make your shoulders really big, you need to take the training process very seriously. Today we will find out what features the study of the shoulders has, and we will figure out how to swing the shoulders correctly. And the advice of experienced bodybuilders will help us with this.
Anatomy
Before you learn how to properly and quickly build up your shoulders, you need to understand the structure of this muscle group and the principle of its work.
So, the brachial muscle, which is also often called the deltoid, consists of three departments (bundles): front, middle (it is also lateral) and back. Each of the beams performs a separate function and is involved in a separate movement. Therefore, for each department there are certain exercises that work only on it. The front section raises a hand in front of him, the middle - upward through the side, and the back - takes his hand back. Thus, one muscle receives a very diverse load.
Many beginners, not understanding the structure of the shoulder, think that it is one muscle of a spherical shape, which needs to be pumped up with heavy shells, lifting them up (standing barbell press, weight bench press, etc.). Such an approach is obviously doomed to failure. Moreover, it is not only ineffective, but also traumatic.
The deltoid muscle is located on a very fragile shoulder joint. Therefore, it is very important to maintain accuracy and regularity in training, as well as not to overload it. The fact that it consists of three sections indicates that basic exercises for normal muscle growth will not be enough.
Training Features
Based on the fact that the delta consists of three beams, it would be logical to assume that it is necessary to work out each of them separately. The uniqueness of a muscle is not even that it is divided into three sections, but that these sections are responsible for completely different movements. For example, triceps also has three bundles (for which it was called the “triceps muscle”), but the load vector for them is not much different. In the case of the shoulder muscle, everything is much more complicated.
Therefore, heavy presses, which are often carried away by beginners, are not effective without isolating exercises. It is also worth remembering that heavy basic exercises with an illiterate approach can cause serious injuries. This is especially true for the bench press from behind the head, the trajectory of which is unnatural for the shoulder in terms of anatomy. Therefore, for starters, it is better to choose a bench press of the barbell from the chest as a basic exercise.
In order for the basic exercises to give a result and not bring unpleasant consequences, it is worthwhile to select the right weights, follow the ideal technique of movement and make a training program wisely. Now let's find out how to swing your shoulders correctly. A photo will help us quickly understand this issue.
Basic exercises
Basic exercises are called in which several joints are involved, and, in addition to the target muscle, a number of auxiliary muscles participate in the movement. Such exercises are more dangerous than isolating ones, but they allow you to effectively gain weight and increase strength. Without these exercises, shoulder training will be ineffective and incomplete.
Bench press standing or sitting
This is the most common basic delta exercise. Therefore, it is considered a classic of bodybuilding. Thanks to the bench press, you can use all the bundles of the shoulder, but the emphasis will be on the middle section. If you slightly change the position of the elbows, and replace the direct grip with the reverse, then the load will shift to the front deltas.
But this is not recommended, since the front bundles are already quite actively involved in all bench exercises. As already mentioned, the press can be done both from the chest and from behind the head. The second option is more dangerous, so it is not suitable for beginners.
It is recommended to start the training day with bench presses . Since these are multi-joint exercises, they require full concentration and take a lot of energy. Therefore, leaving them in the end, an athlete tired of other exercises runs the risk of serious injury.
The seated version of the bench press removes the load from the lower back and has a more insulating character. It is recommended to practice both exercises.
The bench press on the simulator Smith
This exercise performs the same function as the previous one, but it is much safer. Another difference is the exclusion from the work of muscles that stabilize the position of the body and arms. Smith's simulator allows you to fully focus on the study of the target muscle group. Exercise is great for beginners who need to master the technique.
More experienced athletes are advised to use this exercise to “finish” their shoulders after performing a simple bench press. The fact is that in the classical bench press a number of stabilizing muscles are involved, which get tired faster than the target muscle. Their fatigue leads to the fact that it becomes difficult for the athlete to hold the projectile and he puts himself at risk. The bench press in the Smith simulator allows you to maximize the load on your shoulders, even if the stabilizers are tired.
Dumbbell bench press
We already know how to swing your shoulders with a barbell, now we’ll move on to a more affordable exercise machine - dumbbells. From the point of view of technology, this exercise is similar to the two previous ones. However, it has its pros and cons. Of the minuses, it is worth highlighting the fact that the working weight of the dumbbells is less than the weight of the barbell. But a large amplitude compensates for this drawback and allows you to work the muscles deeper, which, of course, is a plus. In addition, when each arm has a separate projectile, muscle stabilizers are more involved. They give the arms a more natural amplitude from the point of view of anatomy than with a bar press.
Therefore, this exercise is suitable for those who are looking for the answer to the question: "How to swing your shoulders with dumbbells at home?" After all, almost everyone can afford dumbbells, unlike a bulky and expensive barbell. Of course, this is not the last exercise with this type of weight, but it is the only one of the basic.
Shoulder pull (pull rod to chin)
Another useful basic exercise, without which making shoulders large is very difficult. Like the previous exercises, the shoulder pull involves all the delta bundles. In this case, the main load falls on the rear beam, which is very important. Firstly, this department always lags behind in development, since its anatomical function is rarely used by humans. Secondly, this bunch is quite voluminous, so it gives the shoulders a complete impressive appearance.
Isolating exercises
Discussing the question of how to swing your shoulders correctly, we move on to the second class of exercises. Isolating exercises are aimed at ensuring that a particular muscle is pumped with maximum quality. They alone do not bring much effect in terms of the development of strength and mass, but together with basic training they can achieve excellent results. In addition, it is thanks to isolating exercises that it becomes possible to work out one or another section of the muscle without affecting the others.
Performing these exercises after the basic, you can maximize the load on the shoulders. Heavy weights in this type of training are not needed. Here, in the first place is the perfect technique. The athlete must feel how the muscle is loaded throughout the movement. So, let's find out how to properly swing your shoulders with dumbbells using isolating exercises.
Dumbbell Breeding
Perhaps this is the most common exercise for working out the middle (lateral) bundle of the deltoid muscle. How to swing your shoulders with his help? This exercise, like other isolating exercises, requires maximum concentration from the athlete. Try to lift dumbbells precisely due to the average beam of deltas. For this, the arms should be straight and parallel to the body. Jerks are unacceptable, as they significantly reduce the effectiveness of the training and relieve the load from the target muscle. At the lower and upper point of the amplitude, it is desirable to make small pauses. It is recommended to do the lift faster (but do not use inertia), and lowering more slowly. During lowering, you should feel a burning sensation in the middle beam of the delta. You can perform the exercise with both hands at once, or separately or alternately. The main thing is to follow the perfect technique.
Front dumbbell lift
The same principle works here as in the previous exercise, only now the front muscle of the deltas is the target muscle. It gives the shoulders a complete harmonious look. Since this exercise is very inconvenient for muscles, it is recommended to take small dumbbells to maintain the correct technique. You can raise your hands with any grip, but the most effective is neutral - when the palms are turned to the body.
Dumbbell Dumbbell Breeding
The third exercise with dumbbells is based on the same principle as the two previous ones. Now, the posterior bundle of the shoulder muscle enters work. The starting position in this case is different in that the housing must be tilted so that it is almost parallel to the floor. In order to improve the mental connection of the brain with the shoulder, you can rest your head against a vertical bench. Hands should be raised smoothly, but swiftly, and lowered - as slowly as possible. To increase the effect, you can slightly bend them at the elbows.
Reverse dilutions
Here the same movement occurs as in the previous exercise, only the body maintains its even position thanks to a special simulator. This exercise not only provides an accentuated load to the posterior deltus bundle, but also strengthens the small muscle-rotators of the shoulder, which help the main muscle in almost all exercises. It is recommended to perform reverse dilutions at the very beginning of the complex on the shoulders, with low weight.
How to swing your shoulders: training plan
Having examined the basic exercises that will help us in working out the shoulders, we will figure out how to correctly draw up a training program so that they produce the maximum effect.
So, it’s worth starting the study of the shoulders with basic exercises, and ending with isolating ones. For the shoulders to be large and strong, they need not an extra-large weight, but a large number of repetitions. Therefore, basic exercises should be done up to 15 times per approach, and isolating ones up to 20 times. The progression of loads here also takes place. Progression in the context of bodybuilding is a regular increase in the load, which is done so that the muscles do not get used and constantly develop.
And another crucial point is that shoulders love variety. As already mentioned, the shoulders have a very complex structure and fairly broad anatomical functions. In this case, the shoulder joint is not very strong. Therefore, deltas quickly respond to the load applied to them and get used to both constant weights and exercises of the same type. So, when answering the question of how to swing your shoulders in the gym correctly, one cannot fail to mention the diversity in the training plan. For example, one lesson needs to be opened with a barbell press, the next with a dumbbell bench press, then a bench press in Scott's simulator and so on.
There are not so many isolating exercises, so there is not much choice. But you can change their sequence. For example, if today the first was to lift the dumbbells in front of you, then the next time you start is to move your arms with dumbbells, and so on. Below are the training options that you can simply alternate. Start a lesson with a couple of warm-up approaches with a light weight.
How to pump muscles of the shoulders: a set of exercises
Basic exercises are done in 4 approaches, and isolating - in three. The number of repetitions for basic and isolating exercises was mentioned above.
First option:
- Bench press on the Smith simulator.
- Breeding hands in the simulator.
- Breeding dumbbells.
- Lifting dumbbells in front of you.
The second option:
- Bench press standing.
- Lifting dumbbells in front of you.
- Breeding dumbbells standing.
- Breeding dumbbells in the slope.
The third option:
- Dumbbell bench press sitting.
- Breeding dumbbells standing.
- Breeding dumbbells in the slope.
- Lifting dumbbells in front of you.
There are many such programs. It is recommended to add a second basic exercise over time to increase the load.
Many people ask questions like: "How to swing your back and shoulders?" This question is incorrect. As well as the question "How to swing arms and shoulders?". The fact is that, when preparing a training plan, you need to ensure that the antagonist muscles are not worked out in one day.
Therefore, the muscles that help each other in work should swing together, so that the next day they will have a good rest, while their antagonists will work. Usually the shoulders are worked out with the chest and triceps, as these muscles insure each other in many exercises, while the biceps, back and abs are not involved at all. Therefore, it is impossible to train the shoulder and biceps or the shoulder and back at the same time, since the next day, when training the chest and triceps, the whole body will hurt.
Supersets
Supersets are a good option for isolation training - several exercises for different parts of the muscle without respite. Thus, the superset for the brachial muscles with dumbbells can look something like this: arms spread + arms raised + arms tilted. Then comes the rest, and everything repeats again. This complex is good in that, despite the study of different beams, the muscle is in tension for a greater amount of time, which leads to its rapid growth.
Conclusion
Today we learned how to swing your shoulders at home and in the gym. This muscle is quite specific. On the one hand, he is beloved by men, because he gives the figure an athletic shape. Many beginner athletes in this regard only think about how to build shoulders and arms, which is completely wrong, because you need to develop in a comprehensive manner.
And on the other hand, the shoulder is quite difficult to work out and is very sensitive to injuries. Therefore, in order for it to develop, you need to try and monitor the perfect adherence to technology. Shoulder training is also good because you can do it at home with simple dumbbells if you wish. How to swing shoulders with dumbbells, we already know. And no special simulators are needed here.