Boulder Shoulders

If you're trying to bring up your delt cap or in layman's term, your shoulders, try this very psychological approach. The shoulders are a very hard to target muscle group and it requires much concentration and imagination to activate the three heads individually (posterior, medial and anterior). 


The Exercise:


Bent laterals superset with lateral raises - I get a very good pump using two 5 lbs dumbbells with these. remember, you don't need heavy weights to engage the muscle fibers in the delts. they're a small muscle group and you can't train them the way you train your legs or back. Train them with light weights til you get stronger. Let us begin... Grab a light pair of dumbbells that you can handle for 15-20 reps. Now, bend over from the waist keeping your chest up and your chin tucked in to your upper chest while letting the bells hang freely at arms length and your shoulders protracted without slouching from your back. With your elbows slightly bent, imagine you're trying to touch the ceiling with your elbows retracting your shoulders as you lift off. Bang out 15-20 reps and without rest, stand erect for the laterals using the same weight as you did for the bent laterals. With your chest high and your tucked to your upper chest and a slight bend on your elbows, again, imagine you're trying to touch the ceiling with your elbows. Don't bring the bells in front of your thighs on the bottom of the movement, this will cause you to swing and use momentum. Instead, bring the bells to your sides or to your hips and pause for a second before every rep. You will feel a very painful burn in your delts and thank me later. But hey, that's just your first set. Do four sets of this combination and let's move to the next exercise.


Machine Presses - If your gym has a decent pressing machine for your shoulders use them. It isn't because it's a machine it's not hardcore.There is a proper way of using this gadget. But if your gym doesn't have any, then use a barbell. First, grab the bar or handles at shoulder width. Keeping your back arched, chest high and your chin tucked to your upper chest, begin the movement having the bar or handles at ears level.Wait, here is the most important part. Pressing up doesn't necessarily mean you should be pushing the weight upward with your hands.Try this instead. At ears level, imagine you're trying to make your elbows meet above your head. this will activate your delts. Do not lockout your elbows at the top to keep the tension in the targeted muscles. Do four sets of this and practice entering doors sideways...