Lifting - shoulder exercises

wolfi622

OK, I have been able to steadily (albeit sometimes gradually) increase the weight I lift for the large majority of the lifting exercises that I do and I am also steadily shifting more and more of my lifting to "free" weights and away from machines. So here's my problem. I have a heck of a time getting any weight increase for shoulder exercises - overhead shoulder presses, lateral lifts, etc. No problems making strides with bench/chest presses, squats, etc. I am lifting sets of 8 to 10 reps - with the last couple of reps nearly "failures". But for the shoulder related lifts, my "failure" comes at basically the same weight I've been at for weeks. What suggestions would lifting aficionados have?

Thanks

meshashesha2012

you're going to progress slower because these are smaller muscle groups combine that with the fact that dumbbell sizes usually increase by 5 pounds, then it's going to take you a lot longer to see progress.

for instance, i can do overhead shoulder presses at 30 pounds easily, but 35 is hard for me to do more than 3 reps with good form. what i really need is 32.5 but my gym doesnt have that weight. my choices are either to work with the 30 and not make any strength gains, or do a combination of 35 to failure/finish off with 30's.

wolfi622

But on those lifts where a machine is an option (our gym has a LOT of options - in addition to free weights and Life Fitness plate machines etc. there is an entire set of Matrix machines and Life Fitness traditional machines.) On those, I am able to increment the weight by 2.5# each time - so attempting a gradual increase is possible. My problem is that those shoulder exercises cause much more pain and I'm not able to increase the weight as quickly.

meshashesha2012

do you have a shoulder injury?

i have an old issue with my right rotator cuff that flares up every now and then. i've personally found machines to be unhelpful for rehab and general strength gains.

if you do have shoulder issues try something like YTWL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpkV4b94dAU

and

shoulder plate rotations
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qHUUo3VJ3s

sleepytexan

try 5 sets of 5 reps instead.

edit: also try using a bar instead of dumbbells. Many gyms have 25, 30 or 35# bars in addition to the regular 45# bar you can use for overhead presses, either loaded with additional plates, or not.

You can also purchase fractional plates in 1.25 lbs fairly cheaply so you can increase at 2.5 lbs instead of 5 lb increments, or you could try adding 1 lb. wrist weights, either to your wrist, or the bar.

If your issue is getting the weights to your shoulders, try using a power rack and pulling from shoulder height instead of the ground.

Take a look at the stronglifts.com format; 5 x 5, or if you fail, deload until you can make it and go up again. If you fail at lower weights, drop to 3 x 5 until you can go up again.

blessings.

Shfiftyfive

What shoulder exercises do you do? How often do you do them? And can you give a rundown of the weight and setsXreps you've been using for the past few weeks?

crisanderson27

try 5 sets of 5 reps instead.

edit: also try using a bar instead of dumbbells. Many gyms have 25, 30 or 35# bars in addition to the regular 45# bar you can use for overhead presses, either loaded with additional plates, or not.

You can also purchase fractional plates in 1.25 lbs fairly cheaply so you can increase at 2.5 lbs instead of 5 lb increments, or you could try adding 1 lb. wrist weights, either to your wrist, or the bar.

If your issue is getting the weights to your shoulders, try using a power rack and pulling from shoulder height instead of the ground.

blessings.

This is good advice. I do 5x5, and I sometimes stall on my shoulders. Switching reps/sets sometimes helps with that. Usually though, I just load up my first set 5lbs higher, run it until I fail (most often this is well into the second or third set), then deload 5lbs, and finish the rest of my sets. If that fails, that's when I switch my sets up to 8x3 etc for a couple weeks.

NamsdnaL

bump

warmachinejt

dumbbell bench press and db lateral raises. Don't know if it will help add weight but it will help with shoulder development.

wolfi622

Thanks you all. Was travelling all day - my first chance to check this thread again. Have not looked into 5 x 5 at all before now and will.. Also have been reading some pieces on Livestrong speculating that some shoulder lifts are perhaps prone to this and not necessarily all that good for you. Don't know. I have not expertise. FTR, I am a 55 year old male that survived a stroke last year. My health and fitness goals are to get healthier so I do not die. I place no importance on adding size apart from that which will aid my over all health, body fat %,etc. My weight loss goals have been modest - started out as a 20 # goal. I'm nearly there and added 5 pounds loss to that goal as it seems more in line with the lower BF% i am aiming for. I am also a relatively small built person. I have had pretty significant strength gains in the last few months so the lifting is definitely the right track for me. I will need to digest this a bit more. (BTW, primary shoulder exercises include a overhead shoulder press machine currently at 130#, Dumbell shoulder presses both up right and on an incline (45# each side) and the lateral shoulder lifts with 25# dumbells and a lateral shoulder lift machine at 70#. (These are among the lowest weights of any exercise I do but as you can see from the above I am not looking to impress or compete - just get healthy - so I am reluctant to talk about how much or how little my weights are. After all, It's been confirmed for me that lifting heaving is a relative term and as long as I am pushing my max up, increasing weights, etc. them I am making the kind of progress I need for my own improved health.