Help with shoulders.

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kwehkweh
kwehkweh Posts: 70 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I do bodypump two times a week and weights on my own once a week. I've gone up at least 20 lbs lifted in each muscular group from where I started EXCEPT for shoulders where I've only gone up about 5 lbs. It's not a big muscle group so I don't expect much from it but even that 5 lbs is really really pushing it. Is it normal for this section to progress so slowly? It's been about 7 months since I started lifting 3 times a week.

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  • daphnemoon
    daphnemoon Posts: 216 Member
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    Oh definitely - my shoulders are SO weak. I've only gone up by 2kg in the shoulder track since I started pump 7 months ago. All the other muscle groups (even my triceps which are pathetic!) are far ahead and I've been able to up my weight several times with them. (I do pump 3x a week too).

    I wouldn't worry, seems to me that even instructors struggle to get anything ambitious on their bar for shoulder tracks. I'm going to try lifting outside class, doing higher reps/lower weights to supplement the pump, hopefully that will help build up my upper body strength.

    It can be frustrating, but there are always going to be certain tracks that are more challenging and where progress is slower. I know I won't be able to increase my bis/tris/shoulders as often as my squat/back/lunge weight, which is fine.
  • kwehkweh
    kwehkweh Posts: 70 Member
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    Thank you! I just really feel like a weakling in that area. Even on the machines it's the only one I'm still in the basics weights. Someone will get off the machine before me and I feel like I need to see if anyone's looking before I move it from their 10 down to my 3 lol
  • Saftlad
    Saftlad Posts: 35 Member
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    Don't stress it, shoulders are a tough area to work. Especially if you're doing the new release (BodyPump 80) Loads of press-ups that really hammer the deltoids and finishing on the bar is great.

    I'm a BP instructor, and I find this release quite a toughy, love it though :-) Propulsion lunges, youch my bum hurts!!
  • kwehkweh
    kwehkweh Posts: 70 Member
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    My regular instructor has been mixing up the releases so I never know which one we're doing. As long as there are no dips I'm happy. I HATE DIPS!!! I miss Arnold presses.
  • daphnemoon
    daphnemoon Posts: 216 Member
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    That's a good point, when our instructors are mixing out they always say things like, 'this is a much shorter squat track so go heavier' or 'this is a longer bicep track so maybe go lighter' but no such recommendations for shoulders, probably because there are always combos of bar, free weights etc. so it is hard to judge whether you can ''test" out higher weights for shorter periods of time.

    Saftlad - I really like 80 now, I did it a few times before Christmas and didn't really get into it (although those propulsion lunges make me laugh every time!) but now my regular gym, which has a much better sound system, has launched it, I'm really enjoying it - especially the chest track!

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