Shoulder day is often a tough cookie to crack, in terms of finding new ways to stimulate the muscle group. After all, there are only so many different ways to hit the shoulders. You can press a weight overhead. Or you can raise a weight from your waist. That’s about it, right? Here are some ideas for sparking some variety into your shoulder routine, in order to keep your routines from getting stale. Mix them up to keep your muscles guessing. As always, use these high-intensity and heavy weight routines only if you have a clean bill of shoulder health, and are properly warmed up!

All-cable day

Cables are popular with many bodybuilders because of their locked range of motion and the continuous tension they place upon the muscle group. If you use a little imagination, you can create a shoulder routine which hits the three major heads (front, side, and rear delts) while using cables. Your joints would certainly enjoy the rest. Here is a sample routine, but you can make your own as well!

• Two-handed cable front raises 4 x 8-10

• One-handed cable side raises 4 x 8-10

• Bent-over one-handed cable raises 4 x 8-12

• Two-handed cable upright rows 4 x 8-15

• Two-handed cable shrugs for traps 4 x 6-8

Shoulder Power Training

This type of training requires you to be healthy (no naggings shoulder injuries), and completely warmed up. Train heavy, to failure, for power, and don’t be afraid to break good form just a little bit, in order to move the most iron. Do not train like this all the time, or you will risk stress injuries to joints and tendons. Your goal is to emulate the training of elite football, track, and other athletes. You want to feel the blood rush into the targeted muscle group, but that is not the primary goal of these workouts. Instead, the primary goal is to move the most weight, as fast as possible. Strength times speed equals power, and that is your goal here!

• Clean and press 4 x 3 repetitions

• Dumbbell side raise 4 x 6 repetitions

• Uprights Rows 3 x 10 repetitions

• Barbell Shrugs 4 x 5 repetitions

Standard routine with emphasis on rear deltoids

• Side laterals - 4 sets of 6-10 repetitions

• Dumbell press - 4 sets of 6-8 repetitions

• Upright rows: 4 sets of 8-10 repetitions

• Behind the neck Military press - 4 sets of 6-10 repetitions

• **Alternate this with Arnold presses every other week

• Reverse Peck deck or bent over laterals - 4 sets of 6-10 repetitions

Twice-weekly routine

Train your shoulders twice per week using reduced volume. A total of six to eight sets per session is usually adequate, after a complete warm-up. Monday and Thursday make great shoulder days in this system, with the weekend devoted to rest. Work briefly, and then move onto another body part.

• Seated dumbbell military press: 3 sets of x 10, 8, 6 repetitions

• Seated Dumbbell side raises*: 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions

• Alternated with bent-over dumbbell side raises for next workout

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