Body Building Tips, Working Your Shoulders
So, you're trying to develop an impressive, muscular physique. And you want well-developed shoulders. Thick, round "cannon ball delts" will make your upper body appear wide and powerful and will help immensely in creating the v-tapered look that all bodybuilders strive for. Muscular shoulders is the greatest contribution toward the overall appearance of the upper body, at least, that's what the most of the lifters in the gym will tell to you.
The deltoid (shoulder) is a large three-headed muscle group consisting of the anterior (front), medial (side) and posterior (rear) deltoid. The basic function of the deltoid muscle is to rotate and lift the arm. In order to develop massive, all three heads of the shoulder must be fully developed. It is also important to develop the trapezius muscles as well since they extend from the neck down between the shoulder blades.
The following routine is designed for overall development of the deltoids and trapezius muscles. Although very basic, it is a foolproof way to get freaky development up top. There isn't a single lift out there that can match the incredible shoulder-stimulating effect of a basic overhead pressing movement. Both a barbell and a dumbbell can be used for this exercise, but dumbbells are the best overall choice.
The purpose of dumbbells is to add mass and fully develop the shoulder muscles. Since this is the primary mass building movement in this routine, it is best to start your workout with this exercise. The beginning of your workout is when you are the freshest and have the most energy. This will allow you to handle the heaviest weight possible with the most intensity and focus. I prefer dumbbell presses to other pressing exercises for a couple of reasons.
The next exercise to look into is a basic side lateral raise, which can also be performed with a pair of dumbbells. Side laterals are an isolation exercise and will shift the majority of the stress to the medial head of the shoulder. This will build greater shoulder width and will contribute to that wide upper body look. Stand with your knees slightly bent and hold a pair of dumbbells with your palms facing inward. With a slight bend in your arms, raise the dumbbells up to shoulder level and then lower them back to the starting position.
Training shoulders is always fun. You may have noticed that I have not included specific exercises for just the anterior delts. This is because they will be getting plenty of work when you train chest. Not to mention they will be getting plenty of involvement in the other exercises in the routines. If your front delts are a weak point, you may wish to incorporate a movement that will isolate them fully, but more likely than not, your anterior delts will get enough work and isolating them will not be necessary.
Here is a sample shoulder routine that you can use: Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press - 2 sets of 5-7 reps. Standing Dumbbell Side Laterals - 1-2 sets of 10-12 reps
Bodybuilding exercise for the shoulders are a key to widening the shoulders. Increasing the shoulders' width is the most crucial stepping stone to make them appear broader. All sets should be taken to complete muscular failure where no additional reps can be completed using proper form, if you do that you'll be watching results after a few weeks.