If you are wanting to add more definition and rounded shoulder’s, here’s a great shoulder workout for you.

When I needed to build more rounded shoulder caps for shows, I turned my three days of training into four. It was great how much time I saved, yet got awesome results.  If you have been lifting for a while, enjoy the workout below.  However, if you aren’t used to lifting like this, be sure to follow the important information so you ease into it, use perfect form, and reevaluate along the way to protect your shoulder joints.

EASE INTO DIFFICULTY

Ease into it.  If it’s been a while, don’t even try to ‘feel the burn’ while lifting on your first day.  You want to come back and make lifting part of your lifestyle right?  So ease into it and maybe do 4 exercises to get started and keep the weight much lighter than what you think you should do.  When I start lifting again after a long time off, I look at the weight that I think I can do for the workout, and then lift maaaaybe 60% of that.  I don’t even try to break a sweat doing it because I want to reevaluate over the next couple days if I should do more or not.

EVALUATE YOUR SHOULDER WORKOUT 

Evaluate how you feel the next 2-3 days after.  If you are fine, then you know you can do more of the exercises.  If you are hurting, you did too much when just starting. Seriously, don’t overdo your shoulders. They are complicated joints and easy to injure if you don’t ease into this and use good form.

USE THESE SHOULDER VIDEOS

Use the videos in that shoulder blog post. Form is most important.  As you nail the form, you can increase intensity and difficulty.

WHEN TO TRAIN SHOULDERS

Typically how the program works, is one day for each large muscle group:

1. chest, shoulders, and triceps
2. back and biceps
3. legs and glutes

This method is a total of just 3 hours of training per week (it can take longer if taking too much rest between sets).

As you see above, the shoulders and triceps are included at the end of chest day. However, if wanting to add more shoulder strength and development, you can use the shoulder workout below for a 4th training day.

BURN FAT FASTER WITH LARGER MUSCLE GROUPS

When you focus on those larger muscle groups, you burn fat faster plus get stronger.  Shoulders usually have 2-3 at the most exercises right after training chest.  However, as I mentioned in the shoulder blog post, is that you can have a 4th training day if you want to focus more on your shoulders.

This way, you are gaining strength throughout your entire body, not just trying to target train certain areas. The shoulder workout below is a 4th day training day to focus on my lagging body part.

ADVANCED SHOULDER WORKOUT

The shoulder workout below is super advanced to do them all.  If you have been training for a while, enjoy the workout as is.  If not, I would choose only 4 of the exercises below.  Keep it lighter and don’t try to feel the burn until you can go back to reevaluate how you are feeling. Stay safe and protect your shoulders.

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR WORKOUTS

1. Focus on the large muscle groups as described above.
2. For more developed, rounded, and stronger shoulders, use the shoulder workout below for a 4th training day.
3. Increase cardio or HIIT after you get used to training 3-4 days a week first.
4. How lean you get depends on your nutrition.
5. For maximum results for energy, fat loss, pre-workouts, or gaining muscle, use supplements.  Also always make sure all is ok with your doctor and health care professionals.

THE SHOULDER WORKOUT

MACHINE SHOULDER PRESS:   Warm Up 2 sets: Do 15 half reps of the top half of the movement,  then 15 half reps of the bottom half, and then 15 full reps (45 is one warm up set).

• After warm up, go a little heavier where you are challenged but not injuring your shoulder joints.  Do heavier for 10, then lighten the weight without a rest and do 10 more as a drop set.  After 20 reps, then rest 60-90 second.  Do 4 rounds.

SMITH MACHINE SHOULDER PRESS: Drag a bench to sit under the smith machine bar. Here’s a video how to do it.  Press overhead for 15, then walk over to cable rope for 20 face pulls.  Rest 60-90 seconds.  Do 4 rounds.

DUMBBELL LATERAL RAISES: With slightly bent elbows, go heavier than what you normally do with straight armed dumbbell lateral raises. Do heavier bent elbows for 10, then without rest grab lighter dumbbells for strict form and straight elbows for 10 more.  Rest 60-90 seconds.  Do 4 rounds.

• Strict Form Lateral Raises: Straight arms, but just a slight bend in the elbow.

REVERSE PEC DECK FLIES: Sit facing the pec dec machine.  This is great for your rear deltoids.  Do 20 and then grab dumbbells for front raises for the front of your shoulders.  With the front raises, bring the dumbbell to right above eye level and lower slowly for 3 seconds.  Do 20 of those, then rest 60-90. 4 rounds.