Posted Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Filed under Shoulders, Training
Drop sets and down-the-racks are ideal for blasting the deltoids. Down-the-racks were a favorite method of Larry Scott, probably the best small-boned bodybuilder to ever develop delts as massive as those of the big boys.
Deltoid exercises are particularly suited to down-the-rack training. To perform down-the-rack sets, simply warm up for a few sets and then go to the heaviest bells you can get six reps with. As soon as you fail, be it five, six or seven reps, immediately return those bells to the rack and grab the next lighter pair, which will probably be five pounds lighter.
Don't take any rest. Do as many reps as you can and then return those dumbells to the rack, again immediately grabbing the next lighter bells and so on.
Permalink
/ 
Your Thoughts? (1)
Add to Del.icio.us / 
Digg This / 
Stumble It
Posted Monday, January 29, 2007
Filed under Shoulders, Training
I need wide, thick shoulders.
Please give me the secrets. I must have shoulders by next spring or summer at the latest.
Continue reading Delts
Permalink
/ Your Thoughts? (0)
Add to Del.icio.us / Digg This / Stumble It
Posted Monday, November 20, 2006
Filed under Shoulders, Training
Vince, I have narrow shoulders. I realize that I cannot widen my scapulae but what in your opinion is the best exercise to make my delts look wider?
To look wider you must work on the side head. Lateral raises strongly work the side head if the little finger is kept higher than the thumb as the bells are raised.
But I think the best shoulder broadener I know is the barbell upright row. To place emphasis on the side head, you must use a wide grip. Grasp the barbell with your hands 15 inches wide. Stand upright with the shoulders rounded, knees bent and the bar resting on the thighs. From this position, pull the bar up to the neck but be sure not to hunch your shoulders back. Keep them down or you will work traps. You must keep the shoulders rounded and the elbows forward.
Use a smooth, piston-like movement. Try 4 sets of the following reps: 10-8-6-15. Make sure you do not heave back at the top of the movement and concentrate on working delts, not traps.
Permalink
/ Your Thoughts? (0)
Add to Del.icio.us / Digg This / Stumble It
Posted Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Filed under Shoulders, Training
I noticed in your book "Unleashing the Wild Physique" which you wrote with MuscleMag’s editor Bob Kennedy, that you recommend shoulder exercises that I have never heard of, such as the dumbbell press and negative lateral movement, the high bench lateral raise, the dumbbell side swing, the dumbbell circle and the Scott press.
Are these really good shoulder movements or are you just trying to show us bodybuilders that you know more different movements than anyone else?
Vince, I badly need shoulder size, especially width. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
I "borrowed" a complete weight set from a friend of mine and I am getting a bench from an Uncle next week, so I have the equipment I need.
Answer soon Vince - I can’t train until I hear from you on this.
Here we go again! First the guy insults me, almost calls me a liar; and then he asks for advice.
I can't really help too much without knowing what you look like, and what your present routine is.
Send me a picture of yourself (if you dare) and I'll put it in this column together with some direct advice on shoulder work, especially for you. Include also your height, weight and current routine.
Meanwhile go for four sets of eight reps in the high pullup with barbell and four sets of eight reps with the standing lateral raise.
I know it’s hard in these depressive times, but try and hold back on the rudeness when you next write to me.
The only good thing you've done is buy my book. Or did you "borrow" that too?
Permalink
/ Your Thoughts? (0)
Add to Del.icio.us / Digg This / Stumble It
Posted Saturday, June 24, 2006
Filed under Shoulders
You seldom recommend pressing movements for the deltoids (shoulders) yet I have noticed that a great number of Olympic lifters of the past who did presses had really great deltoids, and even present lifters who do jerks have huge shoulders.
Are you against pressing for shoulder development?
I must admit that I have not got results from pressing, and certainly prefer more isolation-type exercises such as lateral raise for deltoid development.
Larry Scott did use a type of pressing movement very successfully. He used dumbells but maintained a constant tension on the deltoids by not "locking out" at the top of the pressing movement.
This exercise became known as the Scott Press and later was adopted by Arnold Schwarzenegger, and consequently the movement is also known as the Arnold Press.
You mention that Olympic lifters who jerk heavy weights tend to have large deltoids. Has it not occurred to you that they also clean the weight to the shoulders before jerking it? I have great respect for the wide grip upright row motion (a strict form of cleaning a barbell).
Use this exercise in your shoulder training routine and see those deltoids grow!
Permalink
/ Your Thoughts? (1)
Add to Del.icio.us / Digg This / Stumble It
Posted Sunday, February 05, 2006
Filed under Shoulders, Training
Dumbbell Side Laterals require great care, for toughest interaction on the middle of the deltoid tilting forward is necessary at the waist.
When the weights are raised arms semilocked one quarter of the way, the pinkie knuckle should be twisted toward the ceiling. Finish the raise and hold for the count of two, at shoulder parallel (stay slightly tilted forward).
The pioneer of this movement is the immortal 'Iron Guru' Vince Gironda.
The famous Vince Gironda Window Bench, an incline with a hole in the center at head level was especially developed to impede cheating. Side laterals were performed on it prone or face down (in hole) and prevented torso sway.
More effective than dumbbell side laterals are all forms of cable pulley work with one arm using the same raise procedures
Permalink
/ Your Thoughts? (0)
Add to Del.icio.us / Digg This / Stumble It
Posted Thursday, December 15, 2005
Filed under Shoulders
Vince had a different name for these...but they were named after a lifter by the name of Jim Bradford. Take weight you normally use for overhead pressing and reduce by about 10-20 percent. Wider than shoulder width grip...let comfort be your guide. Start at normal clean position at collarbones, then drop just slightly before pressing. Press weight up till you just reach the top of the head, then move the weight over your head and lower behind your head till you contact the base of the neck. Then return to the front in the same way...it is a continuous back and forth movement. You should just clear the top of the head, so your arms never really exceed a 90 degree angle. Fight the tendency to "duck" the head to one side or the other to make the movement easier. One forward/back trip equals one rep. Mostly front and side deltoid, with some rear delt stabilization.
Permalink
/ Your Thoughts? (0)
Add to Del.icio.us / Digg This / Stumble It
Posted Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Filed under Shoulders
Vince, I can't seem to feel my side head of the delt work when I do standing lateral raises. I try turning the wrists but as the weights get heavier, I don't seem to be able to isolate the side head. Any suggestions?
Continue reading Seated laterals
Permalink
/ Your Thoughts? (0)
Add to Del.icio.us / Digg This / Stumble It
Posted Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Filed under Shoulders
You seldom recommend pressing movements for the deltoids (shoulders) yet I have noticed that a great number of Olympic lifters of the past who did presses had really great deltoids, and even present lifters who do jerks have huge shoulders. Are you against pressing for shoulder development?
Continue reading Pressing?
Permalink
/ Your Thoughts? (0)
Add to Del.icio.us / Digg This / Stumble It
Posted Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Filed under Shoulders
One of Vinces favorite exercises for the side delt was a variation on the upright row. He called them "high pulls."
- Overhand grip on the bar about shoulder-width apart.
- At the "low position" the bar rests on the front of the thighs and the elbows are slightly bent.
- With the elbows pulled high the bar is raised to about the top of your head.
- At the raised position, the bar should be about 12 inches (30 cm) in front of the head.
Permalink
/ Your Thoughts? (0)
Add to Del.icio.us / Digg This / Stumble It
Posted Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Filed under Shoulders
Was there ever a hero who didn't have broad shoulders?
Remember that the shoulders are a three headed muscle. The front, side and rear deltoid heads are joined around the shoulder area to form a rounded, melonlike mass.
For full development, each head has to be trained individually with specific exercises.
Permalink
/ Your Thoughts? (0)
Add to Del.icio.us / Digg This / Stumble It
Posted Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Filed under Shoulders
(IronMan Magazine Jan 1977 Vol. 36 No. 2)
DELTS: LATERAL HEAD...
The most overworked muscle is the Front Deltoid (presses); bringing out this aspect of the Deltoid does not add to your width, it only makes you look thicker! How do you develop the lateral head of the Deltoid? Lateral Raises. However Lateral Raises improperly performed develops Front Deltoid. the proper way to bring out the Side Strand is to start the Lateral Raise touching dumbbells in front of the thighs with all four bells touching; elbows slightly bent and raise to the side, keeping the weights in front of the body all the way up to ear level (no higher).
Now for the most important part of the movement: The Front Bell must be lower than the Rear Bell. If the Front Bell is higher you are working the overworked Front Deltoid again. Remember, all bench presses and dumbbells work with the dumbbells held with palms facing the lower body are 90 degree Front Deltoid.
Another aspect of Laterals is to round your shoulders forward and also use your elbows as a concentration point. In other words, lead with your elbows - and last, but not least - keep your knees slightly bent during the exercise. And always work in front of a mirror to catch any flaws in your performance.
Permalink
/ Your Thoughts? (0)
Add to Del.icio.us / Digg This / Stumble It