How to Build Shoulder Muscles Big, broad shoulders are the measure of a man some say, but in trying to build shoulder muscles up
to an appreciable size, many end up making their shoulders the bane of their own existence. The shoulder is a much
more complicated joint, with its ball and socket design, than say your elbow. So in order to build shoulder muscles
that perform optimally, some special consideration must be made or you may be relegated to the injured reserve with
90% of other fitness enthusiasts. To effectively build shoulder muscles you must balance the work load on the different muscles of the shoulder joint. The main movers and the muscles that make up the triangular look of the shoulder are called the deltoid. We have anterior (front) medial (middle) and posterior (rear) deltoid muscles and each moves the arm according to its position. Therefore to build shoulder muscles one must incorporate exercises for each of the planes of motion inherent to the shoulder joint. Another principle to integrate for those who want to build shoulder muscles is to balance the work to recovery ratio, as allowing adequate recovery time is really allowing the muscles to adapt and grow. To build shoulder muscles you have to work them hard then rest them. However many do not consider the secondary use of the shoulder on their "non-shoulder" workout days. Having a chest workout too close to a shoulder workout compromises both the work capacity and the recovery time, likewise for back and many other muscle groups. The shoulders assist in most compound (multi-joint) exercises, therefore it is best to work the shoulders by themselves on the last exercising day of the week, or whichever day has the most days off before the next workout. This will build shoulder muscles big and strong by giving them more rest and ample time to recover. Finally, many novices and advanced exercisers find that they can exponentially build shoulder muscles by adding some sort of instability, or "balance training" to their shoulder regime. NFL football strength coaches are notorious for making their three hundred pound players sit awkwardly on a stability ball and flop about trying to stay atop. This is balance training. Drop the weight of your overhead press by 50% and try it sitting on top of the large, inflated, rubber ball. You will build shoulder muscles like never before!! You can add this principle to your shoulder regime by using one legged exercises, the BoSu (half stability ball, with a solid flat side), or any variety of inflatable, rubber accessories. Make sure the equipment is in good condition, as a leak or pop could be a dangerous situation. To build shoulder muscles that thicken the look of your entire body that can generate massive
power and that will stay healthy for a lifetime, all you need to remember is balance. |
