3 Massive Shoulder Blitz Routines – Workouts and Exercises
Shoulders are a key area that help finish off achieving a muscular look. They make your waist look slimmer, your arms bigger and give you that tapered V-shaped, athletic look.
Below we’ve mapped out the most important shoulder moves, as well as 3 different types of workouts, each a little different, for you to try out. Each has their own advantages, so it’d be a good idea to switch it up occasionally.
Routine #1 – Chest/Shoulder Blast:
On chest day, your shoulders help out by stabilizing in most moves, resulting in indirect shoulder work. We’re going to use this to our advantage, by also training your shoulders on chest day. It’s been proven to keep your muscles under tension longer, a strategy shown to increase size.
Make sure to get adequate rest before hitting your shoulder again, to avoid over training them.
How this Routine Works:
Start off with two sets of 10 reps of the dumbbell shoulder press and dumbbell front raise. Then, hop over and do two sets of eight reps of the accelerated side raise. Finish off with two sets of eight reps of the cable reverse fly and dumbbell Cuban press.
Keep your rest times between sets short, around 30-45 seconds. Perform this routine once a week, right after your chest workout.
Routine #2 – Plateau Breakout
Use this routine to break of out a plateau to ignite new shoulder gains. This workout will help boost commonly weak areas, so you’ll also develop your shoulders overall, as well as add more mass.
How this Routine Works:
Two times a week, perform the dumbbell shoulder press, dumbbell front raise, cable reverse fly and dumbbell Cuban press. Do two sets of 10 – 12 reps of each move, resting 60-90 seconds between sets.
Routine #3 – Full Body Circuit:
This fast moving shoulder routine helps condition your cardiovascular system, as well as build new, bigger muscle, so it’s perfect for anyone who has limited time, or would like to lose some additional fat. It works well when you’re in a hurry, too.
How this Routine Works:
As a part of your full-body routine, perform 1 set of the push press, dumbbell shoulder press, or barbell high-incline bench press. Without resting, hop over and do a set of squats. After that, perform the accelerated side raise, cable single-arm side raise, or cable reverse fly, with lunges afterward.
That’s one circuit. Do a total of 3 circuits, with a minute of rest between each. Complete 8 – 10 reps of each exercise and choose different moves each time you train.
The Exercises:
Push Press
1.) Stand holding a barbell with an overhand grip, and rest it on the front of your shoulders.
2.) Keep your elbows tucked in.
3.) Dip down about 6 inches, and then drive yourself up with your legs as you push the weight overhead.
4.) Return to the starting position.
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
1.) Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand just above your shoulders with a neutral grip (palms facing each other).
2.) Press the weights straight up until your arms are fully extended.
3.) Slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position.
Barbell High-Incline Bench Press
1.) Lie face up on a bench set at an incline of 65 – 80 degrees.
2.) Hold a barbell over your chest with straight arms, your hands a little farther than shoulder-width apart.
3.) Gradually lower the bar to your chest.
4.) Press the weight back up, and to the starting position.
Accelerated Side Raise
1.) Stand holding a pair of light dumbbells at your sides.
2.) Raise the dumbbells out to your sides.
3.) When the weights are about a foot away from your body, increase your lifting speed.
4.) Pause when the weights reach ear level, then return to the starting position.
Cable Single-Arm Side Raise
1.) Attach a handle to the low-pulley cable and stand with your left side to the weight stack.
2.) Reach across your body with your right hand to grab the handle.
3.) Raise your arm up and across your body until it’s parallel to the floor, then return to the start.
Cable Reverse Fly
1.) Stand between the weight stacks with your arms crossed in front of you, and grab a handle from each low pulley.
2.) Bend forward at the waist until your torso is almost parallel to the floor, arms beneath your shoulders.
3.) Pull your shoulder blades back, and then raise your arms out to your sides. Lower and repeat.
Dumbbell Front Raise
1.) Stand holding a pair of light dumbbells at arm’s length with a neutral grip.
2.) Keeping your arms straight, slowly raise the weights in front of you until your arms are parallel to the floor.
3.) Pause, then slowly lower the weights back to the starting position.
Dumbbell Cuban Press
1.) Stand holding a pair of light dumbbells in front of your thighs with an overhand grip.
2.) Draw the weights up in front of your body, keeping the weights close to your torso and bending your elbows, until your upper arms are parallel to the floor.
3.) Without moving your upper arms or elbows, rotate your forearms until they point up, and then press the weight overhead.
4.) Slowly reverse the path to the starting position.
Shoulders are a key area that help finish off achieving a muscular look. They make your waist look slimmer, your arms bigger and give you that tapered V-shaped, athletic look.
Below we’ve mapped out the most important shoulder moves, as well as 3 different types of workouts, each a little different, for you to try out. Each has their own advantages, so it’d be a good idea to switch it up occasionally.
Routine #1 – Chest/Shoulder Blast:
On chest day, your shoulders help out by stabilizing in most moves, resulting in indirect shoulder work. We’re going to use this to our advantage, by also training your shoulders on chest day. It’s been proven to keep your muscles under tension longer, a strategy shown to increase size.
Make sure to get adequate rest before hitting your shoulder again, to avoid over training them.
How this Routine Works:
Start off with two sets of 10 reps of the dumbbell shoulder press and dumbbell front raise. Then, hop over and do two sets of eight reps of the accelerated side raise. Finish off with two sets of eight reps of the cable reverse fly and dumbbell Cuban press.
Keep your rest times between sets short, around 30-45 seconds. Perform this routine once a week, right after your chest workout.
Routine #2 – Plateau Breakout
Use this routine to break of out a plateau to ignite new shoulder gains. This workout will help boost commonly weak areas, so you’ll also develop your shoulders overall, as well as add more mass.
How this Routine Works:
Two times a week, perform the dumbbell shoulder press, dumbbell front raise, cable reverse fly and dumbbell Cuban press. Do two sets of 10 – 12 reps of each move, resting 60-90 seconds between sets.
Routine #3 – Full Body Circuit:
This fast moving shoulder routine helps condition your cardiovascular system, as well as build new, bigger muscle, so it’s perfect for anyone who has limited time, or would like to lose some additional fat. It works well when you’re in a hurry, too.
How this Routine Works:
As a part of your full-body routine, perform 1 set of the push press, dumbbell shoulder press, or barbell high-incline bench press. Without resting, hop over and do a set of squats. After that, perform the accelerated side raise, cable single-arm side raise, or cable reverse fly, with lunges afterward.
That’s one circuit. Do a total of 3 circuits, with a minute of rest between each. Complete 8 – 10 reps of each exercise and choose different moves each time you train.
The Exercises:
Push Press
1.) Stand holding a barbell with an overhand grip, and rest it on the front of your shoulders.
2.) Keep your elbows tucked in.
3.) Dip down about 6 inches, and then drive yourself up with your legs as you push the weight overhead.
4.) Return to the starting position.
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
1.) Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand just above your shoulders with a neutral grip (palms facing each other).
2.) Press the weights straight up until your arms are fully extended.
3.) Slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position.
Barbell High-Incline Bench Press
1.) Lie face up on a bench set at an incline of 65 – 80 degrees.
2.) Hold a barbell over your chest with straight arms, your hands a little farther than shoulder-width apart.
3.) Gradually lower the bar to your chest.
4.) Press the weight back up, and to the starting position.
Accelerated Side Raise
1.) Stand holding a pair of light dumbbells at your sides.
2.) Raise the dumbbells out to your sides.
3.) When the weights are about a foot away from your body, increase your lifting speed.
4.) Pause when the weights reach ear level, then return to the starting position.
Cable Single-Arm Side Raise
1.) Attach a handle to the low-pulley cable and stand with your left side to the weight stack.
2.) Reach across your body with your right hand to grab the handle.
3.) Raise your arm up and across your body until it’s parallel to the floor, then return to the start.
Cable Reverse Fly
1.) Stand between the weight stacks with your arms crossed in front of you, and grab a handle from each low pulley.
2.) Bend forward at the waist until your torso is almost parallel to the floor, arms beneath your shoulders.
3.) Pull your shoulder blades back, and then raise your arms out to your sides. Lower and repeat.
Dumbbell Front Raise
1.) Stand holding a pair of light dumbbells at arm’s length with a neutral grip.
2.) Keeping your arms straight, slowly raise the weights in front of you until your arms are parallel to the floor.
3.) Pause, then slowly lower the weights back to the starting position.
Dumbbell Cuban Press
1.) Stand holding a pair of light dumbbells in front of your thighs with an overhand grip.
2.) Draw the weights up in front of your body, keeping the weights close to your torso and bending your elbows, until your upper arms are parallel to the floor.
3.) Without moving your upper arms or elbows, rotate your forearms until they point up, and then press the weight overhead.
4.) Slowly reverse the path to the starting position.
