For those who are just starting out in bodybuilding, I always recommend a full body routine practiced 3 times a week that uses mostly basic exercises to target each muscle group. As a result, a shoulder routine for the beginning bodybuilder may consist of just a couple of exercises that cover all of the shoulder muscles.
- Barbell Upright Rows 2 sets of 10-12 repetitions (Rest: 1 minute)
- Bent Over Lateral Raises 2 sets of 10-12 repetitions (Rest: 1 minute)
How to Progress:
After 4 weeks of performing 2 sets of each exercise for 10-12 reps, move up to 3 sets per exercise. Keep the rest to 1 minute in between sets.
Where are the shoulder presses?, you may ask. Since a full body routine will consist of several presing movements, I don't see the need of including a shoulder press at this time. One is better served instead by using a barbell upright row which emphasizes the side head and the traps with secondary emphasis on the other heads and combining it with a bent over lateral for direct emphasis on the rear delts, which most beginning bodybuilders tend to overlook.
Intermediate Bodybuilding Shoulder Routine
After 12 weeks in the beginning bodybuilding schedule, it is time to graduate to an intermediate routine in order to keep progresing. In this routine, the body is split in two separate days; chest, back and arms on day 1, and shoulders, legs and abs on day 2.
- Military Press 2 sets of 10-12 repetitions (Rest: 1 minute)
- Barbell Upright Rows 2 sets of 10-12 repetitions (Rest: 1 minute)
- Bent Over Lateral Raises On Incline Bench 2 sets of 10-12 repetitions (Rest: 1 minute)
How to Progress:
After 4 weeks of performing 2 sets of each exercise for 10-12 reps, move up to 3 sets per exercise. Keep the rest to 1 minute in between sets.
Advanced Bodybuilding Shoulder Routine
After 12-16 weeks on an Intermediate Program, it is time to graduate into more Advanced Bodybuilding Routines. This does not necessarily mean more time in the gym, though for those few of you whose ultimate goal is bodybuilding competition, then more time in the gym will be the case.
The main difference between Advanced Training and Intermediate Training is that in Advanced Training, you'll need to change your program every 3 weeks to keep the gains coming. Therefore, the use of periodization is key, which is the orderly manipulation of sets, repetitions and rest in between sets. If competition is your goal, then you may need to increase your weight training days to 6 in order to accomodate a larger number of exercises.
There are many splits that one can use as an advanced athlete:
- Bodybuilding Antagonistic Muscles Workout Split:
In this bodybuilding workout split, the body is divided over three or four days and antagonistic muscles (opposing muscle groups), are paired together in each bodybuilding workout.
- One Major Muscle With Two Smaller Muscle Groups Bodybuilding Workout Split: In this bodybuilding workout split, the body is divided over three days and one major muscle group (such as the chest, thighs and back) is paired together with two smaller muscle groups (such as biceps, triceps, hamstrings, calves, abs and shoulders) in each bodybuilding workout.
- One Major Muscle Group Per Day Advanced Bodybuilding Workout Split: In this bodybuilding workout split, the body is divided over six days and one major muscle group is targeted in each bodybuilding workout.
Now that you have an idea of the training splits that can be used at this level, the next step here are some sample periodized advanced bodybuilding workout routines for the shoulders:
Shoulder Workout #1 (Weeks 1-3)
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press 4 sets of 10-12 repetitions (Rest: 1 minute)
- Incline Lateral Raises 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions (Rest: 1 minute)
- Wide Grip Upright Rows 4 sets of 10-12 repetitions (Rest: 1 minute)
- Rear Delt Machine 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions (Rest: 1 minute)
- Dumbbell Shrugs 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions (Rest: 1 minute)
Shoulder Workout #2 (Weeks 4-6)
Modified Giant-set
- Military Press 3 sets of 10, 8, 6 repetitions (Rest: 1 minute)
- Medium Grip Upright Rows 3 sets of 10, 8, 6 repetitions (Rest: 1 minute)
- Rear Delt Rows on T-Bar 3 sets of 10, 8, 6 repetitions (Rest: 1 minute)
- Barbell Shrugs to Front 3 sets of 15, 13, 10 repetitions (Rest: 1 minute)
Note: In a modified giant-set you get to perform an exercise, rest for the prescribed period of time, go to the next one rest, and continue to the next one up until all exercises have been performed for the required amount of sets. In the case above, the weight needs to be increased on each subsequent set.
Next Page: Competitive Bodybuilding Shoulder Routine.
