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8 Week Animalistic Shoulder Blitz

                                                                                                                                                   Researched and Composed by The Animal

8 Week Overview

Along the theme of brutally hardcore ABC workouts, this  8 week program will be divided into two parts consisting of Workout A and Workout B. These will be alternated throughout the 8 weeks like so:

Week 1 – Workout A
Week 2 – Workout B
Week 3 – Workout A
Week 4 – Workout B
Week 5 – Workout A
Week 6 – Workout B
Week 7 – Workout A
Week 8 – Workout B
Week 9 – Have relatives and loved ones visit you in hospital!…lol 

The primary focus of Workout A is on the Front and Side Deltoids, which add width and the much desired 3D effect to your frame. Workout B introduces some serious Trap work to set off your shoulders as well as over all Delt conditioning!!  

Workout A

Warm Up

This can be of your choice I generally like to use the shoulder press machine and do a relatively heavy set or two but for HIGH reps in the 20-25 region really stretching and squeezing the shoulders! Make sure it’s a shoulder compound exercise though!

Phase 1:  Push Presses 5 x 6-8 reps drop 6 Superset Front Raises 5x8

Note on form….
When doing push presses try not to sway backwards and forwards this is all too easily done. Another thing is to keep your body as solid as a rock otherwise I find my legs can start shaking after a few sets, if you keep them tense this should help. The main part of your body, which should move is your arms.

Explained:

Set up a barbell with 3 equal weighted plates or the nearest you can get to it.  So if you have the largest weight (if one is different) put on first. Perform a standard Push Press watching your form described above. Upon hitting failure stop and take a plate off each side continue till failure then stop and take a plate off again. This is where it changes slightly. Start with the weight at arms length down by your waist and bend forward slightly now lift the weight up and perform a push press, do this for every rep till failure. Upon failure drop the barbell and grab a couple of dumbbells and perform front raises. If you can lean against a wall to keep good back form and raise each weight level to your shoulder but no higher. Make sure your shoulders are pressed firmly against the wall and not forward by and inch or two, this will isolate your delts more. When you are raising the dumbbells keep your arms as straight as a dye and keep your wrist straight so the top of your hand is parallel to the ceiling at the top of the movement. Upon hitting failure you have completed your first set. Rest until recoverd and then repeat until you have reached a total of 5 sets.

Phase Two: Double Cable Lateral Raises or Dumbell Side Lateral Raises 4x12

You can use dumbbells for this if you like but I prefer the constant tension of cables and the easy ability to cause MORE pain!! As shoulders respond best to a heavy weight (as you should of leared in the tips section) this perhaps should be 4x4/4/4 as it is a sort of drop set. Select a weight where you can perform about 8 strict reps then drop it and get out 4 more. At the top of every rep just pause for a moment holding the weight and SLOWLY lower it. Every set should total 12 reps starting at your original weight even if it’s only for 2 reps, I don’t care how many drops you do as long as; you’ve got GOOD form; you start at the original weight EVERY time; and you are really going to failure not just saying, " oh it hurts I’m gonna drop the weight!! "

As for what is good from, you need a rigid base and start with the cables crossed and hands down by your sides and then raise your arms up so you form a T shape. DON’T;  Bend you arms, no triceps help.  Also make sure and take your arms a bit above parallel.

Final Phase:  Dumbbell Shrugs 5x10 supersetted with Dumbbell Holds 5x30 seconds

Perform standard dumbbell shrugs. Then for the dumbbell holds use the weight you use for the Dumbbell Shrugs. When performing the dumbbell holds just shrug your shoulders and try and cover your ears with your shoulders and then hold it at the peak contraction. Then when you have to lower the weight down do so but continue holding until you can’t hold on another second then hold it for at least 10 more….lol!!

Editors note:  Thats what I call a twisted sense of humour!

Workout B

Warm Up

Again this is your choice just as with workout A! 

Phase One: Dumbbell Presses 12, 10, 8, 6, 8, 10, 12

This sounds like complete INSANITY and almost is but it will get you those huge 3d shoulders you are after!! The idea behind this approach is to utilise Volume opposed to my normal approach to workouts, which is essentially to “Use as many shocking methods as you can!!”

Set up a bench reasonably vertical a VERY slight decline is allowed. When you sit on the bench make sure your spine is flat along the entire bench NO gap at the bottom. Select a weight you can do 12 strict reps with, go super heavy! When you push the weight up you’ve got to use real explosive power and followed by a very slow negative.  If you’ve got a partner get them to guide you,  this will enable you to go slower on the negative! When you’ve completed the negative the dumbbells should be almost touching your shoulders, this way you will put the most pressure on your delts. Once you’ve completed 12 reps with slow negatives go and select the next dumbbell up weight wise. Rest for 1-2 minutes then repeat with the heavier weight for 10 reps. upon completion select the next weight up and go for 8 reps etc. Until you have completed the 6 reps then start selecting the previous lighter weights.

Phase 2:  Upright Rows 5x8 supersetted Heavy Barbell Shrugs 5x8

This exercise will basically make your Traps decide they really need a vacation!  They will feel like detaching themselves from your body to flee for the hills in shear agony!!

When your perform the upright rows go heavy but keep good form, I often find that my forearms/grip gives up way before my shoulders but don’t give in, keep on lifting. As far as form is concerned with upright rows, you need a firm base, feet shoulder width apart and then raise your arms up. As with most exercises think to what muscle your working and how it moves/feels, so don’t swing you back and sway or another classic I often see is the nodding of the head forwards.

When you select your weight for the upright rows, you need one you can get 8 good reps out of for the first set. Upon failure pile on the weight for the barbell shrugs! Don’t get concerned with taking these too high, I mean your trying to cover your ears with your shoulders but if after a few reps your only going to or just above parallel then so be it. Just make sure your lower the weight fully so your shoulders slope slightly then raise it up. You need again to get 8 reps.

Final Phase:  Reverse Fly’s 5x12

I personally prefer to do these standing but you can opt to do them sitting if you prefer greater isolation. Select a reasonably lightweight.  You’ll be amazed how pre-fatigue has set in. Still remember that FORM is everything! Your aim is to get 12 strict reps.

Now stand with one foot in front of the other feet about 2 feet apart, weight on your front foot. This will make you lean forward slightly, keep you head up and arch your back inwards, so it’s head up, bum out, stomach in!! Start with both the weights in front of you at arms length, your arms will be bent with about a 90-degree angle. Now this may sound weird but pretend that the dumbbells are actually jugs of water, your aim is to tip the jugs up and poor water out on the floor in front of you without actually getting any on you. So take the weight up arms do bend any more or less and only take the dumbbells as far as shoulder height, so you form a T NO higher!!

CONCLUSION
Here is a summary of both the workouts;

Workout A
Push Presses 5 x 8/6/6 final drop Superset Front Raises 5x8
Double Cable Lateral Raises 4x12
Dumbbell Shrugs 5x10 supersetted with Dumbbell Holds 5x30 seconds

Workout B
Dumbbell Presses 12/10/8/6/8/10/12
Upright Rows 5x8 supersetted HEAVY Barbell shrugs 5x8
Reverse Fly’s 5x12

If you follow the program for the 8 weeks you will experience not only immense pain BUT also immense growth! If you have any questions I can be found roaming around the boards most days or alternatively my PM box is always welcome to answer questions!

Keep it Hardcore( you'll need to for this workout!)

Animal

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