Muscle Hack Series – Part 3

Muscle Hack Series. Part 3 of 3: Shoulders

The final installment of the muscle hack series is about the shoulder muscles. Having boulder shoulders is the final hack but probably the most over-looked. I think proper shoulder development is what takes a physique from good to great. In today’s age of lifting, the shoulders get overshadowed by the desire to have big chest and big arms. The obsession with a big chest and arms tends to keep guys from focusing and progressively getting stronger on their shoulder movements.  Check out hack 1 and hack 2 to creating an aesthetically pleasing body that looks great in nice clothing.

Part 3 of 3: Shoulders

Having a nice set of shoulders provide you with a true masculine look, creating a true presence! Shoulders are what separate the real lifters from the ‘bro lifters.’ the men from the boys, the wise from the foolish … you get my point!

The shoulder is comprised of 3 muscles.

Shoulder AnatomyBEST Back Movements:

BEST Back Movements:

1. Standing Shoulder Press

The true key to building great shoulders is to get very strong at the standing shoulder press.

This will give the shoulders the size they need to pop out. The standing shoulder press is the king of shoulder movements. I truly like the standing variation the most because it involves your entire body, and builds true real-world strength. Most people isolate their shoulder movement by sitting down. This is perfectly acceptable, and there is a time and place for that. However, your main focus should be the standing shoulder press.

The standing shoulder press will help develop all 3 muscles. Yes, you can focus on each shoulder muscle separately but as a natural (non-steroid user) lifter, the compound movement of the standing shoulder press is our main focus. If you progress over time and build up your standing shoulder pressing strength your shoulders will develop beautifully.

Goal: 4-6 reps with your body weight. If you are serious about developing your shoulders you should aim for this goal.

I must admit I have not yet reached the goal but I am well on my way. My shoulders have developed a lot during the last several months with mainly just heavy standing shoulder presses.

Find me a natural lifter who can meet the above goal who doesn’t have a nice set of shoulders? Good luck!

The best way to train the standing shoulder press is to use Reverse Pyramid Training (RPT). If you are not familiar with RPT, please see this “Article.”

And that is the standing shoulder press! This movement will go a long way toward developing your shoulders and taking your physique to the next level. If you have not been utilizing this lift do not get discouraged if you are not close to the target goal. This is a challenging lift, BUT you will get stronger and progress if you stick with it. It can take a few weeks to get in the groove and get accustomed to the lift. Be patient, you will be glad you did.

Be Fit. Dress Great!

*** I perform the standing shoulder press as my main shoulder lift, but I do finish off the shoulders with some side laterals to put some more emphasis on the medial deltoid (side of the shoulder). This helps give the shoulders the nice round look (shoulder caps) when viewed from the front. Do not make the mistake of not putting the standing shoulder press as your main priority though.

Please see Part 1 or Part 2 in the series if you missed them.