Middle deltoid help !!

[Zigurd]

My middle deltoids have been a weak point since the beginning. My anterior delts are very nice, and my posterior delts are reasonably developed. But I have no shoulder width at all.

This is even more noticeable now that I gained bicep and tricep mass, while my shoulders retained their size.

I know I need to target them AT LEAST twice a week from now on, and do more than one exercise for them (say lateral raises).

My question is, for such a small muscle group, training them twice a week, with 2-3 types of exercises would be good or bad ? Remember that I suck genetically at mid delts.

Thoughts ?

 

[The Creator]

Overhead press is going to hit it about hard as anything. I think you could include lateral raises, whether they be dumbell or cable, once a weak to help out as well. In my experience, people run into trouble here when they dont do an overhead press correctly. You have to make sure that you bring the weight directly over your head so that your arms align with your ears. The overhead press will hammer all three heads when done correctly.

Oh, some wide grip upright rows are also awesome for an overall shoulder movement. I wouldnt get too caught up in a whole lot of lateral movement.

 

[Daniel Andersson]

As I have stated before. Do sider laterals, BUT instead of doing normal ones, tilt you thumbs down towards the floor. That will isolate the middle deltiod head.
Another thing you can do while doing overhead pressing...dont grasp the bar..instead hold your thumbs under the bar, that will involve the middle head more

 

[pegasus]

upright row's are worth a try too. you can also do it on the days you train your arms, cause its a good exercise for your forearms too.

 

[Zigurd]

Overhead press is going to hit it about hard as anything. I think you could include lateral raises, whether they be dumbell or cable, once a weak to help out as well. In my experience, people run into trouble here when they dont do an overhead press correctly. You have to make sure that you bring the weight directly over your head so that your arms align with your ears. The overhead press will hammer all three heads when done correctly.

Oh, some wide grip upright rows are also awesome for an overall shoulder movement. I wouldnt get too caught up in a whole lot of lateral movement.

Overhead presses, military presses, dumbbell shoulder press - All these type of exercises don't work my mid deltoid portion. My anterior deltoids do all the work. I have tried countless times, different positions, different loads, different rep ranges, different angles.

My anterior deltoids overpower my middle, and they end up doing all the work. So much actually that I can't do chest workout the next few days because my anterior delts hurt so much. So I need to somehow FOCUS on the middle head.

Thanks for your advice anyway :3

As I have stated before. Do sider laterals, BUT instead of doing normal ones, tilt you thumbs down towards the floor. That will isolate the middle deltiod head.
Another thing you can do while doing overhead pressing...dont grasp the bar..instead hold your thumbs under the bar, that will involve the middle head more

For some inexplicable reason, whenever I tilt my thumbs my wrist hurts and I can't do any of the things you said =(

Thanks for the advice though :3

As I see it, my only solutions is to do something like this:

Lateral raises - 12/10/8 reps
Seated lateral raises - 10/8/6
Cable lateral raises - 8/8/8

Do that twice a week, would that benefit me ?
Take into consideration all I've said so far

 

[Daniel Andersson]

You will not be able to use anything near the weight you used before on "my" version of the side laterals. I can do 10lbs more on a normal side lateral move compared to this one

 

[The Creator]

It is impossible not to recruit the lateral head of the deltoid when doing an overhead press correctly but I too have the problem of feeling way too much in my anterior deltoid. Even my chest work seems to go there :angrydude:
That being said, I would really try out the wide grip upright rows. When you do them, do not pull with the bar right up against your body. Push the bar out in front of you a bit to avoid recruiting too much of the traps. Behind the back cable lateral raises work great too. Hope this helps

 

[Zigurd]

It is impossible not to recruit the lateral head of the deltoid when doing an overhead press correctly but I too have the problem of feeling way too much in my anterior deltoid. Even my chest work seems to go there :angrydude:

Hahaha yeah, that's exactly what happens to me

The thing is, I know the mid delt is being worked but it's not being worked enough for it to grow in unison with the rest of my body. So doing presses is not enough for it to catch up to the rest of my body.

That being said, I would really try out the wide grip upright rows. When you do them, do not pull with the bar right up against your body. Push the bar out in front of you a bit to avoid recruiting too much of the traps. Behind the back cable lateral raises work great too. Hope this helps

The upright rows don't help me either. (Thanks Pegasus though :3 )
God damn I hate my unresponsive mid delts.

But those behind the back cable lateral raises seem like a good change from my regular routine. Thanks !!

You will not be able to use anything near the weight you used before on "my" version of the side laterals. I can do 10lbs more on a normal side lateral move compared to this one

It sounds good, but for some reason, my wrists hurt if I do any type of wrist curl =(
It's as if my body was in a conspiracy against me having good delt width.

 

[Zigurd]

By the way, I repped you all. Thank you very much.

So should I just hit them mid delts twice a week and do more than 1 exercise ?

 

[Daniel Andersson]

It is impossible not to recruit the lateral head of the deltoid when doing an overhead press correctly but I too have the problem of feeling way too much in my anterior deltoid. Even my chest work seems to go there :angrydude:

Try putting your thumbs under the bar instead for around it. That made all the difference for me.

 

[Bone Yard]

try wide grip upright rows i know they mentioned it already but try it wide grip - just bit over sghoulder width

 

[The_KM]

great posts guys! Couple suggestions:

(1) First one of course, is to experiment. Many exercises can recruit the lateral head directly or synergistically, it's the response that you get from them that matters. Moving your thumb is dangerous on dumbbells, and your natural course will cause you to move your elbows further in front of your torso further placing the workload on the anterior delt. My point: thumb position will not change the recruitment of certain muscle heads -- it's not that easy.

(2) Supersets/dropsets. Not that these will focus on the lateral head more directly, but it might stimulate the way you want. Here's an example: military press SS with DB side laterals. Instantaneously when you place the barbell down, grab dumbbells..

(3) Increase frequency, volume (sets x reps x time under tension), or change OH press. All factors of hypertrophy that need to be manipulated every once in a while to induce growth.

hope this helps! Might not be the answer, but hope it fits well with what the rest said

 

[PrinceVegeta]

Neo, somethnig that really burns my side delts is a superset

Do heavy side laterals with good form for 8-6 reps, immmediatly grab a weigth that u could do like 10 reps wide grip upirght rows and go to failure

I would do

4 sets dumbell press
3 sets bent over laterals
3 sets front raises
and then 3 sets of the superset mentioned...u will be pumped!!

 

[Zigurd]

Thanks guys !!! I never thought about doing supersets. I believe that will give me enough pump.

Thanks a lot !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[PrinceVegeta]

No prob dude! Just hit them hard and feel it burn!!

U could also superset cable side laterals with upright rows...just a thought..w/e u prefer!

 

[Eli80Cal]

KM hit on a few key points. Experiment with different exercises, grips, angles, etc. Then, superset, dropset, and increase the volume. Wider grip upright rows will help.(With wrist pain, try straight VS EZ bar to see what feels best.) I am a huge fan of cable lateral raises. Because gravity is not directly working on your hand, you will have tension all the way across your body. You can also raise the handle straight up to the side, or bring it slightly across your body to the rear. By leaning towards the side you are working, you can also extend the range of motion.

The Creator is right about overhead press being king as far as total deltoid recruitment. Do you use DB or BB? Again, try both. With DBs, you can alter arm position easier,bringing them further back, and get angles you could not with a BB. Try pre-exhausting your front delts with some raises prior to overhead presses also.

Good luck

 

[PrinceVegeta]

^^ never seen you eli80cal...welcome back!!

 

[GetSize]

Thanks guys !!! I never thought about doing supersets. I believe that will give me enough pump.

Thanks a lot !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Personally Ive had the same issues with delts until incorporating Giant sets and supersets. For me side delt requires more Volume along with variations in hand grips and exercises to achieve a max pump. I like the 10X10X10 for side laterals. 30lbs DB for 10 40's for 10 50's for 10. Thats 1 set. Good luck!

 

[PrinceVegeta]

^^ looks hard man!

 

[Zigurd]

I FUCKING LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best shoulder pump of my life. I did a superset, but inverted of what you guys mentioned. I did upright rows and then side laterals. GOD DAMN IT BURNED.

Seriously I appreciate the help a lot. You guys are great !!