Duplicate your muscle's workout

Bodybuilders tend to follow divided routines when they workout their muscles, and they generally join together groups known as 'Push groups' (chest, shoulders, triceps) and the ones known as 'Pull groups' (back, biceps). Our 'Push group' routine combines deltoids and triceps. 

We start our shoulders routine with a multi articulation movement, followed by isolation exercises for the three heads of deltoid. You should alternate the order of work for each head in each session: as the energy levels drop off during the routine, if you always have the bad habit of training posterior deltoids at the end of training, this important part of your muscles will be left behind because, as it can not be easily seen unless you have a pair of mirrors, it becomes unnoticed even for the high-level athletes.

Triceps routine starts doing two common movements super-set, and then adds isolation exercises which alternates arm position to boost triceps' general stimulation. 

1. DELTOIDS 

MILITARY PRESS WITH BAR SEATED 

IT WORKS OUT: Triceps + upper pectoral secondarily

SETS + REPETITIONS: 2 light ones, as warming up.

Then 4 sets of 6, 6, 8, 10 repetitions 

» MOTION: Start doing a compound exercise which allows you to use enough weight. Lowering the forehead -instead of behind nape - provides major security when you workout shoulders with heavy weights. It is easier to place the bar when using shoulders support. 

» START UP: If you use an adjustable bench, slightly slope it back and seat upright, the lower back arched and feet on the ground. Separate hands a bit wider than shoulders' width and grab the bar with prone grip, keeping elbows out and down. Begin with the bar at chin's height. 

» EXECUTION: Raise the bar until your arms are extended without blocking elbows and do it in a gently but strongly way. Exhale the air out. Lower the bar keeping control to the starting point and repeat as many times as necessary. If you find hard to control the bar, do this exercise in a multipower machine. 

LATERAL RAISE IN OBLIQUE ANGLE 

IT WORKS: Medial Deltoid; trapezius secondarily

SETS + REPETITIONS: 3 sets of 10, 10, 12 repetitions  

» MOTION: After using the heaviest weight possible in the compound movement, in a proper execution style, it is time to isolate each one of the three heads of the shoulder. This lateral raise with dumbbells variation, expressed here, imposes major emphasis in the medial head because the supraspinatus is less involved at the beginning of the exercise because of the different angle we set our body at. 

» BEGINNING: Grab with the non-working hand a static support at shoulders height. Keeping feet close to the support, lean in an oblique angle providing the arm which holds the weight hangs to the floor and the body separates about 30 degrees from the vertical axis. Hold the dumbbell with neutral grip and slightly bend the elbow. 

» EXECUTION: Without using inertia, raise the arm with the dumbbell aside, following a bow motion, keeping elbow and hand in a same plane. Don not lift the weigh above your shoulder, and go back to the starting point in a controlled way. A set equals working out both sides. 

ONE-ARM INVERTED FLIE, STANDING AND WITH PULLEY 

IT WORKS: Posterior deltoid

SETS + REPETITIONS: 3 sets of 10, 10, 12 repetitions 

» MOTION: To isolate posterior deltoid, you need to move the arm backwards, without bending or extending elbows. Doing this move with one arm at a time isolates each side in a better way, but we can also do it bilaterally. 

» START UP: Keep upright, your body facing a high pulley, placed at shoulder's height. Do not use a handle; grab the rubber with the hand. Keep the arm extended, but don't block it. 

» EXECUTION: Move your arm throughout the body describing a bow motion until it is directly aside, and always keeping elbow position. If the wire touches the chest in the final position, give half a step back. Train both arms. 

2. TRICEPS 

TRICEPS EXTENSION, LYING DOWN IN SUPER SET WITH BENCH PRESS AND CLOSED GRIP 

IT WORKS: Triceps; chest + posterior deltoid secondarily

SETS + REPETITIONS: 1 for warming up, then 3 sets of 8, 8, 10 repetitions  

» MOTION: This movement combination is basically a super-set: you fulfil all triceps extension repetitions, and then do a bench press set with closed grip, in which triceps uses your chest's and deltoid's help. You can use a respectable weight, but ask a partner for help for major security and for being able to fulfil the last repetitions of each move. 

» START UP: Lying on your back, grab a Z bar with prone grip and hands separated at shoulder's width, and place it above yourself. Circle the bar with your thumbs to prevent slips. 

» EXECUTION: Bend your elbows to let the bar go behind your forehead. Always keep the weight under control and try not to separate elbows. Go back to the starting point softly reverting movement's direction. After doing all repetitions, lower the weight to the chest moving shoulders aside. Don't bounce the weight; raise it until extending arms, and repeat as many times as necessary. 

DUMBELL EXTENSION, SEATED AND ABOVE HEAD 

IT WORKS: Triceps

SETS + REPETITIONS: 3 sets of 8, 8, 10 repetitions 

» MOTION: Placing arms above head stretches the long head of triceps, allowing this way a stronger contraction of the muscle for an optimal muscular stimulation. It is difficult to avoid elbows to separate when you use dumbbells; try a Z bar or a machine, if you find difficult to get them together. Reduce weight in the last set. 

» START UP: Seat upright on a low-back bench, your feet on the floor and grab the inner part of a dumbbell, holding it above your head with arms extended. If you find difficult to place the weight, ask a partner's help. 

» EXECUTION: Bending only your elbows and without opening your arms, let the weight go down at nape's height to stretch triceps. Go back to the starting point and fully squeeze your triceps for one second. 

ONE-HAND KICKBACK, WITH PULLEY 

IT WORKS: Triceps

SETS+ REPETITIONS: 3 sets of 10, 10, 12 repetitions 

» MOTION: Many people do kickbacks with dumbbells, but pulley provides a different shot line and resistance in the final position. You can also use here a neutral grip (with dumbbell) or supine, to feel the exercise in a different way. 

» START UP: Attach a D handle to the low pulley wire. Bend front and grab the handle with palms facing up, placing your arm firmly aside and allowing the elbow bend about 90 degrees. 

» EXCUTION: Extend the arm contracting triceps. Raise the hand until it is parallel to the floor, without moving your arm beyond elbow's pivot point. Squeeze triceps upside and go back to the starting point. Train both arms. 

DELTOIDS/TRICEPS TRAINING 

 

* Exclude warming up sets.

^ * Choose a weight that allows you fulfil the scheduled repetitions with strict style. 

Adjust sets according to your needs.