8 Reasons Your Shoulders Are NOT Growing (Science Based)

Summary

This video discusses common mistakes people make when trying to build shoulder muscles and offers tips for maximizing shoulder growth. Key points include using a full range of motion in exercises like overhead presses, balancing focus between front, side, and rear delts, and starting workouts with shoulder exercises for better gains. Emphasizing progressive overload, sufficient training volume, and proper nutrition, including a calorie surplus and adequate protein intake, are also highlighted. The video provides practical advice for achieving more defined, muscular shoulders while improving overall posture and reducing the risk of injury.

Takeaways

• 💪 Full range of motion is crucial for shoulder exercises, especially overhead presses, as lowering the weight fully activates the delts more.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Overhead presses focus mainly on the front delts, so it's important to incorporate exercises targeting the side and rear delts for balanced growth.
• ⚖️ Side and rear delts are key to achieving a wide, athletic shoulder look but are often neglected, unlike the front delts which get worked during chest exercises.
• 🗓️ Training shoulders at the beginning of a workout leads to better gains, as muscles worked earlier in a session see more progress.
• 🚨 Allowing traps to dominate shoulder exercises, especially side delts, can hinder shoulder growth. Stretching traps pre-workout can help reduce trap involvement.
• 📈 Progressive overload is key to shoulder growth. Gradually increasing the weight or reps in shoulder exercises is essential to muscle development.
• 🔄 Higher training volume (more sets per week) correlates with better muscle growth, so increasing the number of shoulder sets may help break growth plateaus.
• 🍽️ Being in a calorie surplus is necessary for muscle growth, but excessive surpluses lead to unnecessary fat gain, so aim for a modest surplus of 5-8%.
• 🥩 Sufficient protein intake is essential for muscle growth. Aim for at least 0.73 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day.
• 📊 Keeping track of workout progress, including weights and reps, can help ensure continuous improvement in shoulder muscle growth.

Q & A

What is the main benefit of training your shoulders through a full range of motion?

Training your shoulders through a full range of motion, especially in exercises like overhead presses, helps activate the deltoid muscles more effectively. The lower part of the movement stimulates the delts the most, leading to better muscle growth.

Why is it important to focus on side and rear delts rather than just the front delts?

Focusing on side and rear delts helps achieve a balanced shoulder appearance, improves posture, and reduces the risk of shoulder injury. Overemphasizing the front delts can lead to disproportionate muscle development since front delts are already activated during chest exercises.

Why should shoulder exercises be done earlier in the workout rather than at the end?

Training shoulders at the start of a workout ensures that the muscles are fresh, allowing you to lift heavier weights and stimulate more growth. Exercises performed earlier in the workout have been shown to produce better gains compared to those done later when muscles are fatigued.

How can lifters reduce trap involvement during side delt exercises?

Lifters can reduce trap involvement by stretching the traps before the workout, which decreases trap activation, and by focusing on pushing the dumbbells far to the sides during lateral raises, rather than lifting them straight up.

What role does progressive overload play in shoulder development?

Progressive overload, or gradually increasing the weight or workload over time, is essential for muscle growth. Failing to progressively overload during shoulder exercises can prevent meaningful muscle gains.

Why is overall training volume important for shoulder growth?

Higher training volume is directly linked to increased muscle growth. If shoulder muscles aren't growing, increasing the number of sets per week may help break through plateaus and stimulate more muscle development.

How does a calorie surplus impact shoulder muscle growth?

A calorie surplus provides the necessary energy for muscle growth. Consuming too few calories can stall muscle gains, while a moderate surplus of 5-8% above maintenance is ideal for maximizing growth without excessive fat gain.

What is the recommended amount of protein intake for muscle growth?

The recommended protein intake for muscle growth is 0.73 grams per pound of body weight. For a 180-pound person, this equals about 131 grams of protein per day. Eating more than this amount does not necessarily improve muscle-building progress.

Why are isolation exercises for the front delts often unnecessary?

Isolation exercises for the front delts, such as frontal raises, are usually unnecessary because the front delts are already heavily activated during common compound exercises like the bench press and overhead press.

What are the risks of performing upright rows for shoulder development?

Upright rows can potentially lead to shoulder impingement, which is why they are not recommended for training side delts. Instead, exercises like lateral raises or cable reverse flies are safer alternatives.