Re:
I'm naturally broad, and when younger, shoulders were my strength over chest, and pretty much anything else. Thank God because when i was younger, i was chubby, so it hid some of that.
However, as of recently i've gained significantly in my shoulders, and the biggest reasons I've found for this are:
-Dips, I've done about 3-4 sets, pushing to max dip #'s each time. Just holding yourself elevated works the upper body in total, and puts maximal stress on the pecs, tris, shoulders, and even lats.
-Bent over rows, Dead lifts, and Stiff Deadlifts. Holding such extreme weight for a few sets ends up inducing more stress and muscular growth, IMO, than pushing up 40-50lbs on dumbbells. Again, my imo of what's worked.
-Pullups, Chin-Ups. Moving the body through space is of the most difficult, hence why it builds the most muscle.
-Squats. The release of hormones provided by fully blasting the legs gives the proper hormones throughout the body to induce growth and provide recovery.
I've gotten away from direct shoulder work as of late, because I don't find it as productive as the big 3 and bodyweight exercises. i will do some shoulder presses, and I'll switch to STANDING ones on smyth or just free standing. And I know some who advocate dumbbells altogether, but if I have only limited resources for recovery and limited time, then I will do what grows me most and has the potential for MOST growth the whole body over.
Each person will find the rep range that helps them grow best. You could do dips to max for 3 sets, then try adding 25lbs or 45lbs for fun and see what happens. For me, 3-4 sets and I can't do anything shoulder, chest, or triceps-related.
A-Unit
