Lifting Club Chapter 2: Shoulder Workout - MJ Fitness

Lifting Club Chapter 2: Shoulder Workout

Strap yourselves in for this workout because this super-set filled shoulder workout from lifting club is a one way ticket to getting the best shoulder pump of your life. This workout hits the entire shoulder, from front to back and using techniques to build you some epic boulders.

Remember form is the MOST IMPORTANT part of any workout, especially when you start to fatigue. Make sure you’re not jerking through the movement and keeping tension on your muscles. 

First things first, make sure that you’re warmed up and have your downed your favourite pre-workout... trust us, you're going to need it.


Exercise 1: Rear Delt Dumbbell Flye / Rope Cable Face Pull (super-set)

We weren’t joking when we said this shoulder workout is a one way ticket to pump town. To start off, we’re going to be doing rear delt dumbbell flyes superset with rope face pulls on the cable machine. This will get the rear delts pumped up and the shoulder joint nice and warm.


To start off the super-set, we’re going to do rear delt flyes with dumbbells. To make the movement more stable, rest your head on an adjustable bench, set on an incline. This way you’ll have room to move your shoulders a bit more freely, but also have the stability of bracing against a bench. To do this movement, let your arms hang straight down with dumbbells in your hands. Push your arms forward to add more focus into your rear delts. To complete a rep, imagine you want to touch the roof with your pinkie finger. Hold at the top for a second, then lower your arms slowly.

The second part of the superset will be a rope face pull. To do this exercise, set the cable machine up just above your head height with the rope attachment. Grab the rope with an underhand grip (palms facing towards each other). Take a step back and hold your arms out in front of you. Pull with your elbows and bring the rope as close to your head as possible by splitting your hands apart pulling beside your head. To complete the rep, let your arms slowly come back out in front of you.

For the Rear Delt Dumbbell Fly we're going to do 4 working sets. Set 1 & 2 will be done at a weight that you can get an easy 15 reps, with approx. 4-5 reps left in the tank. Set 3 & 4 will be done with a weight that you can only just get 10 reps with. Almost reaching failure. Superset each of these sets with Rope Cable Face Pulls. Pick a weight that you can do 15 reps with, leaving 1-3 reps in reserve, and stick with that for all the 4 sets.

 

Exercise 1 Working Sets 

Rear Delt Dumbbell Flye

2 sets x 15 Reps @ 6 RPE

2 sets x 10 Reps @ 9 RPE

Rope Cable Face Pull

4 sets x 15 Reps @ 8 RPE



Exercise 2: Seated Arnold Press / Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise (Super-set)

Pumped from that first super set? Good. Now it’s time to do the front and side of the shoulder in another super-set. The first exercise of this gruelling superset is an Arnold Press. To do this exercise, set up as you usually would in a dumbbell overhead press. Instead of coming down and keeping your wrists facing one direction, we’re going to add in some rotation to really get the shoulder burning. At the bottom of the rep, Hold the dumbbell in front of your face, with your palms facing you. As you’re lifting the weight up, rotate your wrists so that once at the top of the rep, your palms will be facing outwards. When coming down, control the weight and rotate your hands to face your palms back at you.


Once you’ve smashed out the Arnold Press, we’re going to move into a standing lateral raise. To do this exercise, hold the dumbbells out in front of you, drive from your elbows and raise your arms out to the side. Then lower the dumbbells slowly back into the start position. When doing this make sure you keep your heels on the floor, so you don’t cheat the rep.


We’re going to be doing 3 sets for each exercise on this superset. Pick a weight that you can do 15 reps with, leaving around 2 in reserve. 


Exercise 2 Working Sets

Seated Arnold Press

3 x 15 Reps @ 8 RPE

Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise

3 x 15 Reps @ 8 RPE


Exercise 3: Standing Barbell Military Press / Rear Delt Dumbbell Skis

By now your shoulders should be screaming to stop. That means you’re on the right track. We’re going to power on with yet another superset. Don’t worry, it’s the last one. To start our final super set, we’re doing a standing barbell press. To do this exercise stand with your feet shoulder width apart and brace your core. Hold the barbell so that it’s resting on your upper chest, then press it up above your head (watch out for your chin). To complete the rep, lower the bar back to your upper chest, slowly. 

For the second part of our final superset, we’re going to be doing some dumbbell skis. To do these, bend at the hips so you’re almost parallel with the floor. Hold the dumbbells out in front of you and pull your arms behind you keeping your elbows fixed.  Lower the weight back in front of you to complete the rep. 


To get the most out of the Barbell Military Press, pick a weight you can do around 12 reps with, stopping just shy of failure. We’re going to do 3 sets. On the last set, after finishing your 12 reps, drop the weight by 50% and do as many reps as you can.

Now, for the Dumbbell Skis, you’re going to want a weight that you can do 20 reps with, almost hitting failure. Do 3 sets with this and we’ll be onto our next exercise


Working Sets

Standing Barbell Military Press

3 x 12 Reps @ 9 RPE

Last Set Drop Set 50% AMRAP

Rear Delt Dumbbell Skis

3 x 20 Reps @ 9 RPE


Exercise 4: FST-7 Upright rows

From the well acclaimed coach, Hany Rambod, we have 7 sets of upright rows to really make sure that your shoulders are pumped and full. To do an upright row, hold a dumbbell or barbell close to your body at hip height, with an overhand grip. Bring the weight up to shoulder height, keeping it close to your body. Lower the weight back down to your hips and you’ve done a rep.


Pick a weight that you can get an easy 12 reps out on the first set, because as the name implies, we’re doing 7 sets, with a maximum 1 minute rest between sets. Once we’re done here, we’re onto our last exercise.

Working Sets

Dumbbell/Barbell Upright Rows 

7 x 12 Reps 

 

Exercise 5: Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise 21s

Last exercise, so it should be easy right? Wrong. Our final exercise is going to make sure that your shoulders are pumped, sore and most of all three dimensional. For our last exercise, we’re doing dumbbell side raises, with a twist. For the first seven reps, only do the bottom half of the rep. For the next 7, do the top half. Finally, for the last 7, do the full range of motion. This will equal 21 reps of pure pump. 


For this set, pick a weight that you’re able to do the 21 reps with, and send it. We’re leaving nothing in the tank to completely burn out our shoulders.  

Working Sets

Seated Dumbbell lateral Raise 21s

3 x 21 Reps @ 10 RPE

*7 Bottom Half Reps + 7 Top Half Reps + 7 Full Range Reps


And you’re done. Now every time you lift anything over your head for the next few days, you’ll be reminded of this sick pump that you got from this boulder builder workout. Make sure to get your protein shake in, you’re going to need it!

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