7h • 🏋️ Workouts
💪 Shoulders & Abs Day
Shoulders are one of those muscle groups that can completely change the way your upper body looks, but there’s more to building them than pressing heavy weight and doing lateral raises.
One area I think gets overlooked constantly is the rear delt.
Most people naturally give their front delts plenty of work through bench pressing, incline pressing, and shoulder pressing. Then they’ll throw in some lateral raises for the side delts
.
Meanwhile, the rear delts get whatever is left over.
Not today.
We’re giving the rear delts some dedicated attention because developing all three heads is what gives your shoulders that full, rounded look from every angle.
One other reminder: be careful with your shoulders.
In my experience, the shoulder is one of those joints that can get tweaked pretty easily when you start combining heavy weight, excessive range of motion, and bad positioning.
Don’t force a range just because you technically can.
Don’t let your ego determine your weight.
If something causes actual shoulder pain, change the weight, range, angle, or exercise instead of forcing it.
COMMERCIAL GYM
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press — 4 × 8
This is today’s primary compound movement and the exercise we’re tracking most closely for progressive overload.
Use a controlled, comfortable range of motion.
You don’t need to drop the dumbbells excessively deep at the bottom to make the movement effective.
Keep your shoulders stable, control the eccentric, and press through a range that feels strong.
If the bench has a tall backrest that interferes with your natural head and shoulder positioning, switch to a standing dumbbell press.
Cable Lateral Raises — 3 × 12
Keep constant tension on the side delts.
Lead with your elbows and don’t turn the movement into a shrug.
Rear Delt Fly Machine — 4 × 12
Extra rear delt work today.
Control the weight instead of throwing your arms backward.
Think about spreading your arms apart and squeezing through the back of your shoulders.
Face Pulls — 3 × 15
Pull toward your face and keep the movement controlled.
Don’t load these so heavily that they turn into a full body row.
Dumbbell Shrugs — 4 × 12
Heavy, controlled reps.
Let your traps stretch at the bottom, drive your shoulders straight upward, squeeze at the top, and control the dumbbells back down.
Don’t roll your shoulders.
Hanging Leg Raises — 3 × AMRAP
Today’s only AMRAP exercise.
Control the movement and minimize swinging.
Once you can’t complete another clean rep, the set is over
.
🏨 HOTEL GYM
Arnold Press — 4 × 12
Hotel gyms often don’t have dumbbells heavy enough to make a standard shoulder press challenging, so the Arnold press is a great alternative.
Start with your palms facing you and rotate outward as you press.
Use the additional range and time under tension to make lighter dumbbells work harder.
Still, don’t force excessive depth.
Dumbbell Lateral Raises — 3 × 12
Keep the weight controlled.
If you have to swing the dumbbells up, they’re too heavy.
Bent Over Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly — 4 × 12
We’re keeping the extra rear delt volume in the hotel workout too.
Hinge forward, stabilize your torso, and drive the movement through the back of your shoulders.
Chest Supported Rear Delt Row — 3 × 12
Set an adjustable bench on an incline and keep your chest supported.
Drive your elbows outward rather than tucking them tightly against your body.
Rear delts are the priority here.
Dumbbell Shrugs — 4 × 12
Use the heaviest dumbbells you can completely control.
Straight up.
Hard squeeze.
Slowly back down.
No shoulder rolling.
Leg Raises — 3 × AMRAP
Today’s only AMRAP exercise.
Keep your core tight and make every rep intentional.
TODAY’S FOCUS
🎯 Rear delts get extra attention.
Front delts get hammered through pressing. Side delts get lateral raises. Don’t let the rear delts become an afterthought.
💪 Build shoulders from every angle.
Front, side, and rear delt development creates that bigger, wider, more complete upper body look.
🏋️ Don’t sleep on dumbbell shrugs.
Strong, developed traps help complete the upper body and pair perfectly with a dedicated shoulder day.
⚠️ Respect the shoulder joint.
Heavy weight isn’t worth much if the position doesn’t feel right. Control the load and don’t force excessive range of motion.
📈 Progress intelligently.
Track the shoulder press, but remember that progressive overload doesn’t mean adding weight at all costs.
Big shoulders aren’t just built by pressing heavier. Train every head, control every rep, and keep your shoulders healthy enough to keep progressing.
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💪 Shoulders & Abs Day
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