Bodybuilding isn't as simple as get bigger, get leaner. There are plenty of large, lean bodybuilders who never make it to the highest level of the sport. To be great at bodybuilding, you have to worry about every detail of your physique — especially your body's proportions. If you don't think proportional muscle development matters, take a look at the best bodybuilders of the last 15 years. Is it easy to find a weak point of Phil Heath's physique? Did Jay Cutler have a glaring weakness for his 2009 Mr. Olympia win? Was any part of Ronnie Coleman's body underdeveloped? Proportional development means everything — and it all starts with your training program.
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In this video, Justin Harris shows a full shoulder training session, explaining why he progresses through the exercises in the order that he does. He begins by explaining that he starts his shoulder workouts with rear delt exercises for two reasons. First, it is a good method for warming up the shoulders and preparing you for the heavier exercises that are to come. Second, the rear delts are incredibly important for giving bodybuilders a wide look, Jay Cutler being the best example of this. From the front, if you are standing in a relaxed position, your front and side delts are not as visible as your rear delts. That means that the side delts you think are so important for making you look wide aren't actually helping much from the front. This is why you need rear delts.
Additionally, Justin gives tips on how he likes to perform front raises with his palms turned inward (thumbs up) and unilaterally, performing one side at a time. He demonstrates every exercise and shows the variety of angles from which he works the shoulders.
The Workout
- Reverse Pec Deck 4x10-15 Reps
- Seated Military Press 3x8-12 Reps
- Seated Machine Press 3x10 Reps
- Machine Lateral Raise 3x10 Reps
- Kettlebell Lateral Raises 3x15 Reps
- Front Raises 2x10-15 Reps
