compounds for rounder delts

[titanium_spine]

I've been using wide-grip upright rows (to low chest) for some time now, and since it made a dramatic improvement in the roundness of my delts (much more than doing isolation exercises like laterals, etc.), this has encouraged me to try out other compound exercises, like rear delt rows...

This video had some suggestions going in that direction, and since I liked it - I'm sharing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzTFY...eature=related

[Cyborg Slayer]

Interesting. I've always stayed away from upright rows due to the impinging force it applies on the shoulders, but I'm coming around to the idea that there's a safe(r) way to do most exercises, in this case perhaps by not raising the bar super high. Do you go very heavy on them?

[titanium_spine]

Interesting. I've always stayed away from upright rows due to the impinging force it applies on the shoulders, but I'm coming around to the idea that there's a safe(r) way to do most exercises, in this case perhaps by not raising the bar super high. Do you go very heavy on them?

Yes, I use them as heavy as I can, up to 10 rm (sometimes as low as 6 rm). I try not to use any swinging, and I tilt my torso just very slightly forward. Very slightly. The grip is wide: this means that when the barbell is at my low chest level - my forearms are parallel to each other...

I use wrist wraps to minimize the biceps work, and use a false grip as well...

This gets the side delts very isolated (the plus side is the heavier weight), and your front delts can't help out or take over like when you're doing laterals...

[unscarr3d]

Jim Cordova has a cool one-arm db upright row that I've found to be a bit more forgiving on my shoulders in the past, yet still is a compound movement to target the lateral deltoid.

[Swaminator]

I love the idea of compounds for delt hypertrophy, but honestly I didn't notice any significant improvement until I started isolating the side and rear delts. I started hammering high rep sets 20+ of lateral db raises with perfect form followed by high rep sets of seated cable face pulls (actually a pull-apart where I pull the cable to my nose and then spread apart the ropes as wide as possible). Lastly I started doing strict rear delt raises face down on an incline bench. After close to a year of doing these movements my shoulders look better than ever. (Note: I don't do any front delt isolation work because I feel I get a lot from close grip BP, dips, inclines etc).

All that said, I really want to find a good compound exercise that works side or rear delts. For now, I am still sticking to the high rep isolation movements.

[greensoup]

I love the idea of compounds for delt hypertrophy, but honestly I didn't notice any significant improvement until I started isolating the side and rear delts. I started hammering high rep sets 20+ of lateral db raises with perfect form followed by high rep sets of seated cable face pulls (actually a pull-apart where I pull the cable to my nose and then spread apart the ropes as wide as possible). Lastly I started doing strict rear delt raises face down on an incline bench. After close to a year of doing these movements my shoulders look better than ever. (Note: I don't do any front delt isolation work because I feel I get a lot from close grip BP, dips, inclines etc).

All that said, I really want to find a good compound exercise that works side or rear delts. For now, I am still sticking to the high rep isolation movements.

what does that face pull train? i always thought it was for shoulder health and scap retraction

[Swaminator]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbpmaP-Oxz8

Version #1 in the vid is very close to what I do, almost identical. The only difference is, I use 2 ropes and hold 1 in each hand. It allows for greater separation once I get to my face. And the other difference is, I hold the ropes like the dude in the photo below. So the finished position looks like a front double bicep pose. I also like to do them on the double pulley (cable crossover station) rather than the single low pulley. Something about the double pulley seems to keep more constant tension on the cable...but this could be a gym to gym thing. I use a light weight, focus on really separating the ropes as it comes to my face, and use the mind/muscle connection to the rear delts as much as possible. 3-4 sets of 20-25 reps absolutely smashes my rear delts. Sometimes they get so pumped its uncomfortable. The key is high reps. I tried heavier weight with low reps and didn't feel much.

http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/cm...ll_470x360.jpg

[Swaminator]

A killer finisher for rear delts is band face pull aparts too...once again for 20+ reps.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Rhle7RXpzE

I do them much faster, like a piston and those suckers have my rear delts screaming.

Anyway, I LOVE the idea of compound movements for rear delts, and the rear delt has been a big focus of mine for the past year or so. BUT, I have tried many movements and nothing beats the lighter weights, higher reps, isolation movements for that particular muscle for ME.

[0001Delta]

Anyway, I LOVE the idea of compound movements for rear delts, and the rear delt has been a big focus of mine for the past year or so. BUT, I have tried many movements and nothing beats the lighter weights, higher reps, isolation movements for that particular muscle for ME.

Try this.

If your gym has iron grip plates, grab 2 25's, put them in a regular barbell or a curl bar ( depends on how long your arms are). Grab the plates. Row the bar to your chest. Hold at the top. Lower. Repeat

Take two of those and tell me how your rear delts feel in the next morning.

[theroymccoy]

Try this.

If your gym has iron grip plates, grab 2 25's, put them in a regular barbell or a curl bar ( depends on how long your arms are). Grab the plates. Row the bar to your chest. Hold at the top. Lower. Repeat

Take two of those and tell me how your rear delts feel in the next morning.

Oooooh I do those! At first I thought the lack of a stretch in the movement would suck but the contraction more than makes up for it.

[0001Delta]

Oooooh I do those! At first I thought the lack of a stretch in the movement would suck but the contraction more than makes up for it.

Well if you want stretch you can just use an incline bench as a chest support , also more lower back friendly.

But you'll need to figure out a way to grab the bar.

[Swaminator]

Delta...I am going to try it. Will need to use incline bench as I will NEVER do bent rows or TBars again without a chest support. But that definately sounds like it could be a solid compound rear delt builder. Like I said, I have had huge success (honestly more than any other muscle group) by going high rep isolation work on the side/rear delts. But, I really want to mix in some good compounds too so I am going to give this one a shot.

[Swaminator]

Try this.

If your gym has iron grip plates, grab 2 25's, put them in a regular barbell or a curl bar ( depends on how long your arms are). Grab the plates. Row the bar to your chest. Hold at the top. Lower. Repeat

Take two of those and tell me how your rear delts feel in the next morning.

Did this one today. I used an incline bench for chest support. Grabbed the plates (from wide ez curl bar) and rowed to my neck. Winner! This one is in the rotation now for sure. Thanks for the solid.