Sunday, June 14, 2009

Mass-Building - Shoulders & Neck




Mass-Building - Shoulders & Neck

The 2009 edition of the New Year's Resolution: Mass-Building Series has arrived! In this newly updated and improved edition, additional anatomy and physiology is revealed at the basic level, with the inclusion of the many different joints. Also, many new exercises are introduced, and every workout is expanded.

Of course, all of the fundamental information from the first series is still present, with some of it revised and updated. This will ensure that you continue the great progress that you've made since last year's mass building New Year's resolution.


For the newcomers, this is your chance to learn all of the vital information to building muscle mass and truly achieving your newly set mass-building resolutions.

Today's focus is on the shoulders and neck, which primarily consist of the deltoids,traps, and neck muscles.


Mass-Building Exercises

    Now that you know the basic anatomy and physiology of the shoulders and the neck, it's time for you to learn about their mass-building exercises.

    Internal Rotation (warm-up exercise)

      The internal rotation is an isolation exercise used to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles of the shoulder. It is used as a warm-up exercise.

 

    External Rotation (warm-up exercise)

      The external rotation is an isolation exercise used to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles of the shoulder. It is used as a warm-up exercise.

 

    Barbell Shoulder Press

      The barbell shoulder press is a compound movement used to build mass in the anterior and medial deltoids. The use of a 90 degree inclined bench is recommended, in order to prevent injury and/or hyperextension of the lower back. Also recommended is the use of a slightly wider than shoulder-width apart grip.

 

    Dumbbell Shoulder Press

      The dumbbell shoulder press is a compound movement used to build mass in the anterior and medial deltoids. The use of a 90 degree inclined bench is recommended, in order to prevent injury and/or hyperextension of the lower back.

 

    Machine Shoulder Press

      The machine shoulder press is a compound movement used to build mass in the anterior and medial deltoids. The machine is a great alternative to free weights and is good to use, especially when there isn't a spotter. The use of a 90 degree inclined bench is recommended, in order to prevent injury and/or hyperextension of the lower back.

 

    Barbell Clean And Press

      The barbell clean and press is compound movement used to build mass, density, and power in nearly all muscle groups, especially the deltoids. It is a difficult movement to master and should be performed with lighter weights until correct execution is achieved.

 

    Barbell Front Raise

      The barbell front raise is an isolation movement used to build mass and quality in the anterior deltoids. A shoulder-width apart grip is recommended.

 

    Dumbbell Front Raise

      The dumbbell front raise is an isolation movement used to build mass and quality in the anterior deltoids. An alternating arms motion is recommended.

 

    Cable Front Raise

      The cable front raise is an isolation movement used to build quality in the anterior deltoids. An alternating arms motion is recommended.

 

    Dumbbell Lateral Raise

      The dumbbell lateral raise is an isolation movement used to build mass and quality in the medial deltoids. An arms by side motion is recommended.

 

    Cable Lateral Raise

      The cable lateral raise is an isolation movement used to build quality in the medial deltoids. An arms by side motion is recommended.

 

    Bent-Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise

      The bent-over dumbbell lateral raise is an isolation movement used to build mass and quality in the posterior deltoids.

 

    Seated Bent-Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise

      The seated bent-over dumbbell lateral raise is an isolation movement used to build mass and quality in the posterior deltoids.

 

    Back Flyes

      The back fly is an isolation movement used to build mass and quality in the posterior deltoids. An upside down hand position is recommended.

 

    Barbell Upright Row

      The barbell upright row is a compound movement used to build mass in traps. A slightly wider than shoulder-width apart grip is recommended.

 

    Barbell Shrug

      The barbell shrug is an isolation movement used to build mass in the traps. A slightly wider than shoulder-width apart grip is recommended.

 

    Dumbbell Shrug

      The dumbbell shrug is an isolation movement used to build mass in the traps. An arms by side position is recommended.

 

    Standing Head Harness

      The standing head harness is an isolation movement used to build mass and quality in the neck muscles.

 

    Seated Head Harness

      The seated head harness is an isolation movement used to build mass and quality in the neck muscles.

 

    Lying Face-Up Neck Flexion

      The lying face-up neck flexion is an isolation movement used to build mass and quality in the neck muscles.

 

    Lying Face-Down Neck Extension

      The lying face-down neck extension is an isolation movement used to build mass and quality in the neck muscles.

 


Mass-Building Sets And Rep Ranges

    Next up for you to learn is the amount of sets and rep ranges that will allow you to build maximal muscle mass in the shoulders.

    Compound Exercises

      All compound exercises in the workout plan require 4 sets. The first set consists of 15 reps with light weights, for warm-up purposes. The following three sets consist of 8, 6, and 4 reps with heavy weights, for mass-building purposes.


    Isolation Exercises

      All isolation exercises in the workout plan also require 4 sets. The first set consists of 15 reps with light weights, for warm-up purposes. The following three sets consist of 10, 8, and 6 reps with heavy weights for mass-building purposes. There is an exception to this for some exercises for safety reasons. Those exercises consist of 12, 10, and 8 reps with medium to heavy weights for mass-building and safety purposes.


      There are two exceptions to the above. The first exception is thecable internal rotation, and dumbbell external rotation, which are isolation exercises used for warm-up purposes in the workout plan. They each require three sets, which consist of 25, 20, and 15 reps with light weights.

      The second exception is the standing head harness, seated head harness, lying face-up neck flexion, and lying-down neck flexion. They each require three sets each. The first set is a warm-up set consisting of 20 reps. The following two sets consist of 15 and 12 reps with medium to heavy weights for mass-building and safety purposes.

      Some isolation exercises will be performed in compound-sets, which means two exercises will be performed back to back without any rest time in between each exercise.


Mass-Building Workout Plan

    Finally, the moment you've been waiting for! The mass building workout plan consists of 4 weeks of differing workouts, with only one shoulder and neck workout each week. After the fourth week is completed, the workout cycle needs to be repeated.

    Week 1-

      Shoulder Warm-Up

    • Internal Rotation (warm-up exercise) - 3 Sets Of 25, 20, 15 Reps
    • Compound-Set With
    • External Rotation (warm-up exercise) - 3 Sets Of 25, 20, 15 Reps
    • Deltoids

    • Barbell Shoulder Press - 4 Sets Of 15, 8, 6, 4 Reps
    • Dumbbell Front Raise - 4 Sets Of 15, 10, 8, 6 Reps
    • Compound-Set With
    • Cable Lateral Raise - 4 Sets Of 15, 10, 8, 6 Reps
    • Seated Bent-Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise - 4 Sets Of 15, 12, 10, 8 Reps
    • Traps

    • Dumbbell Shrug - 4 Sets Of 15, 10, 8, 6 Reps
    • Neck

    • Standing Head Harness - 3 Sets Of 20, 15, 12 Reps
    • Compound-Set With
    • Lying Face-Up Neck Flexion - 3 Sets Of 20, 15, 12 Reps


    Week 2-

      Shoulder Warm-Up

    • Internal Rotation (warm-up exercise) - 3 Sets Of 25, 20, 15 Reps
    • Compound-Set With
    • External Rotation (warm-up exercise) - 3 Sets Of 25, 20, 15 Reps
    • Deltoids

    • Machine Shoulder Press - 4 Sets Of 15, 8, 6, 4 Reps
    • Barbell Front Raise - 4 Sets Of 15, 10, 8, 6 Reps
    • Compound-Set With
    • Dumbbell Lateral Raise - 4 Sets Of 15, 10, 8, 6 Reps
    • Bent-Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise - 4 Sets Of 15, 12, 10, 8 Reps
    • Traps

    • Barbell Upright Row - 4 Sets Of 15, 10, 8, 6 Reps
    • Neck

    • Seated Head Harness - 3 Sets Of 20, 15, 12 Reps
    • Compound-Set With
    • Lying Face-Down Neck Flexion - 3 Sets Of 20, 15, 12 Reps

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