T Nation

Direct Shoulder Work

Powerlifting
#1

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I don’t do any direct shoulder work for my bench training. i Currently use the westside method. Though i plan on switching it up once i compete in my last meet mid July until november. i plan on training RAW until about a month and a half or so from the meet. of course putting my shirt on a few times during my suited hiatus. as far as raw training the bench, does anyone currently use direct shoulder work in their training? If so what are some of the positives/negatives of it. and do you think their has been any correlation between it and your 1RM in the bench press?

Also as someone with some shoulder pain during odd movements do you think it would be more beneficial to me coming off being in my shirt for the past 6 months of training and adding that direct shoulder work in? Im in between on it and wanted to see what my fellow T-Nation thinks.

#2

Most say that direct shoulder work benefits the bench, but in my case I have observed negative correlation. Maybe I have below average recovery. By the way, wasn’t there another direct shoulder work thread here recently?

#3

Jim Wendler and CT both advocate overhead pressing.

#4

yes there was another post. though it didnt ask the questions i wanted. particularly the bench press. thanks for the advice

#5

You have to train the rear delts, not only will it save you from sore shoulders, you will have some symmetry Thats the most shoulder training i do 75% of the time. I just do 3 or 4 different exercises for them

#6

overhead presses are mast becoming an indicator lift for my bench press. I took the advice of the BIG benchers out there who all say OHP’s are a must for raw bench, and am seeing the benefits right away.

#7

I usually do kettlebell shoulder presses once a week for 3 sets of 6-8 reps. I don’t know if it’s directly helped my bench, but it has helped my upper back get bigger/stronger, and that’s good for your bench.

I’ll have to start incorporating barbell presses, though.

#8

[quote]matsm21 wrote:
overhead presses are mast becoming an indicator lift for my bench press. I took the advice of the BIG benchers out there who all say OHP’s are a must for raw bench, and am seeing the benefits right away. [/quote]

stricktly standing presses? or all overhead movements i.e seated military/dumbells etc. also on what day does your overhead pressing day fall?

#9

i’ve been doing them on max bench day as an accessory lift at the end of the session, but am currently rotating them to be the main lift of the day, getting rid of the heavy chain bench, and doing flat bench for rep work. see how that goes for the next 3 months.
edit - right now i’m doing them standing w/ a t-grip barbell. kind of like a log press in terms of hand position (neutral grip). its easy on the bicep tendon

#10

[quote]Lurchman76 wrote:
i Currently use the westside method. Though i plan on switching it up once i compete in my last meet mid July until november. i plan on training RAW until about a month and a half or so from the meet. of course putting my shirt on a few times during my suited hiatus.[/quote]

I’m confused by that part.

You can do direct shoulder work. I’d just keep it lighter and more in the 8-15 rep range. You may not be able to do it every week either. It seems people are very different on shoulder recovery.

#11

[quote]Wild_Iron_Gym wrote:

[quote]Lurchman76 wrote:
i Currently use the westside method. Though i plan on switching it up once i compete in my last meet mid July until november. i plan on training RAW until about a month and a half or so from the meet. of course putting my shirt on a few times during my suited hiatus.[/quote]

I’m confused by that part.

You can do direct shoulder work. I’d just keep it lighter and more in the 8-15 rep range. You may not be able to do it every week either. It seems people are very different on shoulder recovery.[/quote]

i meant i have a meet on the 10th of july. and will not have a meet again until november. i want to get out of my shirt and train heavy RAW again. but putting my shirt on once a cycle or so. also i meant using some of the westside methods, i.e max effort days and dynamic days. and i posted on here looking for some advice on how to incorporate some shoulder work into my training! thanks for the advice

#12

Do you wear your shirt every week or something? The guys at Westside only shirt up every 4-6 weeks and do most of their training raw. In other words, they train heavy raw the majority of the time.

#13

Push presses and strict presses done fast have helped me get my bench up from 187.5kg to 200kg in the past 3 months. They teach explosion which is always good, just don’t go too mad with the poundages though.

#14

[quote]aaron_lohan wrote:
Push presses and strict presses done fast have helped me get my bench up from 187.5kg to 200kg in the past 3 months. They teach explosion which is always good, just don’t go too mad with the poundages though.[/quote]

What kind of weights did you use to make that strength increase?