MOTIVATION
TRAINING
Being a powerlifter, shoulders always took a back seat to bench pressing, lat work and upper back. Side laterals were an after thought and overhead pressing was done minimally. I’ve taken the last 8 months and concentrated very specifically on building those up – both in strength and mass. And it’s paid off.
Here are 2 shoulder workouts that are sure to make your boulders cry out!
SHOULDER WORKOUT #1
Y’s and T’s – 3×8 each
BB Standing Military – 4×6
TRI SET THE FOLLOWING THREE EXERCISES: 
Bradford press – 3×8, but with a real slow tempo. Take 3 seconds for each trip over the head and 3 seconds to come back to the front. Over and back is one rep.
Band side raise – 3×20. Using a micro mini or mini band from Elitefts.com. Pump these never letting your hands down or losing tension.
Rear fly – 3×15, heavy, using a hang and swing partial technique.
Finish off with:
Chain flys – 4×10 (or band flyes)
Ladder push up – 1 Total set. 8-10 reps at each level. Start off doing pushups on the ground, then when you’re about 1 rep shy of failure, move your hands to the barbell placed at the bottom of a power rack. Do pushups again until you’re 1 rep shy of failure, and then move the bar up about 6 inches and do your last set to failure.
SHOULDER WORKOUT #2
Rear/side/front raise – 20 reps of each without stopping. Do 3 sets.
Arnold press – 4×12
Rear delt rows – 5×8. These are a little different and you don’t want to use your traps. Sit on the end of the bench and lean forward. Keep your elbows out to the side and row the dumbbells. Keep the tempo slower and focus on pulling with the rear delts. It should be a similar feel as face pulls. Try to go a little heavier on these.
Incline flyes – 4×8+6. What you’ll do here is 8 tough reps, then decrease the weight a little and do 6 more, but with a training partner pushing your arms down as you lower the weight. Try to resist them as much as possible. Do this for all 4 sets.
Banded chest press – 4 x 1 minute – http://youtu.be/IGgEjl3WE5k
NUTRITION
As summer sneaks upon us and parties and barbecues seem to be happening every weekend, it’s really easy to get off course with chips, desserts, hot dogs and things generally not on your plan. Now, let me preface this by saying that I am a firm believer in enjoying life. There’s no reason why you can’t enjoy your favorite BBQ foods once in awhile. But plan for it. If you have 3 parties to attend over the course of 2 weeks, pick at which one you are going to eat and enjoy. At the others, offer to bring a side dish that fits your plan.
Remember, it’s not that you have to always say no, but it’s knowing how to balance and manage.
P.S. Check out my first article on BossFit Magazine – 15 minutes to a fitter summer. I outline 5 HIIT workouts that are sure to keep you FIT during the busy summer months.
