Working Your Shoulders

    The word "delta" comes from the Greek letter which was shaped like a triangle on edge. When the right side was rounded, it became our letter "D". The mouth of the river Nile was called a delta and this was extended to other river mouths. In terms of the shoulders, there are three parts of the deltoids, front, side, and rear, or anterior, lateral, and posterior, which pull up the arm in three different sides (front, back, and side).

    The upper arm bone fits into the shoulder blade bone with a ball and socket type joint similar to the way the upper leg bone fits into the pelvis. In the case of the shoulder, the joint is much more shallow (called the "gleno-humeral" joint, the "humeral" refers to the humerus bone and "gleno" from the Greek word for eyeball). Because it is more shallow, it is a very flexible joint, probably the most flexible one in the human body, but it is also much easier to dislocate.

    This joint is held together by the rotator cuff, which actually consist of four muscles with tongue-twisting names. (Saying all four out loud can dislocate your tongue!) These are the supraspinatus, intraspinatus (meaning "above" and "below" the spine, respectively), the teres minor, and the subscapularis.

    The pectoralis major are also technically part of the shoulder joint, connecting the upper arm with the breastbone, but in terms of working out, these are considered part of the chest.

Machines

• Paramount Pec Fly/Rear Delt Machine.
      Use this facing the weight stack in order to work your rear delts.
  • [How to use it.]

• Paramount Rotary Upper Back
  • [How to use it.]

• Paramount Rotary Shoulder
  • [Machine.]

• Paramount Total Shoulder
  • [How to use it.]

• Paramount Cable Machine
  • [How to use it.]

• Cybex Dual Axis Overhead Press
  • [Machine.]

• Cybex Lateral Raise
  • [How to use it.]

• Paramount Rotary Chest
  • [How to use it.]

• Military Press (Smith Machine)
  • [How to use it.]

• Machine for Shrugs.
  • [How to use it.]

Barbells

• Barbell Shrugs

• Barbell Front Raises

• Front Press.

• Upright Rows
      This is said to work both the trapezoids and the delts, and helps to define the area between the front and middle delts from the traps. You can use the straight barbell, although an EZ-bar is easier on the wrists. Grip the bar about 6 inches apart. (Stick out your thumbs and let them touch.) If you grip wider, you will stress your delts while if the grip is any closer, you'll wind up working your lats.
      Stand upright with the knees slightly bent and raise the bar to your chin. Keep your elbows high and to the side.

Dumbbells

• One Arm Dumbbell Press.

• Dumbbell Shoulder Press.

• Dumbbell Shrugs.

• Lateral Raise.
  • [How to use it.]

• Bent-Over Lateral Raises

• Front Raise.

• Back Delt Fly.

Secondary Exercises

    These are exercises where the shoulder muscles are also worked, but aren't the primary muscles used.
• One Arm Row.
  • [How to use it.]
  

  If you have any ideas, suggestions, comments, etc.
  as to either what is or should be on this website,
  or the Mueller Center in general, please let us know.

  To contact us:
  Phone: 276-2874
  Fax: 276-2817
  Email: mugrap@rpi.edu