Take a look at this picture. Arnie’s shoulder muscles are so thick and well rounded. You might also notice how thick his pecs are - we dealt with that in this post. Today we are looking at how to get huge shoulders like Arnie.

Massive shoulders require perfect technique

More than any other muscle the shoulders demand that you use perfect technique. The shoulder joint is a very sensitive joint and it doesn’t deal well with incorrect pressure. I know so many people whose bodybuilding career was stopped short because of a shoulder injury.

To learn the perfect technique you should read as much information as possible. Since we are talking about Arnie it would be a good idea to mention his book the Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding because it is the best way to learn how he trained.

You should also ask the trainers and experts at your gym about your lifting technique.

How do I know if my technique is wrong?
There is one question that I ask to test people to see whether they know what they are talking about when it comes to shoulders. On the overhead military press how should your shoulders be positioned? Should they be pointing forward, sideways or somewhere inbetween?

Massive shoulders need a light weight

I really don’t care what anyone says; you do not need over huge weights to grow huge muscles. You need perfect technique, contraction, reps and a good diet.

The thing about light weights is that it allows you to really focus on your technique. This is 10 times more important than the weight you are lifting; especially if you are lifting it wrong.

Start with a light weight (even if you are pro) and work on all of your exercises until you can do them all perfectly. Then start upping the juice.

Massive shoulders love the dumbbbells

Dumbbells are great because they allow for a much freer lifting motion. When you use a barbell or a machine you are is some ways restricted in how you can lift the weight. With a dumbbell, however, the weight is free to move around in any direction and this forces you to use stablizier muscles to control what is going on.

The dumbbell also allows for a greater stretch. An overhead press with dumbbells does so much more than a barbell!

Massive shoulders need the right food

We all know the one gram of protein for every one pound of bodyweight but I think its time we started looking at the type of food we eat. Natural proteins from healthy, fresh and organic sources are so much better than store bought powder. When I started drinking raw organic goats milk I grew faster than ever before. The protein in it was alive and well!

Conclusion
You can learn a lot about Arnie’s training from the book mentioned above. It is one of the best books out there for learning how to approach bodybuilding in a systematic and very practical way. And best of all, it was written by Arnie!

If you go to the gym everyday there is bound to be a few important weight lifting rules you have forgotten or disregarded because you think you are elite. This post will look at some important weight lifting hacks that you need to know for the gym. Read it, even if you are an expert.

1. Technique is the most important thing
When it comes to weight lifting nothing else is as important as your technique. Good technique will allow you to grow muscle size and develop strength while bad technique will hamper your progress and probably give you an injury.

2. Change your routine structure
If you are doing the same weight lifting routine you were a month ago then you will not be growing at your optimum. You need to change up your weight lifting routine as often as possible to stop your body getting used to the movement and the order.

3. Change your lifting style
The same goes for your lifting style. If you do super slow reps (like you should) then you should occasionally add in some fast ones and increase the intensity. These are all ways to keep your body guessing.

4. Warm up with weights
A lot of “experts” forget to warm up well. They go for a little jog on the treadmill and think that their arms are ready for lifting. Well, actually, the treadmill doesn’t work your arms. If you are going to be doing some heavy weights you need to prepare your body with some lighter versions of that movement.

5. Stick to compound exercises
If you are a regular gym junkie you have probably long since forgotten about compound exercises and are just hitting the isolation exercises. This is understandable as all the fancy machines at the gym make it so easy to do. However, compound exercises that work multiple muscles at once are the best way to grow muscle, burn fat and add strength. Why not use them?

6. Work your weakness first
If your biceps are lagging behind the rest of your body then work them out when you are fresh and full of energy. You will be able to handle more weight and you will have more focus to apply to correct technique. Continue Reading

Are you bench pressing the same weight you were a month ago? Or perhaps you are benching the same amount you were in high school? Might sound silly but a lot of my friends rave about the bench press while never really pushing it beyond the “testosterone teen” levels. This article will show you how I take my bench press to all new weights quickly and safely with a few simple techniques.

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1. Go from flat to incline

The thing about the flat bench press is that it works a lot of your shoulders. I know a lot of you “pure” bench press lovers out there are going to disagree with me but the incline bench is a better option if you want to hit more of your pectoral muscles. While you might not be able to handle as much weight as you did on the flat bench, the incline will work areas of your chest you have long neglected with your addiction to the flat bench.

Once you spend a few weeks pumping out incline bench presses you will find you are able to handle more weight on the flat bench.

2. Drop the weight and do 100 reps

The 100 repetition set is something I like to do every now and then. I remember talking to a strong man in India when I was on holiday and he told me that uses 100 rep sets quite often as a secret to boosting his strength levels.

I took that secret home and applied it to the bench press. All you need to do is get a weight small enough to pump out 100 reps and see if you can do it.

I bet 99% of you can’t.

Many strength trainers are limited in that they think strength does not include endurance. It does. Put your muscles to the test with the 100 rep set and see how you strength improves on the low rep sets.

3. Stop using a barbell, dummy

If you are still using the old barbell for the bench press you are living in the past. Get over your nostalgic habit and switch to a couple of dumbbells.

The reason I find dumbbells to be superior is that they allow a deeper stretch and more mobility. The mobility means you will be working more stabilizer muscles and you will have to put more work into keeping your technique pure. These are all things you will need to push your bench press weight upwards. Continue Reading