Shoulders Hypertrophy Workout - 45min Advanced
Build boulder shoulders and horseshoe triceps with this high volume advanced hypertrophy session. We combine heavy barbell compounds for structural strength with focused cable isolations to maximize metabolic stress. This workout is designed to push your upper body limits through targeted deltoid and triceps fatigue.
This is for advanced lifters and overhead athletes who want to increase shoulder width and arm thickness. It is ideal for those looking for a high intensity bodybuilding style split.
Equipment
Workout Plan
Rest 90-120s between heavy barbell sets, 60s for handle accessories, and 30-45s for the final rope burnout block.
Standing Barbell Overhead Press
Shoulders, Triceps
Brace your core and drive the bar straight up while the digital weight provides constant resistance.
Barbell Skull Crusher
Triceps
Lower the bar toward your forehead slowly while using Eccentric mode to overload the negative.
Lateral Raise
Shoulders
Keep a soft bend in your elbows and focus on pulling the handles out rather than just up.
Reverse Fly
Back, Shoulders
Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top while maintaining constant tension on the cables.
Seated Single Arm Overhead Press
Shoulders, Triceps
Use the bench for stability and focus on a full extension at the top of the cable pull.
Triceps Extension
Triceps
Pin your elbows to your ribcage and pull the rope apart at the bottom of the movement.
Upright Row
Shoulders, Biceps
Keep the rope close to your chest and lead with your elbows to target the side delts.
Overhead Triceps Extension
Triceps
Maintain a split stance for stability and drive the rope toward the ceiling.
Why this order
We start with high threshold barbell movements to recruit the most motor units while you are fresh. The mid session handle block focuses on unilateral stability and multi angle deltoid growth while the final rope sequence ensures total triceps exhaustion through varied points of peak tension.
Want this personalized for you?
This is a template workout. Connect your Tonal and the AI coach adjusts weights to your strength scores, swaps exercises around injuries, and progresses you week over week.
Start Free with AI CoachFrequently Asked Questions
How should I handle the weight for the heavy barbell press?
Use Tonal's Spotter mode so you can push to near-failure on the heavy sets without worrying about getting stuck under the bar.
Can I do this workout if I have restricted shoulder mobility?
If vertical pressing is difficult, use the handle-based seated press at a slightly shallower angle or reduce the range of motion.
What digital weight modes are best for the triceps finishers?
Try Burnout mode for the final rope sets to ensure you finish every rep as the muscle fatigues.
Should I sit or stand for the handle overhead press?
This workout prescribes a seated position to allow you to focus entirely on the shoulder contraction without core stability limiting your weight.