How to properly train your weaker muscle groups

[Mr P]

Let's face it fellas, we all want that balance symmetry, it is easier at times to focus on our stronger muscle groups & to neglect the weaker ones.
We have all seen those at the gym with a big back & very weak lower body, they have focused on their "stronger muscle groups" instead of balancing their routines to really train & grow the weaker areas.

Some tips we should follow to really hit the areas that need the most work:

Train weak muscle areas first in your routine. Training weak areas later in your workout may result in not training them at the intensity needed to grow. You want to make sure you are your strongest when u hit these areas.


Make sure you "change things up" It's all about "stimulating" & "challanging" that muscle, so For example, if your weak area is your biceps and you normally train them with barbell curls, add incline dumbbell curls and preacher curls to your routine.



Do additional sets, increase from three sets to four or five sets per exercise... or do one set of 50 reps (moderate) weight, u will feel a great burn and an amazing pump & you will get a lot of blood flow into that muscle, allowing it to grow.

I train my weaker areas 4 X a week, I know this not the "standard" or "conventional" way but after many years doing this & learning what has worked for me I've gotten excellent results doing this... I hope that Cashout shimes in & gives some of his training tips.

[PillarofBalance]

Arnold had poor rear delt growth... So he kept dumbbells under his bed. He'd wake up, bang out a ton of reps and then get started with his day.

Good stuff Mr P.

[Pikiki]

Nice thread Acere !!!

[DarksideSix]

I train my cock every day but it just won't grow! *sigh*

[beasto]

Good thread P!!! I was waiting for when you were going to drop one!!! Going to try to work my lacking calves first thing, see how that works out. Really trying to add more mass to them.

[noobmuscle]

Good info brother!

[Cashout]

I'd agree with what you wrote P.

Too many times we focus on that which is our strength at the detriment of our weaknesses.

I personally did this for quite a long time and I still suffer from the effects of it today.

A lot of guys have conditioned themselves to think that the must use heavier and heavier weights to bring up the weakness. So, I then proceed to ask them, "well isn't that what you have been doing?" "Yes" is always the answer. I then ask, "How's it working? Not so well I'd guess as you are talking to me about the still lagging body part, right?"

Most guys answer to weak body parts, if they work on bring them up is to do more of what is not working and do it harder.

Here is the big secret, if it didn't work before doing it twice as hard is not likely to work either. It is just twice as likely to frustrate you.

So what is my answer? What I've found useful for the advanced bodybuilder attempting to address weakness is "pre-exhaustion" training.

I've used this type of routine to bring up my shoulders, which use to be a major weakness in my physique.

So, with this type of "weakness trainining" as P stated, train the weak body part first. I like to do it at the beginning of the weak as well.

I like ot start the routine, after warm up, with an isolation movement super setted with light compound movement. I'd do this combo for 4 sets. It is the primary work for the muscle group I'm targeting.

Next I like to move on to another isolation movement that is a dropped setted.

Last, I through in one compound movement for higher reps to full gorge the bodypart with blood.

So, my typical pre-exhustion shoulder routine looks like this.

4 sets of Machine Lateral Raise to failure SUPER SETTED with Smith Overhead Press.
3 Sets of Dumbbell Lateral Drop sets
3 Sets of Hammer Strength Seated Should Press of 20, 15, 10 reps.

Between sets I like to rest about 1-2 minutes and between exercise groups, I like to rest a full 2 minutes.

You can use this approach with just every body part. I've built routines for everyone myself.

[AndroSport]

I train my cock every day but it just won't grow! *sigh*

DarkSide - 2nd time I have had to say this today but please check my thread on GH injections to increase PP size, vascularity & tan pigment.

Mr. P - I like this post. At one point when I felt my biceps were lacking, in comparison to my triceps, I would bang out a few sets to get the blood flowing right before bed EVERY NIGHT and I had tremendous growth & equalization arise from it. (I know - every day is a lot but i wasn't doing a full routine... just enough of a change up to get a burn and some good bloodflow going)

[Lulu66]

I have had good success bringing up weaker body parts ( in my case traps and rear delts) by lowering the weigh and adding more reps. Also training these parts twice a week and training them first on my routines.

[BigHerm]

Great post p

[SmilingBob]

Awesome info guys. Gonna have to try the Cashout plan for my front delts for a bit. Thanks!

[Get Some]

Another good program that has worked for me is what I call the "crush & flush" cycle. For arms, I'll work bis/tris 3x per week instead of the traditional once per week. I'll do this for 4 weeks and then the next 4 weeks lay off of all isolation movements. Any longer than 4 weeks staright for 3x per week and you risk overtraining. But, when you're on gear, 3x per week for 4 weeks is a decent stretch. If you're 100% natty you've got to be a little more careful ;) You can use this method for shoulders/calves as well, but it's mainly an arms routine.

[Jada]

Awsome thread!!

[Brother Bundy]

good knowledge being passed down I love shit like this

[Hurt]

Another good program that has worked for me is what I call the "crush & flush" cycle. For arms, I'll work bis/tris 3x per week instead of the traditional once per week. I'll do this for 4 weeks and then the next 4 weeks lay off of all isolation movements. Any longer than 4 weeks staright for 3x per week and you risk overtraining. But, when you're on gear, 3x per week for 4 weeks is a decent stretch. If you're 100% natty you've got to be a little more careful ;) You can use this method for shoulders/calves as well, but it's mainly an arms routine.

GS, for the following 4 weeks where you eliminate all isolation movements, do you also reduce frequency to 1x per week?

[grizzldsealpoacher]

Thanks for the post Mr P interesting thread. I have another one for you perhaps you vets have ran into this and have a solution. What if the stronger muscles take over when your trying to hit the weaker ones. Ex when I do rows I tend to feel it more in my arms then my back. How do you go about isolating the weaker muscles so the more pronounced muscles don't take over the movement?

[Pikiki]

Grizz I say chek on your form as well the way you pull the weights up. Other than use your arms use you back(lats) or like if your moevement is with your elbows, this make sense?

[Get Some]

Grizz, you are not alone, a lot of people have trouble with this. For me, I had trouble for years with bench having too much front delt involvement. My delts got huge, but my chest lagged. The simple solution is to lower the weight and work on form and pump. If you can get some blood rushing to the area via "pumps" then you'll feel it more. Start with a very manageable weight (maybe half of what you think your max might be) and really concentrate on using the proper muscles to make the movement. So, for you, really feel your back pulling the weight up and take your arms out of the equation. At low weight, you don't need help from your arms to pull the weight up, so if you can learn the form that will give you the feel then it will translate when you put more weight on the bar. Of course you'll have ot use your arms too, but your back will benefit greatly.

Another thing that I find useful for lagging groups that just don't seem to get a pump is to do drop or strip sets on the first exercise of the day. Warm up with 5 minutes cardio and do some stretching. Then choose a movement that really stretches the muscle out and forces blood into the area. So for chest and back that's likely flyes. Run a 5 set superset and really feel that pump. After that, your target muscles will be primed for the rest of the workout. Give that a shot and see how it goes ;)


Thanks for the post Mr P interesting thread. I have another one for you perhaps you vets have ran into this and have a solution. What if the stronger muscles take over when your trying to hit the weaker ones. Ex when I do rows I tend to feel it more in my arms then my back. How do you go about isolating the weaker muscles so the more pronounced muscles don't take over the movement?

[Azog]

Nice post GS! I have the same exact issue. My delts do a majority of my benching. Especially after the first few sets once fatigue begins.

[sfstud33]

Nice post GS! I have the same exact issue. My delts do a majority of my benching. Especially after the first few sets once fatigue begins.

Me too. My shoulders are always giving out before my chest - so frustrating! Indeed my front delts are glowing now from a compound fitness workout today and i know my chest is just laughing at my delts and thanking them for the free ride. This is awesome information.