July 25 - Shoulders + Arms

Overall goal: build toward 160 lb with muscle-focused weight gain, get stronger, and create a bigger-looking upper-body silhouette through wider shoulders and thicker arms.

Today’s recommendation: Shoulders + Arms. Your last direct session was July 10—longer ago than your last Legs session on July 13.

Main win: complete clean Dumbbell Shoulder Press work, prioritize side-delt volume, then train both triceps and biceps.

Rules today

• Yesterday’s Back session already trained rear delts and upper back. Skip face pulls and rear-delt flys today.
• Stop pressing one rep before form breaks; do not force a shoulder-press PR after the gap.
• Side delts are the visual priority: strict reps, no swinging.
• Keep arm work smooth through a full comfortable range. Lower the load if elbows complain.
• If short on time, protect shoulder press and lateral raises, then do one triceps and one biceps movement.

Warm-up

• 5 minutes easy cardio or brisk walking.
• 2 light rounds: cable/band external rotation × 12, very light lateral raise × 12, scapular push-up × 10.
• 2 ramp-up sets before Dumbbell Shoulder Press.

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Dumbbell Shoulder Press — Main Strength Lift

Visual: cached closest match — dumbbell shoulder press.

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How: use a neutral-ish grip, keep ribs down, lower under control, and press slightly back over the shoulders.

Target today: 4 sets × 8–12. Re-establish clean work around 30–35. Try to beat 35 × 10 only if the first sets feel stable and pain-free.

Progress goal: when every working set reaches 10–12 clean reps, increase the dumbbells next time.

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Lateral Cable Raise — Width Priority

Visual: cached closest match — seated cable lateral raise. Your standing setup is fine.

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How: keep the cable slightly behind your body, lean away slightly, lead with the elbow, and stop around shoulder height. Do not shrug or swing.

Target today: 4 sets × 10–15. Start at 15–20 and aim to beat 20 × 10 through cleaner reps or more reps—not momentum.

Progress goal: reach 20 × 12–15 across the working sets before increasing load.

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Overhead Cable Triceps Extension — Long-Head Size

Visual: cached closest match — cable rope overhead triceps extension.

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Setup: cable low, face away from the stack, rope behind the head, elbows high-ish and mostly fixed. Extend overhead without arching your lower back.

Target today: 3 sets × 10–15. Build clean reps around 40–50. If elbows or shoulders feel irritated, switch to Rope Pushdowns.

Progress goal: reach 50 × 12 cleanly before increasing load.

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Rope Curl — Biceps/Brachialis

Visual: cached closest match — cable hammer curl with rope attachment.

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How: keep elbows quiet, curl without leaning back, squeeze at the top, and lower slowly to full extension.

Target today: 3 sets × 10–12 around 50. Increase only if all reps stay strict.

Progress goal: establish 50 × 12 across all three sets before moving up.

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Single-Arm Cable Triceps Pushdown — Optional Pump

Why this swap works: unilateral pushdowns let each triceps work independently and can make it easier to keep the elbow in a comfortable position.

Setup: use a single handle or hold the cable stopper. Stand square to the stack, keep the working elbow pinned beside your ribs, and use a neutral or palm-down grip.

How: extend only at the elbow, squeeze at lockout, then return slowly without letting the shoulder roll forward. Complete both arms before resting.

Target today: 2 sets × 12–15 per arm. Start lighter than the two-arm rope version and keep both sides equally strict.

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Dumbbell Hammer Curl — Optional Arm-Width Finisher

Visual: cached closest match — hammer curl.

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How: neutral grip, no torso swing, and control the full lowering.

Target today: 2 sets × 8–12. Use 20–25 only if reps remain strict after Rope Curls.

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Face Pull / Rear-Delt Fly ❌

Skip today. Yesterday’s Back workout already included three rear-delt-fly sets and two face-pull sets. Let that tissue recover and spend today’s volume on side delts and arms.

Front Raise ❌

Skip. Shoulder and chest pressing already provide substantial front-delt work; lateral raises offer more payoff toward looking wider.

If short on time

1. Dumbbell Shoulder Press — 4 sets 2. Lateral Cable Raise — 3–4 sets 3. Overhead Cable Triceps Extension — 3 sets 4. Rope Curl — 3 sets

Skip the optional pushdowns and hammer curls first.

Source: July 10 - Shoulders + Arms · Recovery context: July 24 - Back + Core