Building strong and healthy shoulders is a critical aspect of training. If you are an athlete, improving the strength, work capacity, and durability of the shoulders will improve sports performance and lengthen careers. Not only will this benefit the athlete in the short term, but the long-term quality of life will be enhanced as athletes age and experience fewer instances of shoulder pain or discomfort. 

Utilizing the Conjugate Method allows an athlete to target the shoulders during training. Our first option is during our main exercise of the training day. Typically, if we plan to use a shoulder-focused main exercise for an upper training day, we will perform this movement during our max effort upper training day. We will often work up to a top set of 1-3 reps to improve upper torso absolute strength. 

Our second option is to train the shoulders during our accessory exercise training. When using the Conjugate Method, accessory exercise training occurs immediately after the main exercise of the training day has been completed. We can train the shoulders on both ME and DE upper training days. 

Below, we will review a few of our go-to exercises and training strategies for targeting the shoulders during accessory exercise training.

Basic Programming Guidelines

Conjugate Method accessory exercise training will typically include two types of exercises: the primary accessory exercise performed immediately after the main exercise and secondary accessory exercises performed immediately after the primary accessory exercise. Primary accessory exercises utilize multi-joint movements and higher training intensities, while secondary exercises are often single-joint movements and hypertrophy-focused. 

The primary accessory exercise of the day can be the same exercise that was just used during the main exercise, just performed as down sets. However, we can completely change the exercise to introduce whatever training stimulus is necessary. This movement will typically follow a set and rep scheme of 3-5 sets for 5-8 repetitions.

Based on the training day, the secondary accessory exercises will target all involved muscle groups. So, for an upper body training day, our secondary accessory exercises will focus on building the upper torso muscles and muscle groups. These movements typically follow a set and rep scheme of 3-4 sets for 8-10, 10-12, 12-15, or 15-20 repetitions. 

We will execute a primary accessory exercise on most training days, followed by 3-5 secondary accessory exercises. 

Primary Accessory Exercises

When programming primary accessory exercises to improve the strength and capabilities of the shoulders, we will primarily choose barbell overhead pressing exercises. These exercises help target large muscle groups of the anterior and posterior upper torso, improving shoulder strength and ability.

Many believe shoulder training means strictly training the deltoids. However, we must also address the trapezius, rotator cuff muscles, and rhomboids. 

To accomplish this goal, we will use the following exercises:

Push Press

Strict Press

Z Press

Axle Bar Press

Log Press

Viking Press

Overhead Pin Press

Once an exercise has been selected, we will execute the exercise immediately after our main movement. We will then perform the exercise for 3-5 sets of 5-8 repetitions. Our primary accessory exercise aims to keep the intensity at or above 75% despite being pre-fatigued. 

We can perform our primary accessory exercise in one of two ways. The first way is to select one weight and perform all sets with that weight. However, we can also opt to work up to a top set, starting somewhat lighter and working up to the heaviest 5-8 reps we can safely complete. 

This second option will improve the upper torso's absolute strength more efficiently. It will also help to make primary accessory exercise training interesting, considering an athlete can keep track of and aim to beat prior top-set training weights. No matter which option you choose, shoulder strength and size will improve. 

Secondary Accessory Exercises

Moving on to our shoulder-focused secondary accessory exercises, we can specifically target the shoulder muscles. While main exercises involve large groups of muscles to complete the movement, our secondary accessory work will help isolate crucial shoulder muscles responsible for success in the bench and overhead press. 

Instead of choosing exercises that call on the deltoids, rotator cuffs, rhomboids, and trapezius muscles to work in unison, we want to select exercises that directly target each muscle individually. 

To accomplish this goal, we will use the following exercises:

Anterior Deltoid

Front Raises

Standing or Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press

Landmine Press

Lateral Deltoid

Standing or Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Standing Cable Lateral Raise

Y Raise

Posterior Deltoid

Rear Delt Raise

Face Pull

Reverse Pec Deck

Rotator Cuff

External Rotation w/ Cable or Band

Internal Rotation w/ Cable or Band

Push-Ups

Rhomboids

Chest-Supported Row

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Band Pull Apart

Trapezius

Shrug w/ Barbell or Dumbbell

Upright Row w/ Barbell, Dumbbell, Kettlebell, or Cable

Pull-Ups

During each max or dynamic effort upper training day, athletes will perform 3-5 total secondary accessory exercises. Typically, we will program 1-2 shoulder-focused exercises depending on the total number of secondary accessory exercises performed. If an athlete has a noticeable weakness, up to three shoulder-focused exercises could be programmed during a five-exercise accessory training day. 

When executing the abovementioned exercises, athletes will perform 3-4 sets of 8-10, 10-12, 12-15, or 15-20 repetitions. We recommend 8-10, 10-12, or 12-15 rep sets for the exercises using barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, or cables. We recommend 12-15, 15-20, or AMRAP sets for band or bodyweight exercises. 

Training Day Breakdown

Now that we have covered the basics of shoulder-focused accessory exercises, it is time to program it into a max and dynamic effort training day.

Remember that the accessory exercise training scheme for max and dynamic effort upper will typically be the same. We may only alter our approach to accessory exercise programming during max effort training if an athlete is too fatigued for a primary accessory exercise following the max effort movement of the day. 

Here is an example of an appropriately organized max effort upper training day for an athlete dealing with lagging shoulder strength and size:

Main Exercise

Bench Press - work up to a top-set single

Primary Accessory Exercise

Push Press - 4 x 5-8 (work up to a top set)

Secondary Accessory Exercises

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press - 4 x 8-10

Rolling Dumbbell Tricep Extension - 4 x 10-12

Chest-Supported Row - 4 x 10-12

Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise - 3 x 12-15

Banded Face Pull - 3 x AMRAP

Here is an example of an appropriately programmed dynamic effort upper training day performed the same week:

Main Exercise

Close Grip Bench Press - 9 x 3 @50% + minibands

Primary Accessory Exercise

Z Press - 4 x 5-8 (select one weight for all sets)

Secondary Accessory Exercises

Barbell Row - 4 x 8-10

Skullcrusher - 4 x 10-12

Hammer Curl - 4 x 10-12

Standing Dumbbell Front Raise - 3 x 12-15

Y Raise - 3 x 12-15

As you can see, each training day features a shoulder-focused primary accessory movement and a few additional shoulder-focused secondary accessory exercises. During ME upper, we hit our initial shoulder-focused training of the week and then finished up with what we missed on ME day with our DE upper primary and secondary accessory movements. 

Never Neglect Accessory Work 

Using the exercise selection and programming strategies described above, we can address weakness in the shoulders while continuing to achieve meaningful training volume for all other involved muscles and muscle groups. We do not want to overwhelm our exercise selection and ignore other muscle groups to focus on a weakness. If we were to do that, we would solve one weakness while inevitably creating another. 

Accessory exercise training allows athletes to develop the strength and size of individual muscles and muscle groups further. Be sure to take the time to plan out your approach to accessory training strategically, and you will notice improved performance in both the gym and competition.

Accessory exercise programming will make or break the training when using the Conjugate Method. By following the programming strategies described above, athletes can strengthen weak muscle groups, achieve meaningful levels of muscular hypertrophy, and simultaneously improve their strength and physical composition.

Never neglect accessory exercise training. This training lays the foundation upon which athletes will build future strength. 

Sources:

Simmons, L. (2007). Westside Barbell Book of Methods. Westside Barbell.

Verkhoshansky, Y., & Siff, M. C. (2009). Supertraining. Verkhoshansky.