Tony Danza Delt Extravaganza
This workout will ebb and flow with intensity, before building up a significant amount of lactic acid and speed.
We begin with some basic strength work to deliver some blood to the delts and help to grease the elbow and shoulder joints before smashing all of your muscle fibres from every angle. Because of the intensity, this workout isn’t really geared for those with shoulder or elbow pain – (you can always see Elissa for a 1on1 review of your rehab needs).
Here’s your playlist!
Let’s get to work.
Warm up – Swallow The Sun & October Tide
Begin with some overhead band work and scapula retractions.
3 sets of 10 with the overhead, immediately followed by 20 reps of retractions.
Aim to pinch your shoulder blades together on the retractions, and squeeze it hard on each rep.
A1: Negative Rep Barbell rack presses – Paradise Lost & Ancient Ascendant
Similar to a Military Press setup however you are pushing the barbell against the rack as hard as possible. This will fire up your front and lateral delts nicely.
4 sets of 10 with a 3 second negative. Choose a weight where you could do 12 reps, but you won’t.
On your last set, do the first 5 reps with a slow tempo before doing as many reps as you can, as fast as possible. If you want to, walk the barbell out of the rack and bust out some push presses.
If Ancient Ascendant has started before your 2nd set, that’s your cue to hurry up. Don’t rest so long, we have work to do!
Tempo and intensity go up another level, don’t back down. Don’t rest too long.
B1: Tall Kneeling lateral raises – 15 reps
B2: Barbell muscle press – 10 reps for 3 total sets
To do a tall-kneeling lateral raise, simply set yourself up on the floor on your knees, keeping a tall chest. This isolates the movement only to the delts, as it prevents you from swinging your hips when you get tired.
The muscle presses are the second exercise on this circuit. If this doesn’t gel with you – that’s cool. Go with an upright row or a clean & press. If you are resting too long, drop the weight. The heavy stuff is done so now it’s time to burn.
Tri-sets: Contrarian & Astriaal
We are mixing up the format here and we’re going for a rest-pause scenario. Complete each of the three exercises as fast as possible. Rest between each for 20 seconds before moving to the next, then rest for about 30s-1 minute before repeating the round.
Aim to get out as many sets as possible within the 11 minutes. You should get at least three to four rounds. Any less than that, and you’re slacking. Again, don’t choose the heaviest weight. We want to accumulate some volume and smash your type 1 muscle fibres too, so speed and form > weight.
This is going to hurt, but you can do it.
C1: DB front raises – 10
C2: DB floor presses – 15
C3: DB rear delt flyes – 20
Rear delt flyes are best done seated on a bench, with your arms wrapped around your knees. Try to spread your ribcage as wide as possible and then squeeze the dumbbells up to just below shoulder level. Do not allow your scapula to retract here, we want rear delts, not rhomboids!