Can You Train Shoulder And Chest Together

Many people have this question: Is training the shoulders and chest together a good idea? Both are major muscle groups, so will there be any problem training these muscles together? In this article, you will get all the answers!

So, let’s answer this question: Should you train the shoulders and chest together? The answer is YES, YOU CAN. There is no harm in training these body parts, but you need to consider some points before training these muscle groups.

Before going through the reasons why you can train these muscles together, it is important to know the functions of the shoulder and chest muscles.

Functions of Shoulder and Chest Muscles

The Pectoralis major’s primary function is flexion, adduction, and internal rotation of the humerus. In contrast, the pectoralis minor helps to create a downward rotation of the scapula and is also used for pushing the shoulder blades down ( scapular depression).

On the other hand, the shoulder has three heads- front, lateral, and rear delts when we look at the shoulders. Out of these heads, front and lateral heads are responsible for pushing movements like overhead press, Arnold Press, push press, etc. However, the rear delt is responsible for pulling exercises like upright rows and bent-over flys. So when you do back exercises, your rear delts are also engaged.

So overall, both the shoulder and chest are used for pushing movements. Also, both are the major upper-body muscle groups.

Why Should You Train Shoulder and Chest Together

Similar Functions

Both the shoulder and chest are responsible for pushing movements. So when you are training your shoulders, some part of your chest is also engaged. For example, the upper pec muscles are also engaged when you do a shoulder dumbbell press.

Recovery

Since you are training these pushing exercises together, it is easy to recover from the workout. For example, if you have trained your shoulder and chest on Monday, the next day, you can do the legs, back, and arms on the other day. This way, your muscles have enough time to recover from the previous workout.

Prevents Plateau

Many people follow the same workout program for several months, and after a few months of training, their body hit a plateau. This happens because you are training the same way for months. To avoid this plateau, change your workout program every 6-12 weeks, depending on your fitness level.

One of the common workout splits is chest-triceps, back-biceps, and shoulder-legs. You also have an upper-lower body split, which works great for beginners. So, if you have been following these splits for several months, you should consider changing them. It would be best to try adding variations by changing the sequence, reps, intensity, or workout splits so your body doesn’t hit a plateau.

Both Are Major Upper Body Muscle Groups

Training your chest and shoulder together is a good option if you are a beginner or intermediate level. Beginners can perform chest and shoulder exercises together with some back exercises, covering the major muscle groups of the upper body overall. The next day, they can do lower body exercise, making it a very effective upper-lower body workout split for beginners.

If you work your shoulder and chest together, your triceps will also assist during the exercise; therefore, you don’t have to train it separately if you are a beginner. But people who have already been working out for a while and are at an intermediate stage can train triceps separately, especially if they have weak triceps.

Types of Chest and Shoulder Training Split

There are two main ways to train your chest and back on the same day-

Training one body part first and then the other one

Here, you will train the chest or shoulder and then the other body parts. You can train this way if you have enough time for the workout because completing it will take some time.

For example, let’s say you are training your chest at the beginning. Then you should do 3-4 chest exercises first, finish the chest workout, and then jump over to the shoulder workout.

Training both chest and shoulder alternatively

This is another great way to design your workout program. Here, you will complete one chest exercise, then the shoulder, and vice versa. This way, you are giving each muscle enough recovery time.

For example, doing 1 set of bench presses and then super setting with lateral raises is a good example of this kind of workout. Supersets are good for creating a metabolic demand, which is good for muscle building.

You can also complete three sets of bench presses first and then the shoulder press. This is good for those who lift heavy weights and need some rest in between each set to recover.

Mixing both these types

This is another good option! You can start with heavy compound movements like military or bench presses at the beginning. Train both muscles individually to build more strength and then end with some supersets like lateral raises and dumbbell flys. This will allow you to focus on both strength and muscle hypertrophy.

Key Things to Consider

Design Your Program Wisely

When you design your workout program, ensure you are not training your arms or triceps the next day after your shoulder and chest work. This is because your triceps will be engaged a lot during both chest and shoulder workouts, and you need to give at least 48 hours of rest before training the same muscle again. You must give the muscles enough rest to fully recover for the next workout.

For example, if you train your shoulder and chest on Monday, then on the next day, you can either train your legs or back and try to avoid training the triceps. This way, you are giving enough time for your muscles to recover.

Avoid Overtraining

Many people try to do more and eventually overtrain to a level where they feel fatigued and weak. This usually happens when the intensity, volume, and frequency are high. When you train these muscles together, there is a chance of overtraining.

So make sure you don’t need too many chest exercises if you have done military and other shoulder press exercises already. 3-4 chest exercises are enough, or you might overtrain.

Also, 6-8 exercises are enough if you are at an intermediate level. Mostly, training for 4-5 days a week is recommended. So, knowing your current fitness level is essential before designing a workout program.

Final Words

It is not a bad option to train chest and shoulder together. You can train these muscles together since both are major upper body muscles for pushing movements.

You can train any muscle group, but you must remember to design and sequence the workout program correctly to get the best results.

Knowing the current fitness level before selecting and designing a workout program is important. So, ensure you know your current fitness level and what exercises can help you get stronger and reach your goals.

Also, you should ensure that your fitness program aligns with your goals and fitness level. Otherwise, you won’t get the results you are looking for. You should always seek a fitness professional before starting any workout program.

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Should You Train Back And Chest Together On Same Day?