Abel Albonetti's Brutal Mass-Building Shoulder Workout

The name says it all: This is one brutal shoulder workout.

But what feels like total annihilation for some is just another day at the gym for MuscleTech-sponsored athlete and Team Gym2k.com member Abel Albonetti.

Known for his high-volume training and willingness to endure pain in pursuit of gains, Albonetti shares his meanest shoulder workout yet.

Abel Albonetti’s Brutal Shoulder Workout Dumbbell Shoulder Press 6 sets, 12, 10, 8, 6, 10, 10 reps (the last 2 sets of 10 are double dropsets) Barbell Front Raise 4 sets, 10 reps (dropset last set) Upright Barbell Row 4 sets, 10 reps (dropset last set) Seated Cable Shoulder Press 4 sets, 12 reps (triple dropset last set) Cable Leaning Side Raise 4 sets, 12 reps per arm Cable Rear Delt Fly 4 sets, 15 reps Incline Bench Dumbbell Reverse Fly 4 sets, 12 reps (double dropset last set)

Dropsets for Maximum Reps

Nearly every exercise of this workout ends in a dropset, and in some cases a double or triple dropset. A dropset is where you perform the prescribed number of reps for the set, then drop to a lower weight and immediately perform another set to failure at that weight.

If it’s a double or triple drop, you drop down and go to failure twice on a double and three times on a triple. For example, on the seated cable shoulder press, you’ll perform 3 sets of 10, then on the fourth set perform 10 reps, drop the weight, rep to failure, drop the weight, rep to failure, drop the weight one last time, and rep to failure.

For the final burnout superset at the end, you’ll repeat the side raise and the front raise, this time using the same set of dumbbells for both. Perform the side raises to failure, then front raises to failure before resting, then repeat for 4 total sets. For an extra burn, hold the weights up as long as you can at the end of each set, increasing the time your shoulders spend under tension.

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