Shoulder Cable Creepers are a neat way to build some big shoulders without beating up your joints. This shoulders superset will have you starting outside the cables with a Y-raise, then creeping forwards to finish. Here’s what this shoulders superset will look like.
A1) Cable Y-Raises (behind the cables) x 7-10, straight to
A2) Cable Lateral Raise (In the cables) x 7-10, straight to
A3) Cable Lateral Raise partials x 7-10
In the video I’m doing them grip-less – wrists in ankle straps, for a little extra feedback from the shoulders. But using standard cable attachments work just as well.
There are two ways to do these. The way shown in the video is the more conventional way – start back with A1 then take a few steps forward to complete A2 and A3.
Another less conventional way would be to gradually creep forward doing just a few reps every step, literally creeping forward. This is a little harder timing-wise, but free to experiment with it.
Cable position matters
Try this. Set the cables up as low as they can go then perform a shoulder front raise facing towards the cable. Just note what part of the exercise is hardest.
Now step back a few feet. Do another front raise facing the same direction and notice which part of the exercise is hardest, and how it has a different feel to it.
In each of the two positions the point of maximal load (PML) is different. It’ll roughly be where your forearm and the cable create a 90 degree angle, which will of course change when you move yourself or change the position of the cable. Got it? Great, we’ll come back to this in just a sec.
Why these work
Cable Y-raises build cracking medial delts. Your shoulder stabilisers and neglected lower traps will benefit too. All good stuff for healthier and bigger shoulders.
Shoulder lateral raises are a key shoulder isolator in anyones books, but with a slight tweak raising in the scapula plane (30 degrees forward to the frontal plane) your shoulders will be in a better position.
Related: 6 exercises for pain-free shoulder training
The partials at the end are just for fun. The kind of fun that burns like a mo-fo but you know’s good for you. The extra reps will do your slow-twitch fibre dominant deltoids some good too.
Remember we spoke about the PML? Cool. Well one of the reasons why this shoulders superset works so well is because the PML changes throughout. This basically helps you cover all bases for some true shoulder annihilation.
At the start the PML is greatest at the top of the Y-raise where your delts are in a more shortened position. When you creep forward this changes so you’re working more mid-range. The partials work the bottom range, or if you’re really smart you’ll drop to a kneeling position and do them there.
Shoulders superset bonus!
I you like these then you’ll also enjoy this similar shoulders superset, also relying on a change in PML. You’ll start with Y-Raises in a bent-over position (hardest), then drop to standing version (a little easier). You’ll then drop to a lateral raise (again, a little easier), then to a partial lateral raise (easiest).
A1) Bent Over Y-raises x 7-10, straight to
A2) Standing Y-raises x 7-10 (or a few reps short of failure), straight to
A3) Lateral Raises x 7-10 (or a few reps short of failure), straight to,
A4) Lateral Raise Partials x 7-10 (or a few reps short of failure)
Feel free to drop a comment below if you’ve tried and enjoyed these supersets, or have any shoulder training ideas of your own.
I build Olympians, Cover Models and those who want to look like them. Author or “Ultimate Abs” available in all good book stores.