Phil Heath Shoulders Workout (Step-By-Step Routine)

Michael Garrico
Published by Michael Garrico | Co-Founder & Marketing Director
Last updated: November 24, 2023
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As a seasoned personal fitness trainer and nutritionist, I like going through a bodybuilder's training routine and diet plans to encourage my clients and readers to exercise and gain the same benefits.

Phil Heath is among the greatest bodybuilders of all time and seven-time Mr. Olympia.

He shares his most valuable training advice obtained from numerous hours spent in the gym.

In this guide, I will show you how to employ the Phil Heath shoulder routine to take your workout to the next level.

Quick Summary

  • Phil Heath works out his shoulders once a week with high-volume bodybuilding-style routines.
  • Several options include barbell shoulder presses, Smith machine overhead presses, and dumbbell presses.
  • It's essential to hit the shoulder muscles in various ways and from multiple angles. Little variations and one-of-a-kind exercises may have a tremendous impact.

Phil Heath’s Stats/Career Highlights

  • Age: 43 years
  • Height: 5ft 9in
  • Weight: 245 - 255 lbs
  • Waist: 29 inches
  • Chest: 54 inches

Phil Heath Workout Routine

Phil Heath Shoulder Workout Muscles

Phil has a fantastic physique: enormous 3-D arms and shredded six-pack abs. On the other hand, his shoulders are on an entirely different level.

Here's how Phil Heath trains this body part (shoulders):

Shoulder Workout Routine A:

  • Workout #1: 4 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions of hammer-strength overhead presses
  • Workout #2: 4 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions of dumbbell lateral raise.
  • Workout #3: 4 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions of bent over dumbbell reverse flys
  • Workout #4: 4 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions of 30° prone dumbbell front raises
  • Workout #5: 4 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions of dual handle face pulls

Also Read: Best At-Home Shoulder Workouts

Shoulder Workout Routine B:

  • Workout #1: 4 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions of hammer-strength overhead presses
  • Workout #2: 4 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions of hammer strength high incline push
  • Workout #3: 4 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions of standing dumbbell lateral raises
  • Workout #4: 4 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions of 45° prone dumbbell front raises
  • Workout #5: 4 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions of seated dumbbell lateral raises

Phil Heath Workout Principles

Phil Heath flexing his muscles

Beyond appearance, shoulder exercise improves posture and develops the muscles around the shoulder joint, resulting in a stronger body structure and better posture.

Phil works out his shoulders once a week with high-volume bodybuilding-style routines.

He works out 4 to 6 times weekly, including heavy overhead presses, high-rep isolation workouts for his front and back delts, as well as side delt exercises.

Unlike many bodybuilders, Phil isn't concerned with how much free weights he can lift.

Instead, Heath positioned the time under tension as his main principle, concentrating on getting high-quality spasms in his shoulders with each rep.

Unlike many smith machines exercises or barbell routines, Phil likes using various hammer strength machines in his entire workout since they are less taxing on his joints.

Phil gradually increases the free weights and does roughly 10 repetitions with perfect form for an intense workout.

He performs various isolation workouts for his rear and side delts.

"We're performing lateral rises, which will aid in developing delt breadth. We're also doing laterals while seated and standing. So we're going a bit heavier, followed by some isolation work."

- Phil Heath, American IFBB Professional Bodybuilder

Phil Heath shakes things up in his second routine by doing two strong overhead pressing actions.

He begins with his preferred hammer strength overhead press and progresses to the high incline hammer power press.

This movement focuses more on the exercising the front delts while still engaging the side and back delts effectively.

Related: Phil Heath Arm Workouts: Blast Routine & Training Tips

Phil Heath’s Diet/Nutrition Principles

Close up shot of chicken breasts

Phil Heath's meal plan is heavy on protein and carbohydrates.

Phil consumes around 400 grams of protein and 600 grams of carbs.

The other thing is that he consumes a high-calorie diet.

This would equate to 5,000+ calories per day during the peak training session, more than double the regular intake.

During the pre-contest days, he reduces his calorie intake.

Phil keeps fat to a minimum level, even the healthy fats like those found in vegetables and seafood.

Phil Heath’s Supplements

Phil prioritized supplements on his daily agenda.

He utilizes the following supplements to fuel his achievements.

  • Whey protein for muscle recovery [1].
  • Pre-workout to avoid premature fatigue [2].
  • Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) for muscle recovery [3].
  • Mass gainers.

FAQs

How Many Hours a Day Does Phil Heath Workout?

Phil Heath workouts for about two hours. Heath's routine consists of three to five workouts per muscle. He concentrates on the technical performance of the activities, akin to Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronnie Coleman, who has won the Mr. Olympia contest several times.

How Do Strongmen Train Shoulders?

Strongmen train shoulders by performing workouts such as barbell push presses, dumbbell Z presses, dumbbell overhead carries, and close grip dumbbell bench presses.

What Is the #1 Shoulder Workout?

Overhead presses are among the best exercises for building shoulder strength and muscle. They strengthen the shoulder across a broad range of motion and improve performance inside and outside the gym by strengthening the deltoids and muscles that stabilize the scapula.


References:

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6245118/
  2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30089501/
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6212987/
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