DELTS BOB’S WORKOUT

ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE BOB Cicherillo? Persistent. After 13 years battling for his pro card in the amateur ranks, Chick finally broke through at the 2000 NPC USA Championships.
He brings the same state of mind to the gym, training hard ‘n’ heavy for that polished look.
>> “When training shoulders, use your chin as a guide,” Cicherillo instructs. “I begin and end my overhead presses at my chin, and bring upright rows to a point just underneath my chin.”
>> He also gives delts their own training day, rather than pairing them with chest, triceps or another bodypart, to give them his utmost attention.

SEATED MACHINE PRESS
START: “I like to begin my workout with a power motion like overhead presses to get the muscles moving and the blood going,” Bob says. “I sit on a bench with a backrest and grasp the handles with my hands just outside shoulder-width apart, or even a bit wider.”
MOVE: “I begin with the handles precisely at chin level and use my chin as a guide throughout the exercise. I press the weight up and over my head at a steady rate of speed — not too fast, and nothing explosive. I come to a full extension overhead without locking out, then slowly come back to the start, lowering the weight only to chin level.”

BENT-ARM DUMBBELL LATERAL RAISE
START: “I begin with the dumbbells to the sides of my thighs with my palms facing my body,” Bob says. “It’s nearly impossible to cheat because this position totally isolates the middle delt and keeps you from using your back or traps to help with the lift.”
MOVE: Slowly raise the dumbbells up and out, making sure your elbows are always higher than the weights. Pause a moment at the top before slowly returning to the start.

EZ-BAR UPRIGHT ROW
START: “Standing with my knees slightly bent, I hold the bar with my shoulders down and my focus forward,” Bob explains.
MOVE: “Leading with my elbows, I lift the bar straight up, keeping it close to my body, until my wrists come underneath my chin. I pause a moment and squeeze hard in this top position before slowly lowering the bar back to the start.”