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The FST-7 Shoulder Workout | The Ultimate Guide!

Are you looking for a new workout program to help you build massive shoulders? If so, then you may want to try Hany Rambod’s FST-7 Training Program!

Introduction

  • Part 1: The FST-7 Training Program
  • Part 2: The FST-7 Shoulder Workouts

In this comprehensive guide I will teach you everything you need to know about how to build huge shoulders using the FST-7 training program.

FST-7 is an advanced bodybuilding program created by the bodybuilding coach Hany Rambod. FST-7 is different from other training programs: it combines high-volume and high-intensity training principles into one complete training program.

Hany Rambod likes to finish his workouts with 7 sets on a key exercise with very short rest periods. He says these 7 sets give you an incredible pump and help to stretch out the tight fascia tissue surrounding your muscles. Check it out:

“FST-7 stands for fascia stretch training. The 7 is the amount of sets that you do at the end. The expansion of the fascia is what is going to trigger the growth.

So when we go in there and trigger the ultimate pump, you’re going to get really good round muscle bellies with maximum separation.”

Hay Rambod says the key to building massive shoulders is to use a combination of heavy compound pressing exercises and high-rep isolation movements. He likes to train the shoulders with anywhere from 4-7 total exercises: 1-2 compound pressing exercises and 3-5 isolation exercises for his front, side and rear delts.

Of course Hany Rambod also likes to throw in his FST-7 sets at the end of his workouts to stretch out his fascia tissue.

Here is a high volume FST-7 shoulder workout that you can try. Check it out:

FST-7 Shoulder Workout #1

  • Exercise #1: Standing DB lateral raise, 4 sets of 10-20 reps**
  • Exercise #2: Seated DB overhead press, 4 sets of 10-20 reps
  • Exercise #3: 30 degree prone DB front raise, 4 sets of 10-20 reps
  • Exercise #4: Standing DB overhead press (neutral grip), 4 sets of 10-20 reps
  • Exercise #5: Seated DB lateral raise, 4 sets of 10-20 reps****
  • Exercise #6: Bent over DB rear delt fly, 4 sets of 10-20 reps
  • Exercise #7: Reverse pec dec, 7 sets of 10-15 reps, 30 seconds rest

**Perform 4-6 reps on one arm while the other arm holds the dumbbell in the top position, then switch arms. Repeat until you have performed 10-20 total reps on each arm.

****After your last set drop the dumbbells and perform lateral raises with just your arms. Have your training partner apply manual resistance down on your arms on the lowering phase of each rep.

Here is the training video:

Talk about an intense shoulder workout! Hany Rambod absolutely destroys his clients’ shoulders with two heavy compound pressing exercises and five shoulder isolation exercises.

Hany Rambod starts this workout with standing dumbbell lateral raises to pre-exhaust the side delts. After the heavy lateral raises Hany Rambod moves onto seated dumbbell overhead presses and a variety of other shoulder exercises.

Hany says that the shoulders respond especially well to high-volume workouts such as this one. Check it out:

“Some people think that high volume comes with only back or legs. When you do shoulders, high volume is high volume. We’re pushing a lot of blood and we’re doing a lot of different angles.

Not only are we doing 1 type of lateral movement, sometimes we’re doing 2 or even 3 different lateral raises.”

Finally Hany finishes the workout with some FST-7 sets on the reverse pec dec machine. Here is another FST-7 shoulder workout that you can try. Check it out:

FST-7 Shoulder Workout #2

  • Exercise #1: Standing DB lateral raise, 4 sets of 10-20 reps
  • Exercise #2: Standing DB front raise, 4 sets of 10-20 reps
  • Exercise #3: Hammer strength overhead press, 4 sets of 10-20 reps
  • Exercise #4: Cable rope front raise, 4 sets of 10-20 reps
  • Exercise #5: One-arm cable reverse fly, 7 sets of 10-15 reps, 30 seconds rest

Here is the training video:

This is another one of Hany Rambod’s high-volume shoulder workouts. Once again Hany pre-exhausts his clients’ side and front delts with different isolation exercises before moving onto his heavy compound pressing exercise.

Hany says the shoulders respond well to higher-volume workouts where you use the pre-exhaust method and other high-intensity techniques.

“Not only are we doing volume on legs and back, but we’re doing volume on shoulders as well. That would include doing different variations the same movement.

For example lateral raises can be done standing, seated, behind the back. Front raises can be done stranding but also on a bench like with spider curls so you can really isolate the muscle and create more muscle soreness.

You’re eliminating momentum and getting continuous muscle tension through the whole range of motion.”

As usual Hany Rambod finishes the workout with 7 sets of cable reverse flies to really isolate his rear delts and to stretch out the fascia tissue.

Usually Hany uses a shoulder isolation movement for his FST-7 exercise. However, with his more advanced bodybuilders he sometimes likes to do 7 sets of a heavy compound pressing exercise. Check it out:

FST-7 Shoulder Workout #3

  • Exercise #1: Seated DB overhead press, 4 sets of 10-12 reps
  • Exercise #2: Standing DB lateral raise, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
  • Exercise #3: Behind the back cable lateral raise, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
  • Exercise #4: 30 degree prone DB “Y” raise, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
  • Exercise #5: Bent over DB lateral raise, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
  • Exercise #6: Reverse pec dec, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
  • Exercise #7: Hammer strength military press, 7 sets of 10-12 reps, 30-45 seconds rest

Here is the training video:

Talk about a high-volume shoulder workout! Here is Hany talking about his decision to use a compound pressing movement for the FST-7 exercise at the end of the workout:

“FST-7 for beginners and intermediates, we use lateral raises to isolate the lateral head of the delt. With Jay we’re trying to build more thickness and base strength so we’re using more compound movements.

Compound movements are not good for beginners because your ancillary muscles will kick in. But with advanced bodybuilders you can use a compound movement for 7 sets of 8-12 reps to really blow up your delts.”

So far we’ve looked at workouts where Hany Rambod performs his 7 fascia-stretching sets at the end of the workout. Hany sometimes likes to put this movement first in the workout – especially if he is working with an advanced bodybuilder who is stuck at a training plateau.

Here is a more advanced FST-7 workout that you can try. Check it out:

FST-7 Shoulder Workout #4

  • Exercise #1: Machine lateral raise, 7 sets of 10-15 reps, 30 seconds rest
  • Exercise #2: Machine overhead press, 4 sets of 8-15 reps
  • Exercise #3: Seated DB overhead press, 4 sets of 8-15 reps
  • Exercise #4: One-arm standing DB front raise, 4 sets of 8-15 reps
  • Exercise #5: Bent over rear delt DB fly, 4 sets of 8-15 reps

Here is the training video:

Hany Rambod calls this a “pre-load” workout because you are performing the 7 fascia-stretching sets at the start of the workout:

“We’re going to start with an FST-7 pre-load. We’re going to do working sets, 7 sets, 30-45 seconds of rest in between each set and doing 10-15 reps. We’re going to push hard and really push that pre-pump.

What do you do with pre-pump? You’re trying to take that pump when you go to your compound movements when you have a better mind-muscle connection.”

During the workout Hany Rambod gives some great insights into how he organizes his workouts.

Hany says that the seated dumbbell overhead press is probably the single best shoulder exercise that you can do. He likes it so much that he includes it in almost all of his shoulder workouts. Check it out:

“The standard shoulder press. This is the mother of all shoulder exercises. I like it better than barbell presses. I love dumbbells because of the range of motion that you get.

And this is what you need to build huge delts. Machines, barbells and isolation exercises are great but this still has to be done. This is the mother of all shoulder exercises – the dumbbell overhead press.”

If you are going to use Hany Rambod’s FST-7 Training Program then make sure to include plenty of dumbbell overhead presses for your delts!

Conclusion

Hany Rambod is one of the world’s top bodybuilding coaches. He has trained some of the greatest bodybuilders of all time including 4x Mr. Olympia champion Jay Cutler and 8x Mr. Olympia champion Phil Heath.

Hany Rambod’s goal when he trains shoulders is to target the front, side and rear delts with a variety of compound and isolation exercises. Of course he also includes plenty of fascia-stretching sets at the end of his workouts to really pump up his shoulders.

If you are stuck at a shoulder training plateau then you have to try Hany Rambod’s FST-7 chest workouts. They may be just what you need to take your training to the next level.

“The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent.”

Thank you for reading and I wish you the best of luck on your strength training journey!