Lateral Raises.....Volume or Heavy Weight?

[the nature boy]

good thread.

 

[Your_Moms_Kneepads]

I do one arm at a time while holding on to an upright/pole/ect. and lean slightly into the direction that I am going to raise. If you go too strict you will never use any weight that is worthwhile.
Use decent technique and get the delt to actually work.

 

[bignate73]

I do one arm at a time while holding on to an upright/pole/ect. and lean slightly into the direction that I am going to raise. If you go too strict you will never use any weight that is worthwhile.
Use decent technique and get the delt to actually work.

the "lean" thing was thought to bring about a fuller range of motion but actually just puts more stress in the top portion of the ROM. if you lean towards the pole, it will put more stress early on in the ROM. or go with cables to get tension throughout.

using lighter weight or going too strict IS worthwhile since this is an isolation movement with a very large moment arm and can place a great deal of torque on the shoulder capsule. couple that with using heavy weight and "decent" form which will bring the synergists into the movement even more and you risk forming faulty movement patterns, wearing on the joints and strengthening postural deviations. BTW, if you know your threshold for breaking form, the delt does actually work and you can still progressively overload the muscle without risking injury or using synergists more.