Wider shoulders: a dumbbell lateral raise workout
Your shoulders look wider when the lateral deltoid really does the work. This workout uses a simple dumbbell lateral raise and the good old scheme: 25, 15, 10, Rest, 10, 15, 25.
It’s not a complicated plan. The hard part is not swinging your body for momentum at the end of the repetitions, and not picking dumbbells that are too heavy out of ego.
Why do your shoulders need more than pressing?
Overhead pressing is a good exercise, but it isn’t enough on its own if the goal is a visually wider upper body. In pressing, the front deltoid, triceps and upper back take most of the training load. For many people the lateral deltoid simply stays in the background.
It’s the lateral deltoid that makes a T-shirt sit better on your shoulders. You don’t have to do anything exotic to get there. Raising dumbbells out to the sides works very well when the movement is clean and the muscle stays under tension.
Honestly, this exercise is also deceptive. At first it feels like you could add weight right away. Then the second half of the repetitions arrives and your shoulder starts to burn. That’s where the real work begins.
Wider shoulders: how to structure the set?
Use three pairs of dumbbells. The first pair is light, the second is medium, and the third is one you can still work with under control. Don’t choose the weight based on what someone next to you is doing. Pick it so that the last repetitions are hard but your shoulder still does the work.
- 1. Take fairly light dumbbells and do 25 repetitions.
- 2. Take heavier ones and do 15 repetitions with no rest.
- 3. Take even heavier ones and do 10 repetitions with no rest. If your technique starts to break down A BIT on the last set, that’s natural.
- 4. Rest for 3 minutes and start with the dumbbells you finished with.
- 5. Do 10 repetitions with the heaviest dumbbells.
- 6. Take lighter ones and do 15 repetitions with no rest.
- 7. Take the dumbbells you started the exercise with and do 25 repetitions.
So what actually happens? The first half fatigues the muscle. The rest gives you back a bit of strength. The second half forces you to come back the same way, but now your shoulder is already pumped and every repetition counts for more.
Shoulders and technique: what to watch for?
Start with the dumbbells at your sides, not in front of your stomach. Raise your arms out to the sides smoothly until your upper arm reaches roughly shoulder height. Your wrists should stay neutral. Don’t bend your hand up or down just to get the weight moving.
Your elbow can be slightly bent. That’s not a problem. The problem is when you start yanking every repetition up with your back. If your body moves more than the dumbbells, the weight is too heavy or the tempo is too fast.
A simple truth: the lateral raise is not a deadlift. You don’t have to prove to anyone how heavy a dumbbell you can fling your arms up with. It’s better to keep the movement under control and let the shoulder do what the exercise is meant for.
Practical tips to get your shoulders working
Set your dumbbells out before you start. If you begin looking around the gym in the middle of the set, searching for the next dumbbells, the whole point is lost. This scheme works precisely because the breaks are short and the muscle can’t really recover before the rest.
The first time, you may miss a little with your choice of dumbbells. That’s completely normal. If the heaviest pair forces you to swing from the very start, pick lighter ones next time. If the last 25 comes too easily, you can add a little weight at your next workout.
Don’t keep piling this onto every workout. Your shoulders also get plenty of training load from chest pressing, the shoulder press and other upper-body exercises. Use it rather as a strong accessory exercise on a day when you want to give the lateral deltoid more volume.
By the end, your shoulder should feel properly full. If you feel only your trapezius or lower back, check your technique. Lift more calmly, keep your shoulders down and think about the dumbbells moving out to the sides, not up toward your ears.
FAQ
Should your shoulders be sore after this?
Muscle tension and a good pump are expected. Sharp pain in the joint is not. If your shoulder joint hurts, stop the set and review the weight, range of motion and warm-up.
Can you do this at the end of a shoulder workout?
Yes, it fits well at the end. That way a tired lateral deltoid won’t get in the way of the bigger pressing exercises. If you do it at the start, keep in mind that the rest of your shoulder workout may feel harder than usual.
What if the last repetitions look ugly?
If your technique breaks down only A BIT, that’s understandable at the end of a set like this. But if you start jerking with your back and your shoulder no longer controls the movement, the weight is too heavy.
Happy training!
Author:Turg.Fitness.ee
Come and train! ArtGym
