Building Lateral Delts

[LauraMax]

Yep, that's still rear delts, not side. In fact, a few years ago when I asked Cathe for some things that focused more on the rear delts that's one of the exercises she suggested. The rear delt is working much more against gravity than the side delt, which is barely engaged at all with this particular exercise.

Also, more traditional incline lateral raises are done either face down on the bench or back down, so still rear or front delt work.

 

[kathryn]

>Yep, that's still rear delts, not side. In fact, a few years
>ago when I asked Cathe for some things that focused more on
>the rear delts that's one of the exercises she suggested. The
>rear delt is working much more against gravity than the side
>delt, which is barely engaged at all with this particular
>exercise.

Perhaps she was talking about this version: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exername.php?MainMuscle=Shoulders (go to the "one-arm incline lateral raise). In this version, yes, the rear delt is engaged more. But if you're basically just taking a lateral raise and tipping it on its side, then how does this change what muscle is focused on?

Try this: Sit sideways to a desk with your forearm propped on the desk. Do a one-arm lateral raise with the arm farthest from the desk. Now, bracing yourself on the arm on the desk, tilt sideways not forward or backwards) towards the desk side, until you are at about 45 degrees or a bit more upright. Now do the raise (straight towards the ceiling, not forward or back). How does the rear delt become more engaged? The pull of gravity is directly against the lateral head of the deltoid. Seems like basic physics to me.

 

[LauraMax]

Nope, it's the same exercise you're referring to. I found the thread, back from the days when my screen name was Maximus:

http://69.0.137.118/dc/dcboard.php?...ic_id=55961&mesg_id=55961&listing_type=search

ETA: sorry, but I'm far from an expert in physics. I know politics, I know history, I know weightlifting, but I definitely don't know physics. Not even basic physics. :7

 

[kathryn]

Cathe's version starts the lift with the arm in front of the body, so when bringing the arm up, it does move in a more backward direction, so it would hit the rear delts more (but also the lateral delts). My version has the hand start at the side of the body, so the only movement is directly vertical, from floor to ceiling.