Front and lateral raise exercises
Question: What is the best exercise you can give your client for general shoulder conditioning, what would you answer? Overhead press? Upright row? Front or lateral raise?
Many of you would not choose the front or lateral raise as the correct answer however a large majority of fitness professionals use this exercise as part of their client's shoulder conditioning program. And just peek into any baby boomer boot camp, senior or group exercise class and you will see these as staples in most programs.
Unfortunately, the front and lateral raises drive greater shoulder dysfunction than virtually any other shoulder exercise. And if your client has neck pain or headaches, front and lateral raises should be the LAST exercises you do with them.
First, what makes this exercise so bad for the shoulders?
The long lever arm: The further the arm gets away from the body, the incrementally heavier a 5 pound DB weighs in your hand weighs. Many of our clients can't even lift the weight of the their arm - let alone additional weight - with proper scapular control.
Using too much weight: Most clients can lift whatever weight you give them in the lateral or anterior raise. The problem is not lifting the weight rather the weight they lift is too heavy for their level of scapular stability.
Using the neck as an anchor: The neck is not designed to be an anchor for the upper arm. In the presence of poor scapular stability, compounded by the long lever arm, fatigue, and faulty mechanics, the neck becomes the anchor for the arm driving neck pain, trigger points in the levator scapula and rhomboids in addition to a host of neck and shoulder maladies.
So why do so many fitness professionals perform front and lateral raises?
Ease: They have a low learning curve and are relatively easy to perform especially with limited equipment. All you need is a pair of light dumbbells or elastic tubing.
Mirror muscle effect: Clients really feel the burn and can easily see the muscles working in the mirror.
Isolationism: Front and lateral raises make it is easy to isolate the anterior and middle fibers of the deltoid.
What's the problem? The problem is simple - when the prime movers are stronger than the stabilizers, dysfunction occurs. That is the number one cause of tightness, pain, and movement dysfunction in our clients.
What does it look like in our clients when the prime movers are stronger than the stabilizers? Check out this video of a classic illustration of this point in a client demonstrating the front and lateral raise. And note: she is only using 5 pound dumbbells.
http://fitnesseducationseminars.com/shoulder_raises.htm
CONCLUSION: Front and lateral raises will definitely work the appropriate fibers of the deltoids. However, they can also create and/or contribute to scapular instability even at low weights. Overhead presses, push-ups, as well as most chest and back exercises are more than adequate for shoulder conditioning. If you do like to perform them or your client demonstrates a need for isolated function, ensure that they can first stabilize the scapula and move the arm independently before you add any weight.
www.fitnesseducationseminars.com
Fitness Education Seminars Disclaimer:
No express or implied warranty (whether of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or otherwise) or other guarantee is made as to the accuracy or completeness of any of the information or content contained in any of the pages in this newsletter, web site or otherwise provided by Fitness Education Seminars. No responsibility is accepted and all responsibility is hereby disclaimed for any loss or damage suffered as a result of the use or misuse of any information or content or any reliance thereon. It is the responsibility of all users of this website to satisfy themselves as to the medical and physical condition of themselves and their clients in determining whether or not to use or adapt the information or content provided in each circumstance. Notwithstanding the medical or physical condition of each user, no responsibility or liability is accepted and all responsibility and liability is hereby disclaimed for any loss or damage suffered by any person as a result of the use or misuse of any of the information or content in this website, and any and all liability for incidental and consequential damages is hereby expressly excluded. You should consult your medical doctor before beginning any exercise program.
Many of you would not choose the front or lateral raise as the correct answer however a large majority of fitness professionals use this exercise as part of their client's shoulder conditioning program. And just peek into any baby boomer boot camp, senior or group exercise class and you will see these as staples in most programs.
Unfortunately, the front and lateral raises drive greater shoulder dysfunction than virtually any other shoulder exercise. And if your client has neck pain or headaches, front and lateral raises should be the LAST exercises you do with them.
First, what makes this exercise so bad for the shoulders?
The long lever arm: The further the arm gets away from the body, the incrementally heavier a 5 pound DB weighs in your hand weighs. Many of our clients can't even lift the weight of the their arm - let alone additional weight - with proper scapular control.
Using too much weight: Most clients can lift whatever weight you give them in the lateral or anterior raise. The problem is not lifting the weight rather the weight they lift is too heavy for their level of scapular stability.
Using the neck as an anchor: The neck is not designed to be an anchor for the upper arm. In the presence of poor scapular stability, compounded by the long lever arm, fatigue, and faulty mechanics, the neck becomes the anchor for the arm driving neck pain, trigger points in the levator scapula and rhomboids in addition to a host of neck and shoulder maladies.
So why do so many fitness professionals perform front and lateral raises?
Ease: They have a low learning curve and are relatively easy to perform especially with limited equipment. All you need is a pair of light dumbbells or elastic tubing.
Mirror muscle effect: Clients really feel the burn and can easily see the muscles working in the mirror.
Isolationism: Front and lateral raises make it is easy to isolate the anterior and middle fibers of the deltoid.
What's the problem? The problem is simple - when the prime movers are stronger than the stabilizers, dysfunction occurs. That is the number one cause of tightness, pain, and movement dysfunction in our clients.
What does it look like in our clients when the prime movers are stronger than the stabilizers? Check out this video of a classic illustration of this point in a client demonstrating the front and lateral raise. And note: she is only using 5 pound dumbbells.
http://fitnesseducationseminars.com/shoulder_raises.htm
CONCLUSION: Front and lateral raises will definitely work the appropriate fibers of the deltoids. However, they can also create and/or contribute to scapular instability even at low weights. Overhead presses, push-ups, as well as most chest and back exercises are more than adequate for shoulder conditioning. If you do like to perform them or your client demonstrates a need for isolated function, ensure that they can first stabilize the scapula and move the arm independently before you add any weight.
www.fitnesseducationseminars.com
Fitness Education Seminars Disclaimer:
No express or implied warranty (whether of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or otherwise) or other guarantee is made as to the accuracy or completeness of any of the information or content contained in any of the pages in this newsletter, web site or otherwise provided by Fitness Education Seminars. No responsibility is accepted and all responsibility is hereby disclaimed for any loss or damage suffered as a result of the use or misuse of any information or content or any reliance thereon. It is the responsibility of all users of this website to satisfy themselves as to the medical and physical condition of themselves and their clients in determining whether or not to use or adapt the information or content provided in each circumstance. Notwithstanding the medical or physical condition of each user, no responsibility or liability is accepted and all responsibility and liability is hereby disclaimed for any loss or damage suffered by any person as a result of the use or misuse of any of the information or content in this website, and any and all liability for incidental and consequential damages is hereby expressly excluded. You should consult your medical doctor before beginning any exercise program.