Question about lateral raises ...

[rsarno]

This is directly from my journal ...

Lateral DB Raises (see note for how i did these, interesting!)
3x25 @ 2.5lbs (yes i said 2 and half pounds)
notes: raised arms from the side, and then raised again in front of me as follows: one raise to the side, one to the front, 2 raises to the side then 2 raises to the front, 3 raises to the side then 3 raises to the front, and on and on until i hit 5 to the side and 5 to the front. I only used 2.5lb DB's but i had lots of trouble keeping form even with that little weight. Gotta work on this because i want big shoulders!!!

Am i getting ahaid of myself with this excersise? I took advice from a very experienced lifter and he said this is how they are done.

---BEGIN FIRST SET---
rep #1: raise once to side, then once to front
rep #2: raise 2 times to side then 2 times to front
rep #3: raise 3 times to side then 3 times to front
rep #4: raise 4 times to side then 4 times to front
rep #5: raise 5 times to side then 5 times to front
---END FIRST SET---

and do 3 sets of those, the above is just ONE set!

Even with my little 2.5lb DB's i was just BARELY able to complete my 3 sets.

Whats the deal? is this correct? or is this overboard?

my journal incase you want my history: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?p=7966205

thank you for replies ..

[Lamdun]

It doesn't make any sense to hit your shoulders (or any muscle for that matter) with that massive number of reps per set. Especially if you're forced to use 2.5s to even finish the workout, I don't think it'll be effective at all.

Who knows, I could be wrong.

[rsarno]

Can you suggest a few alternatives to lateral raises? or a way to hit them just as good, with less reps?

Thanks for the quick reply

[Hubbard]

More weight less reps, don't worry so much in the getting them up but concentrate on a very low negative. I think it's okay to cheat a bit to get them up, use some momentum, nothing ridiculous but a little is fine

[Lamdun]

definitely do lateral raises for shoulders, just less reps. Something like warmup, then 3 sets of 6-8. Use the heaviest weight you can control with perfect form. Good form on raises excercises is more important than heavy weight.

A decent shoulder routine would be:

Military Press
Side lateral raises
Front Raises
Bent over lateral raises (for rear delts)

Throw in shrugs if you like working out traps with shoulders.

[danishabs]

I do heavy side lateral raises every other workout (I do full body workouts), alternating it with upright rows.

However, the only shoulder exercise I do EVERY workout, and the one that i think is most effective, is military press, either dumbell or barbell.

I don't do front lateral raises or bent-over lateral raises, because I think they're pointless. Your front delts get plenty of work during bench presses, and your rear delts get plenty of work during rowing exercises. I have really well-developed, symmetrical shoulders, so I think my results speak for themselves.

That might only work for me, though *rolls eyes*