Best exercise for side delts?

[greenleaf]

Which exercise is better for side delts: db lateral raise or bb vertical row? Thanks!

[mebby]

Which exercise is better for side delts: db lateral raise or bb vertical row? Thanks!

one arm db lateral raise, hold the weight for a second then slowly down.

[DJAuto]

Out of those two, DB lateral raise. That and cable lateral raises, using high volume, are outstanding.

[mbinda]

I prefer wide grip upright rows with a limited ROM - bringing the bar up only to your lower chest - I've found this move to be way more effective than lateral raises for the medial delts. That is just from my personal experience.

[chazzy1864]

I would say both. I feel both make for an excellent lateral delt development.

Wide grip upright row in the 6-10 rep range and than lateral raises in the 10-15 rep range, is my preference.

[vincerich]

I like both lateral raises and db upright rows (with wide spacing).

[KhoraskGTR]

i use both.. some people have issues with the rows but I find they work well.. with the lateral raises i love a combination of dbs and cable work from week to week.

[miamibodybuilder]

in my opinion, the king of side delt exercises is the side db lateral raise. just because ALL of the focus is on that medial head the entire time. you dont wanna go to high otherwise you'll bring your traps into the movement. i usually go shoulder level or maybe a bit just below shoulder level and that works perfect for me. any higher than that and the work goes to my traps. so dont worry about the weight on this exercise and focus strictly on form to get the most out of your lateral raises.*

[Soiren]

I would say between those two definitely upright rows. DB lateral raises much rely on a momentum, even with a very strict form when you increase the weight it is hard to say whether it is you actually getting stronger or just using slightly more cheating.
But lateral raise machine is one of a few machine exercises that are actually more helpful than its free-weight versions. Momentum wouldn't be an issue here. So i would say: lat raise machine > upright row > DB lateral raise.

[sethgray14]

I prefer wide grip upright rows with a limited ROM - bringing the bar up only to your lower chest - I've found this move to be way more effective than lateral raises for the medial delts. That is just from my personal experience.

You mean high pulls?

[Tommy W.]

Stand sideways to the Smith machine and rest the bar on your forearm and lift. This is an incredible exercise.

[chazzy1864]

You mean high pulls?

No, he means wide grip upright rows.


High pulls by definition are a portion of a clean. Some people bastardize/tailor it to just be an ugly momentum based upright row, but it is definitely not an upright row.

[ManVsIron]

in my opinion, the king of side delt exercises is the side db lateral raise. just because ALL of the focus is on that medial head the entire time. you dont wanna go to high otherwise you'll bring your traps into the movement. i usually go shoulder level or maybe a bit just below shoulder level and that works perfect for me. any higher than that and the work goes to my traps. so dont worry about the weight on this exercise and focus strictly on form to get the most out of your lateral raises.*

I agree... the thing is, most people don't do DB side laterals correctly, so as to truly hit the side delt. My advice (since it worked for me), is to look in the mirror, with no weight perhaps, and figure out WHAT exactly you need to do, to A) fully engage the side delt, while B) minimizing front delt recruitment. Once you've got that down, then start adding weight.

Upright rows are a very close #2, in my book. But again, most people don't do them correctly. Thus they wind up with issues, and then blame the exercise.

[VoxExMachina]

IMO, leaning DB lateral raises are even better than conventional lateral raises for targeting the lateral head of the delt. The lean takes out much of the involvement of the supraspinatus (rotator cuff).

[im2manly]

IMO, leaning DB lateral raises are even better than conventional lateral raises for targeting the lateral head of the delt. The lean takes out much of the involvement of the supraspinatus (rotator cuff).

Why not cables instead? Do you think seated d.b. laterals would be less effective?

[Mode7]

I agree... the thing is, most people don't do DB side laterals correctly, so as to truly hit the side delt. My advice (since it worked for me), is to look in the mirror, with no weight perhaps, and figure out WHAT exactly you need to do, to A) fully engage the side delt, while B) minimizing front delt recruitment. Once you've got that down, then start adding weight.

Upright rows are a very close #2, in my book. But again, most people don't do them correctly. Thus they wind up with issues, and then blame the exercise.

I liked the part where you told us how to do upright rows properly.
Maybe I'm doing it wrong, cos they hurt my wrists.

[VoxExMachina]

Why not cables instead? Do you think seated d.b. laterals would be less effective?

I should have said leaning laterals - period. While I prefer DB's personally, cables would be just as good if not even slightly better.

Seated laterals may be slightly more strict than standing, but the advantage to leaning is that during the first 20-30 degrees of the lateral raise, the rotator cuff is doing more of the work, after that the deltoid takes over. By leaning to the side 20-30 degrees, you reduce the involvement of the supraspinatus while increasing both the involvement and ROM of the deltoid.

For DB laterals, the main difference is probably the ROM. *Though the supraspinatus is weaker, you don't generally notice on DB laterals since the first 30 degrees of movement doesn't have much resistance. On cables, however, you should notice more of a difference in the weight you can use.

[ManVsIron]

I liked the part where you told us how to do upright rows properly.
Maybe I'm doing it wrong, cos they hurt my wrists.

As someone said earlier, you need a wider grip. Personally, I use the EZ-curl bar -- so that the wrists don't have to angle downwards so much.

For me, the upright row is EXACTLY the same as the DB lateral raise -- from the shoulders, down to the elbow. Thus, the only difference from one exercise to the other, is that with the upright row... you can "pull the bar apart" as you come up, and also have that resistance there as you come up... and back at the top of the motion. Also your upper arms (elbows) should not be going above parallel w/ the floor. -Unless your just warming up / pumping up with light-ish weight.

Exercising is a lot like sex... you can't really TELL someone how to 'best do it'. It's up to you to get in there, and work that sh!t out for yourself.

A lot of people just stubbornly start moving iron around, in unskilled movements that are totally not going to hit the G-spot (so to speak). What you need to do is back up, and go really light (perhaps even no weight at all), and figure out how your body really prefers to do upright rows... or whatever exercise.

It all starts with no weight whatsoever. Once you get to the point where you can say, "yeah, this feels really good, natural... and strong", then you know you're ready to start adding weight -- always keeping in mind that exact motion that you took time to figure out... away from the gym.

Even the top IFBB Pros have professional trainers periodically review their exercises... looking for "structural imperfections / problems". Even Mr. O... even in 2011. So obviously a total rookie is not going to just pick up a weight, and start doing it perfectly. No way.

[greenleaf]

Exercising is a lot like sex... you can't really TELL someone how to 'best do it'. It's up to you to get in there, and work that sh!t out for yourself.

A lot of people just stubbornly start moving iron around, in unskilled movements that are totally not going to hit the G-spot (so to speak).

I like these analogies.

[ManVsIron]

I like these analogies.

I could have just said, "work the muscle, not the weight". But this way, you get a better idea...

[chaoserver]

lateral raises easily. They have become my primary shoulder exercise.

[bufflo]

I prefer wide grip upright rows with a limited ROM - bringing the bar up only to your lower chest - I've found this move to be way more effective than lateral raises for the medial delts. That is just from my personal experience.

You mean lateral delts. Right?

[Mortar34]

You mean lateral delts. Right?

Have you been researching this topic for the last six years?