Another question from a loyal reader (who shall remain anonymous):
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“I notice that I’m not working the lateral delts specifically in any lifts – is that for more advanced / stronger lifters with a proper base?”
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Typically, I advocate people build their workouts around the following six movement patterns:
* Horizontal Press
* Horizontal Pull
* Vertical Press
* Vertical Pull
* Squat
* Hinge
Plus a little something for arms, abs, and calves.
This does mean that the lateral head of the deltoid doesn’t get hit specifically.
However.
Vertical presses, executed correctly, hit all three heads of the deltoid so will build up the shoulders nicely.
Hence, a trainee’s first priority ought to be to build competence in the barbell overhead press and its close variations. Time and energy invested in, for example, dumbbell side lateral raises will contribute little while adding complexity to the workout.
More:
If you follow the line of thinking that every muscle needs to be trained with a specific exercise to its logical conclusion, you will end up with either multi-hour full body workouts consisting of dozens of exercises or bodypart split routines wherein you hit the most productive movements only once per week to facilitate the inclusion of relatively unproductive exercises.
How else will you find time to do reverse curls for the brachioradialis, seated calf raises for the soleus, standing calf raises for the gastrocnemius, step-ups for the vastus medialis, narrow stance leg presses for the vastus lateralis, and so on?
That was a rhetorical question if it wasn’t obvious.
None of this is to say there isn’t a time and a place for exercises like lateral raises.
But, in my opinion, they’re really only to bring up weak points in people who have already built a solid base of muscle and strength.
That concludes today’s lesson.
If you would like more of this, you must subscribe to “The Phil Tyreman Letter” before 23:59 tonight to receive December’s issue which contains a suite of definitive answers to common training-related queries.
You will also be entitled to ask me anything you like and I will answer (provided I am qualified to do so) the moment I have approved your onboarding paperwork.
Insofar as I am aware, no other personal trainer in the UK operates the way that I do (mailing out an old-fashioned printed newsletter and giving extensive personal answers to questions in black and white so clients can keep the info forever) which means I am either a genius or certifiably insane.
Anyway.
As a Christmas gift, subscribers old and new may have one copy of one of the following books I sell:
* Shift
* The Constance Chronicles
* The Weight Loss Manifesto
* The Back and Legs Bundle
As of this writing, all the above books are in stock but if you are tardy in making your selection you may have to wait for me to get more printed.
The deadline to subscribe in time to get December’s issue and the bonus gift is tonight (30/11) at 23:59.
A subscription will set you back £120 per month. Please do not subscribe if committing to spending that amount of money on a monthly basis will cause you even mild financial distress.
The details are below on the new and improved sales page:
https://philtyreman.co.uk/information/
Thank you,
Phil Tyreman