Exercise Execution

Common execution guidelines for first two exercises below:

• bring feet together

• bend over to 90º, head facing the ground, chest up, elbows slightly bent and ridged

(optional: if / when relevant, to assist in eradicating extraneous movement perhaps rest head on the top of a bench set at around a 30º incline (depending on height); if performing seated, bend forward until trunk is parallel to ground / chest is resting on thighs)

• keep shoulders protracted forward, hands inline with chin and arms ridged throughout

• minimize scapula (shoulder blade) movement, raise weights only until scapula fires

• reach for the ground at the bottom and the side walls on the way up

• think about pulling from the elbows (as opposed to the wrists / hands)

• elbows should face the side wall (turned out, inline with the angle of force)

• as an intensifier, lock the arms / triceps out and raise; take a lighter weight for these and be meticulous with form

(1) Bent Dumbbell Lateral Raises

• start / end only to the point at which tension is removed from the rear delts (approx. 30º from torso)

• really focus on resisting against gravity during the descent

(2) Bent Cable Lateral Raises

(Two-Arm or Single-Arm)

(remove handles, position cables at the bottom, hold opposite cable with opposite hand)

• with ‘slightly’ bent arms (though keeping them ridged), come right across the body as far as possible (wrists can and should cross each other given that the angle of force from the cables maintains tension beyond a perpendicular plane (unlike when using dumbbells))

• if the minimum cable machine weight is not appropriate to hit goals reps, use ‘rest /pause’ training, i.e; perform as many reps as possible, then take 10 seconds rest and repeat through to completion

(3) Reverse Pec-Fly (for rear delts, not back)

• keep hips behind shoulders slightly / more chest against the pad and less stomach
• keep a slight bend in the elbows but arms ridged (‘intensifier’ = straight locked-out arms)
• protract shoulders forward as much as possible throughout; minimize scapula movement
• bring weight back only until scapula begins to fire (a fairly short range of movement)

(4) Wide-Grip Bent Over Rows with Elbows ‘Out’ (emphasis on rear delts)

(Barbell or Dumbbell)

(same execution as image, but bend over to approx. 90˚)

• take a particularly wide grip, elbows should end directly above the wrists at the top of the movement

• bend over to about 90º (head neutral, looking at the ground), hips back, feet close together and bend knees slightly

• pull through the elbows as well as keeping them high throughout; they should face / be reaching for the side walls (turned out inline with the angle of force)

• aim elbows at the side walls on the way up and raise the BB up to the upper pec / neck

• reach for the ground at the bottom

(5) Low Incline Prone Lateral Raises (for rear delts)

Ideally, set the bench-height lower than depicted above – as low an incline as is achievable without the DB’s touching the ground during the movement.

1. begin by retracting the scapula (shoulder blades) as much as possible and maintaining this position

2. raise DB’s out to the sides (follow a perfect line to replicate an iron cross at the top)

3. internally rotate shoulder joint while controlling the descent of the DB’s back to the starting position

__________

• Abs tight
• Pronated grip and elbows rigid
• Rear delt emphasis: keep scapula slightly protracted
• Mid back emphasis: allow full protraction and retraction