Raise the bar in front of you. Lifting the barbell in front of you

On the calendar 29 April, which means that today we have a technical note and we’ll talk about lifting dumbbells in front of you. After reading, you will learn what benefits lifts offer and how to perform them correctly, we will also get acquainted with some practical information regarding the injury risk of shoulder exercises and the degree to which they are better.

Please everyone sit down, we are starting.

Lifting dumbbells in front of you. What, why and why?

I was prompted to write this note by “green workers”, in large quantities staying every week at the gym. I usually don’t monitor who is doing what in the gym - that’s everyone’s business, but it just so happened that my attention was drawn to a group of beginners who were doing dumbbell lifts in front of them. And they performed this usual exercise in such an unusual way that I decided to consider it in detail, so that some of you would not be tempted to do it not according to the regulations. So, let's start in order.

Note:

For better assimilation of the material, all further narration will be divided into subchapters.

Muscle atlas

Lifting dumbbells in front of you - accentuated isolated exercise for the development of the anterior deltoid muscle. It is he who receives the main load and moves the arm forward and upward. The synergists are:

• lateral deltoid;
• bottom/middle of trapezoids;
• clavicular head of the pectoralis major muscle;
• serratus anterior muscles.

The role of stabilizers is performed by:

• top of trapezoids;
• levator scapulae muscle;
• wrist extensors.

The complete muscle atlas looks like this:

The classic version of performing dumbbell lifts in front of you involves gripping them from above and raising them to shoulder level (or slightly higher). However, to give increased load to the deltoids, you need to take dumbbells neutral grip (palms facing each other) and raise your arms above the horizontal 45 degrees. The front fascicle and the front half of the middle fascicle receive the lion's share of the load from the moment the hand deviates from the vertical by 45 degrees and until the moment when the hand is above shoulder level at the same angle. In this case, at the top point the contraction of the front deltas is maximum. If you raise the dumbbells even higher, the focus of the load will shift to the trapezius and serratus anterior muscle. The exercise also actively works the upper pecs - in a position until the dumbbells have risen above shoulder level.

Advantages

By performing lifts in front of you, the athlete receives the following benefits:

• isolated work of the anterior beam;
• working out each shoulder separately;
• increase in strength (progress in scales) in some basic exercises – , ;
• general strengthening of the shoulder bag;
• minimizing shoulder injuries;
• development of the back and pectoral muscles - trapezius, levator scapula and pectoralis major;
• the ability to work with one hand while the other is temporarily out of order;
• maintaining muscle balance (elimination);
• creation of an array of anterior deltas, development of their thickness;
• sharpening the shape and relief;
• winning visual “watchability” in a T-shirt/T-shirt;
• obvious separation of the anterior bundles from the middle and thoracic bundles;
• more comfortable performance compared to barbell lifts.

Execution technique

The exercise of lifting dumbbells in front of you is not God knows how difficult, but it requires knowledge of some technical subtleties and nuances. Therefore, we will analyze them in more detail in a step-by-step guide.

Step #0.

Select dumbbells of adequate weight and take them with an overhand grip. Lower your arms to hip level, but do not touch the dumbbells to each other and do not fully extend your arms at the bottom. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and keep your torso straight. It's yours starting position.

Step #1.

Inhale and, keeping your torso still, lift the left dumbbell in front of you with a slight bend at the elbow. As soon as you pass the line of shoulder level, exhale and hold at the top point of the trajectory. Then slowly lower the dumbbell down into the IP and do the same for right hand. Complete the prescribed number of repetitions.

In the picture version, lifting dumbbells in front of you looks like this:

In motion so...

Variations

In addition to alternating frontal dumbbell lifts, there are non-classical variations, in particular the following:

• simultaneous lifting of dumbbells with an overhand grip;
• alternate/simultaneous lifting of dumbbells with a neutral grip;
• frontal lift of one dumbbell with a neutral grip;
• lifting the barbell in front of you;
• lifting the pancake in front of you;
• lifts from the lower block.

Secrets and subtleties of implementation

Despite all the apparent ease, you need to remember the following technical features:

• when lifting, do not allow movements in elbow joint;
• do not bend your arms or straighten them until your elbows lock;
• at the beginning of the lift, do not help move the dumbbells with your body;
• do not allow inertia to “eat up” most of the weight and the exercise to turn into swinging a dumbbell;
• when lifting dumbbells, do not bring or spread your arms;
• do not knock the dumbbells at the top/bottom points, the distance between them should be slightly less than shoulder level;
• at the top point of the trajectory, perform a peak contraction;
• do not throw the dumbbells down, but lower them smoothly and under control;
• do not touch your thighs with dumbbells when lowering;
• in the classic version, do not lift the dumbbells too high (don't bully them) from shoulder level;
• do not use heavy weights in this exercise;
• always start the exercise with 1-2 warm-up approach with light weight;
• keep the number of sets of repetitions in the range 3-4 X 8-12 ;
• It is most effective to include front raises in the middle of a shoulder workout - in particular, after sitting or standing dumbbell/barbell presses;
• after lifting in front of you, perform standing/sitting bent over raises;
• The seated version of the lifts stabilizes the core better, but the exercise becomes more difficult.

Actually, we’re done with the technical side, now let’s move on to the practical.

Is it worth doing frontal lifts and are they dangerous for deltoids?

The shoulder is one of the most complex and fragile joints. Often during training they receive a negative load from basic exercises (eg bench press). Restoring deltas from injuries is an extremely time-consuming process and, often, completely impossible. Therefore to shoulder exercises you should approach it very, very carefully and with the king in mind.

In particular, when performing front raises, it is worth remembering that there is external rotation of the shoulder, which can lead to subacromial syndrome.

When lifting dumbbells, the space between the acromion and humerus (upper arm bone) narrows. The acromion may rub or impinge on the tendons or bursa within this space. This friction can lead to shoulder weakness, numbness and pain. Therefore, in order to reduce the risk of shoulder injury (particularly subacromial syndrome) It is recommended to turn your thumbs up at the top of the trajectory.

The Best Shoulder Exercises, According to Science. What are they?

And of course, our article would not be complete if we did not consider the best exercises in terms of EMG muscle activity. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse (USA) conducted a study on the best exercises for different muscle groups and obtained the following results. The MVC parameter, the maximum voluntary contraction in the muscle, was taken as the reporting parameter.

Note:

Anterior, middle, posterior deltoid – anterior, middle and posterior bundles of deltas.

The data presented tells us that best exercise on the front delts with the coefficient MVC= 74% is the standing dumbbell press, in second place are frontal raises. Taking this information into account, you can effectively build your workouts in the gym.

That's all I have for this, let's summarize.

Afterword

Today we got acquainted in detail with such an exercise as lifting dumbbells in front of you, which means that now you have one more tool in your broad-shouldered arsenal of exercises. There is only one thing left - to transfer theory to practice, I’m sure you can handle this perfectly well without me, so let’s go to the hall. Forward behind the broad shoulders :)!

PS. how do you train your deltoids?

P.P.S. Did the project help? Then leave a link to it as your status social network- plus 100 points for karma, guaranteed :) .

With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov.

Powerful broad shoulders- the first thing that catches your eye when considering the physique of a bodybuilder. Developed deltoids make the shoulder girdle bright and expressive.

Lifting dumbbells forward one at a time is an exercise that should be on the list of exercises to create a beautiful shoulder girdle.

The deltoid muscle of the shoulder consists of three bundles - anterior, middle and posterior. Essentially it's three individual muscles, which react to different loads, so they need to be worked out separately.

Alternately raising your arms with dumbbells in front of you is an isolating exercise aimed at strengthening the muscles of the shoulder girdle. The main load when performing it is received by the anterior bundle of the delta and the clavicular part of the pectoralis major muscle. The frontal half of the middle delta is auxiliarily included in the work.

Regularly performing alternating dumbbell swings together with other shoulder exercises will reward the athlete good growth muscle fibers in the shoulder area.

Technique for performing alternating dumbbell lifts in front of you

Collateral high efficiency performing the exercise is the correct technique. The results of the training process directly depend on its compliance.

Before directly starting to perform alternating arm raises, it is necessary to do a good warm-up of the rotator cuff muscles and thorough stretching of the entire body. This will reduce the risk of traumatic situations (convulsions, sprains, dislocations) to a minimum.

• Hold a dumbbell in each hand overhand grip(palms facing yourself), elbows slightly bent.
• Stand straight with your legs slightly apart. Fix the natural curvature of the spinal column and lower the apparatus with almost straightened arms to the hips.
• Tighten your lower back and abs and keep them in this state until the end of the set.
• You cannot turn your head to the sides, your gaze is directed clearly forward.
• Inhale and hold your breath. Begin to slowly and smoothly lift one arm from the dumbbells slightly above your shoulders (to eye level). At the top point of the amplitude, pause for a second and feel a burning sensation in the muscles being worked - this is the peak of their tension.
• Exhale and, against gravity, slowly “move” your hand down. When lowering, the dumbbells should not reach the thigh by about 10 centimeters, so the muscles being worked will be constantly under tension, and the load will not shift to the stabilizer muscles. At the bottom point, pause for a second and lift your other arm from the dumbbells. This will be one repetition.
• Do the planned number of repetitions.

When performing the exercise, the elbow joints must be motionless - do not bend your arm and do not straighten it until your elbows lock. The lift is carried out slowly with utmost concentration on the muscles of the shoulder girdle and only due to their strength.

It is preferable to use an overhand grip to hold dumbbells. In some cases, you can experiment with a parallel grip (when your palms are facing each other). In this case, the auxiliary muscles are practically not used, and the load hits the deltoids even harder.

Throughout the set, there should be strict consistency in the vertical raising of the arm in one plane. You should not allow your hand to “walk” to the left and right.

During the grid approach of arm raises, the torso should be motionless. There should not be any “techniques” to help move the dumbbell from a dead center at the beginning of the trajectory in the form of a forward pelvis or an inclined body.

The front and middle deltoids experience maximum load at the peak of the upper phase, when the arm reaches 45 degrees above shoulder level. There is no need to raise the dumbbells even higher, imagining that the load on the shoulders will increase; in this case, it will simply shift to the trapezius and serratus anterior muscle.

To preserve technology and minimize unpleasant situations you need to realistically assess your strengths and not be a hostage to the pursuit of large scales. The weight should be such that it allows you to perform about 8–15 repetitions without cheating or deviations from the rules. Pioneers are advised to take dumbbells with light weights and work on sharpening correct technique until automatic and only then begin to gradually add weight.

Many modern simulators allow you to perform classic exercises with a barbell or dumbbells in simplified or complicated forms, minimizing deviations from the correct technique. Alternate lifting of dumbbells was also no exception. It can be repeated in a block simulator or in special simulator, simulating lifting dumbbells. The arm raise modification can also be done on a flat or incline bench.

The nature of the load allows you to train your shoulders for both beginners and experienced athletes of both sexes. After all, women no less than men want to look attractive and have beautiful toned body. It is advisable to perform alternating arm raises with dumbbells on an upper body day in the middle or even at the end of a workout. The effectiveness of the load on your shoulders will increase, and they will simply “burn” if, before raising your arms, you perform a couple of heavy basic exercises (any variations of bench presses with a barbell or dumbbells) and load the muscles with isolated arm raises. A combination of exercises for all three delta beams will give a greater overall effect than those performed separately.

Muscles love to be noticed. It has been experimentally proven that athletes who concentrate on performing the technique and think about the muscles they are working achieve much better results. great results than athletes performing the same movements without breaking technique, but inertially, “flying” in the clouds. Therefore, you need to love your muscles and feel them.

Video with Denis Borisov about swinging dumbbells in front of you.

Raising dumbbells in front of you is not a difficult exercise, so beginners in the gym “grab” to do it. But they make such simple movements in such a way that you want to get to know them in more detail. You should start by getting to know the muscle atlas.

By lifting dumbbells in front of you, the majority of the load is placed on these muscles, which cause your arms to move up and forward.

Muscles that are synergists:

• lateral deltoid;
• trapezoid (middle and bottom);
• serrated front;
• big pectoral muscle(clavicular head).

Stabilizers are:

• muscles responsible for raising the shoulder blades;
• hand extensors;
• trapezoid (top).

The muscle atlas is as follows:

Classically, dumbbell training means lifting the dumbbell slightly higher than shoulder height using an overhand grip. So that the deltas get additional load, dumbbells are taken reverse grip, arms are raised from the horizontal to an angle of 45 degrees. From the moment you start raising your arms at the specified angle to the point where they are at the same angle from the shoulder, the lion's share of the load falls on the front part of the middle beam and the front beam

In other words, the contraction of the anterior deltas reaches its maximum value in highest point trajectories.

If you continue raising your arms, the focus of the load will move to the serratus anterior muscle and trapezius. Until the moment when the dumbbells are below shoulder level, the upper pectoral muscles are actively “working.”

Advantages of the training

When lifting dumbbells in front of him, the athlete receives:

• isolated load of the anterior beam;
• the ability to work on each shoulder separately;
• there is weight gain (increased strength) required for certain basic exercises such as military press or lying at an upward angle;
• shoulder bags become stronger;
• the risk of injury is minimized;
• the muscles of the chest and shoulders develop;
• if impossible (by various reasons) work with one hand, the other works;
• asymmetry goes away, i.e. muscle balance is restored;
• an array appears in the anterior deltas, their thickness increases;
• the relief and shape are honed;
• open clothing increases “watchability”;
• there is a clear separation of the thoracic, middle and anterior bundles;
• It is performed much more comfortably in comparison with lifting the barbell.

Doing the exercise with dumbbells correctly

Although training for lifting dumbbells in front of an athlete is not difficult, to do it correctly, it is important to know the nuances and technical subtleties. Let's look at them.

Preparatory step. Having selected dumbbells of adequate weight, they are taken with an overhand grip in each hand, which are lowered down to hip level (the dumbbells should not touch each other), the elbow joint is fully extended. The back is straight, feet are shoulder-width apart. This is what the starting position looks like.

Step one. Inhale and, keeping your body motionless, lift left hand forward, bending your elbow slightly. Exhale as soon as your hands pass the shoulder line. You need to stay in the top position. After this, return the dumbbell to the IP position to do the same actions with the other hand. A given number of repetitions must be completed.

To help beginner athletes, below is a picture version of lifting dumbbells in front of you.

In addition to what is described, there are non-classical variations of lifting dumbbells in front of you:

• simultaneous lifting of two projectiles with an overhand grip;
• the same, but with a neutral grip (you can also use it for alternate lifting);
• lifting the barbell in front of you;
• lower block;
• damn.

Secrets you need to know

Despite the (apparent) ease, when performing training, it is important not to forget about the following technical nuances:

• the elbow joint must remain motionless when lifting the projectile;
• the arms do not straighten until they lock at the elbow and do not bend;
• it is not correct if the body helps to move the dumbbells from their place at the beginning;
• in order not to turn training into “swinging” dumbbells, do not allow inertia to “eat” the weight;
• hands cannot be spread or brought together;
• maintain the distance between the projectiles at the extremes slightly less than shoulder width: then the dumbbells will not hit;
• do not forget to perform peak contractions in the upper extreme position;
• lower the dumbbells smoothly, do not throw them down;
• when lowering the hips, the projectile should not touch;
• Do not lift the apparatus too high when doing the classic dumbbell lift in front of you;
• use optimal weight;
• Before the main exercise, do a couple of approaches with light weights to warm up;
• the number of repetitions/approaches lies in the range (3-4) - (8-12);
• It is advisable to perform frontal lifts after bench presses;
• after completed, lift the dumbbells in front of you, do sitting or standing bent over raises;
• the “sitting” variation makes the training more difficult, and at the same time, the core is better stabilized.

The danger of frontal lifts for deltas

Shoulders are most susceptible to injury because... are fragile, complex joints, and, moreover, receive negative load when athletes perform basic training. Recovering from injuries is extremely difficult and time-consuming, and not yet complete. Therefore, shoulder training should be approached carefully and carefully.

When performing a frontal lift, do not forget about the external rotation of the shoulder that can cause subacromial syndrome.

Due to the narrowing of the space during lifting of the projectile between the upper arm bone (humerus) and the acrominal. Within this space, the acrominal can rub or be hit by the bursa and tendons, causing numbness, shoulder weakness, and pain. To avoid injury, at the top point it is recommended thumb turn up.

Video: Swing dumbbells in front of you

Broad shoulders for a man have always been a sign of strength, courage and beauty. That is why everyone for whom sports and the gym have become a part of their life focuses a lot of attention on working out the deltoid muscle.

Today we will talk about such an exercise as lifting dumbbells in front of you, we will analyze in detail the technique of performing the exercise, and also dwell on common mistakes during training.

What muscles work during exercise, benefits and types of exercise

Raising your arms with dumbbells in front of you is one of the isolation exercises to work out the delta, since the front one mainly works deltoid. But despite this, the following muscles are also involved when performing the exercise:

• lateral delta;
• pectoralis major muscle;
• biceps brachii;
• levator scapulae muscle;
• coracobrachialis muscle.

The exercise is quite effective to work out the delta for the following reasons:

• Allows you to work both shoulders symmetrically;
• In case of a shoulder injury, you can perform the exercise with only one arm;
• It is more comfortable to perform than, for example, lifting a barbell;
• Locally works the anterior delta.

Exists several varieties this exercise:

• simultaneous or alternate lifting with a neutral or overhand grip;
• raising your arms in front of you in the lower block;
• lifting the barbell in front of you.

Depending on the position of the body, lifting dumbbells in front of you is performed both standing and sitting. The effectiveness of the choice of position does not change.
For excellent result and to avoid injury, some recommendations should be followed.

Let's take a closer look at the technique of simultaneously lifting with an overhand grip in a standing position.

Lifting dumbbells in front of you - standing technique

In the starting position, the feet are at shoulder-width level, lower your arms along the body, straight back, hold the dumbbells outside hips with the back of your hand facing forward. The arms are slightly bent at the elbow joint.

This will help reduce stress on your elbow. Inhale, and as you exhale, raise your arms so that they are parallel to the floor. As you inhale, lower your arms down to the starting position. To increase the load on the delta, there is a more complex implementation option.

Here the hands do not stop at parallel, but continue to move upward to an angle of 45 degrees. It is important during training to ensure that there are no sudden jerks with your hands. Otherwise the load with target muscle will leave.

Despite the simplicity of the technique, novice athletes often make a number of mistakes that reduce the effectiveness of the exercise to zero and sometimes lead to injury.

Common mistakes when doing the exercise

To avoid making mistakes when performing the exercise, follow these recommendations:

• Do not spread your arms as you lift or bring them together. Throughout the entire set, the dumbbells should be at a fixed distance from each other - at shoulder width or slightly narrower.
• Concentrate on working your shoulder. Do not push your arms out while pushing with your pelvis. Use lighter dumbbell weights.
• As you lower your arms, hold the dumbbell. Avoid sudden release.
• At the very beginning of the exercise, fix the position of your back and hold it. Don't slouch, spread your shoulders and shoulder blades back. The body as a whole should remain motionless.
• Try not to straighten your arm at the elbow. He must also remain motionless until the very end.

To understand and develop the alternate lifting technique, we suggest you watch the following video lesson.

Lifting dumbbells one by one in front of you - video

From this video you will learn about the technique of performing alternate lifting, as well as which muscles are targeted during this exercise.

Correct technique when performing an exercise is the main condition for achieving your goal. Performing quality dumbbell lifts and choosing correct weight, you will very soon be able to see the result of your labors.

Have you already included shoulder exercises in your training program? Which exercise option did you choose for yourself? Share your impressions, plans and results in the comments.

Our respect, ladies and gentlemen! On the calendar 12 December, Wednesday. And this means it’s time for a technical note on the ABCs of Bodybuilding. And today we will talk about lifting the barbell in front of you. After reading, you will learn everything about the muscle atlas, the benefits and technique of performing the exercise. We will also find out the degree of its effectiveness and analyze some practical points.

So, make yourself comfortable, let's begin.

Lifting the barbell in front of you. What, why and why?

There is such a wide variety of exercises that you can do in the gym. But club visitors, for the most part, use no more than a dozen of them. Why are things this way? It seems to us that it's all about the herd instinct: people watch who does what exercises. After that, they simply insert them into their . Fitness club instructors are also not seen updating trainees’ arsenal of exercises. If the buttocks, then definitely, if the chest, then, for the deltoids - then. We, through our technical notes, try to combat Routine Ivanovna, the monotony of your workouts and the sensations that your muscles receive. How successful are we? It's up to you to decide. We will continue to “bend” our line. And today we'll figure it out unusual exercise- lifting the barbell in front of you. Now we’ll find out what it is. Let's go!

Note:
For better assimilation of the material, all further narration will be divided into subchapters.

Muscle atlas

The exercise belongs to the isolating class with a push/push type of force and is aimed at working the shoulders. The muscle ensemble includes the following units:

• targeted – anterior delta;
• synergists – pectoralis major (clavicular head), average delta, trapezius (middle/bottom), serratus anterior;
• stabilizers - upper trapezius, levator scapulae, wrist flexors.

A complete muscle atlas looks like this:

Advantages

By performing the exercise of lifting the barbell in front of you, you can expect to receive the following benefits:

• increase muscle mass deltas;
• development of shoulder strength;
• improvement of form;
• strengthening stabilizer muscles;
• increasing working weights in bench press exercises;
• development and strengthening of the muscles of the upper shoulder girdle.

Execution technique

Lifting a barbell in front of you is an exercise entry level complexity. The step-by-step execution technique is as follows:

Step #0.

Equip the barbell, take it in your hands with a shoulder-width grip and place it near your pelvis at arm's length. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees slightly, and lean your body forward slightly. Statically tighten your abs. Direct your gaze forward. This is your starting position.

Step #1.

Inhale and as you exhale, lift the barbell forward and up above eye level. Linger on 1-2 count at the top point of the trajectory, then slowly and under control lower the barbell into the IP.

In picture form it looks like this:

In motion like this:

Variations

In addition to the standard version of lifting the barbell in front of you, there are several variations of the exercise:

• reverse grip;
• with a pancake in hand;
• sitting on a bench.

Secrets and subtleties

To get the most out of the exercise, follow these guidelines:

• stand still throughout the entire movement;
• don't use heavy weight barbells and perform the movement without inertia;
• do not throw the barbell from the top position, but smoothly move it to the bottom;
• at the bottom point of the trajectory, do not straighten your elbows to the end;
• do not lift the barbell up high, your lifting height should be in the range from shoulder level to eye level;
• remember: the wider the grip, the more the emphasis shifts to the middle deltoid;
• breathing technique: inhale - when lowering the projectile down, exhale - when going up;
• numerical training parameters: number of approaches 3 , number of repetitions – 12-15 .

We're done with the theoretical side, now let's look at some practical points.

Is lifting a barbell in front of you an effective exercise for deltoids?

Researchers (Samantha Sweeney, College of Science and Health Clinical Exercise Physiology, USA, 2014 ) The following data were obtained on the electrical activity of muscles in delta exercises:

• front delta: barbell row to the chin – 33 ; waves with ropes – 49 57/59 ; seated dumbbell press - 74 ;
• middle delta: waves with ropes – 37 ; lifting dumbbells/barbells in front of you – 39 ; seated dumbbell press - 62 ; barbell pull to the chin - 73 .

Thus, lifting dumbbells/barbells in front of you is sufficient effective exercise for the anterior deltoid.

How to quickly pump up your shoulders?

The deltoid muscles are made up of 3 -x bundles – anterior, middle and posterior. Most of the exercises that visitors do gyms, “catches” the first two. In addition, the anterior delta assists a lot in the pressing movement - bringing the arm to the horizontal axis in the bench press. Therefore, if you want to quickly pump up your shoulders, then give them a full day or even two: one at the beginning of the week, the other at the end. It is recommended to start working with the lagging one – most often the posterior beam. After that, move on to the front and middle. In general, perform at least one workout per workout: 4-5 Some excellent mechanics exercises.

Actually, that’s all in terms of content, let’s summarize.

Afterword

Review of the exercise, lifting a barbell in front of you has joined our pantheon of technical notes. Will the exercise fit into your training? Maybe. But to find out, you need to “feel” it. Therefore, we blow into the hall and test the theory in practice. Good luck!

PS: How do you train deltoids, according to the classics?

PPS: did the project help? Then leave a link to it in your social network status - plus 100 points towards karma guaranteed :)

With respect and gratitude, Protasov DMitriy.