FAST-ATTACH FITNESS

EXERCISE INSTRUCTIONS

LATERAL SHOULDER RAISE

Primary Muscle Targeted:

Lateral Deltoids

Learning Difficulty Level: Beginner

Setup Difficulty Level: Beginner

Performance Difficulty Level: Beginner

DEMONSTRATION VIDEO

EQUIPMENT & ATTACHMENTS

Equipment Needed To Perform This Exercise

• Adjustable-height single or adjacent dual cable machine

• Flat bench

• Fast-Attach All In 1 Fitness Strap

Equipment Shown Here

Body Masters Adjustable-Height Single Cable Machine

Prime Fitness Adjustable Bench

Fast-Attach All In 1 Fitness Strap

• Click the links above to purchase

Choose One Attachment Option To Perform This Exercise

**Any attachment with a (*) sign is recommended as the best option**

• The Better-Fly*

• Ab straps

• Arm straps

Attachments Shown Here

Amazon Ab Straps

• Click the link above to purchase a similar product.

SETUP

Equipment Setup

• Flat bench

Equipment Distance From The Cable Pulley

• Approximately 2 feet

Attachment Setup

• Connect the All In 1 Fitness Strap to an adjustable-height single or adjacent dual cable machine.

• If you are using a single cable machine, connect the center anchor ring to the cable pulley.

• If you are using an adjacent dual cable machine, connect the side anchor rings to the adjacent dual cable pulleys.

• Attach the ab straps to the All In 1 Fitness Strap.

• Position the ab straps on the ground.

All In 1 Fitness Strap Attachment Setting Shown Here

• Loop 3

Angle Of Resistance

• Horizontal

EXERCISE INSTRUCTIONS

Getting Into Starting Position

• Sit down on the bench and place the ab straps on your forearms, just below your elbows.

• Lift your feet up off the ground to protect your lumbar spine as you lie back on the bench.

• You need to find the optimal attachment setting between the all in 1 fitness strap not opening up enough and no initial tension when the all in 1 fitness strap first opens.

• For additional leverage, you can raise the seat pad at an angle and position your butt against the seat pad.

• For more leverage, you can position your heels against the base of the bench. This may be an issue if you are tall or your bench is on the shorter side.

Starting Position

• Lying, back to bench

• Head away from the cable pulley

• Neutral spine

• Torso horizontal

• Legs bent at an angle that is comfortable for you

• Feet flat on the ground or heels against the base of the bench, your choice

• Scapula in neutral position

• Shoulders in neutral position

**• Arms bent at 90* with forearms vertical and close to your sides**

• Elbows at your sides

• Ab straps positioned on your forearms, just below your elbows

• Palms in neutral position or facing you

Performing The Concentric Portion Of The Movement

• Initiate the movement by hinging at your shoulders to pull your elbows out and up in the horizontal plane of motion to raise your shoulders.

• Press your feet into the ground for leverage if needed, or you can press your heels against the base of the bench for more leverage.

• Use a slow-to-moderate, controlled tempo that works best for you.

• Your primary focus and concentration should be on using your mind-muscle connection to visualize your lateral shoulder muscles contracting. You may count the number of seconds to control your rep speed as long as this doesn't interfere with your concentration on your technique.

**• Focus on contracting your shoulders concentrically by raising your arms to shoulder level with your arms at a 90* angle throughout the movement at a horizontal cable angle.**

Finish Position

**• Arms bent at 90*, with forearms vertical**

• Arms straight out to your sides with upper arms at shoulder level

• Palms facing away from you

Performing The Eccentric Portion Of The Movement

• Initiate the movement by lowering your shoulders to bring your elbows down and in.

• Maintain constant control of your shoulders and arms throughout the entire eccentric movement by keeping your arms at a 90* angle as you feel the tension in your shoulder muscles. Do not relax and let the resistance do the work during the eccentric portion of the movement, as this reduces the work on your shoulder muscles and decreases the effectiveness of the exercise.

Getting Out Of Position And Returning The Attachment

• Sit up and place the ab straps on the ground.

Safety And Injury Prevention

• Do not raise your arms higher than your shoulders, as this puts your shoulders in a bad position.

• Do not use too much resistance, as this can result in a pulled muscle or even a torn muscle, especially for exercises like this where you start in a stretched position.

• Do not use momentum, especially performing a fast eccentric to build momentum for the next concentric rep as this could result in a shoulder or rotator cuff injury.

• Maintain good form, and do not use an excessive amount of resistance that may cause you to neglect proper posture and lose control.

• To avoid muscle tightening and cramping, do not squeeze your muscles too tightly in the fully contracted position.

• Stop immediately if you feel any significant pain beyond normal muscle burn, fatigue, and soreness, such as a sharp pain, joint pain, and pain that increases with movement and/or limits movement.

Exercise Setup Limitations

• This exercise will work with for those who use light to moderate resistance, and will work for the majority of people.

• Using ab straps and arm straps may limit your range of motion to a certain degree, especially if you use heavy resistance.

• For those who use heavy resistance, position the seat pad at an upward angle and position your butt on the seat pad for additional leverage.

• For those who use very heavy resistance, you can position your heels against the base of the bench for more leverage. This may be an issue if you are tall or your bench is on the shorter side.

Common Mistakes

• Do not shrug your shoulders as you raise them. Focus on using your shoulders to raise and lower your arms.

**• Do not angle your forearms up and let your hands lead the movement. Keep your arms at a 90* angle throughout the movement.**

• Do not use momentum in an attempt to move the resistance, as this will reduce the work on the target muscle and shift the work to your joints and other body parts and may result in injury. Control the resistance at a steady pace that is comfortable for you.

Tips

• There is a new attachment on the market called the Better-Fly, which works very well for this exercise and is a better option than ab straps or arm straps.

• If you use enough resistance where you begin to slide along the bench, use additional leverage options by pressing your feet into the ground, or setting the seat pad at an upward angle, or pressing your feet into the base of the bench.

• Use your mind-muscle connection to visualize your arms remaining in a fixed position throughout the movement as you contract your shoulder muscles to move your arms.

Set Extenders And Exercise Progressions

• Once you reach the point of muscular failure, you can extend the set further to increase the intensity by pausing and resting long enough to perform at least 1 more rep.

Progress by:

• adding more resistance while maintaining good form.

Benefits Of This Exercise

• You can use more resistance using ab straps or arm straps positioned on your forearms than you can doing this exercise with dumbbells.

• Using ab straps or arm straps is beneficial for those with hand injuries or limitations.

• Simulates commercial lateral shoulder raise machines in a different plane of motion that some people may find to be a more comfortable position.