Ah, the side lateral... Such a simple exercise. So simple, yet easily screwed up. We've all been there... hitting some shoulders for the pump or maybe some bench accessory work and the idea of side laterals is too appealing. Some "boulder" shoulders would compliment your physique quite nicely. Three, four, five sets of side laterals in but do you feel like you're actually working them or rather just flapping your meat wings like a jacked penguin?
EliteFTS™ Sponsored Powerlifter Brian Schwab demonstrates one awesome side lateral variation that will take you from flap to flex.
Talk about a 1-2 punch for your medial deltoid.
First, we have the concept of accommodating resistance with the use of chains. In standard dumbbell side laterals, there is a tendency to swing the dumbbells out to the side and get them as high as possible before disengaging and letting them fall back down. Chains eliminate this momentum. As seen in the video, Brian starts the movement like a normal dumbbell side lateral, but as the chains begin to lift off the ground, the weight increases and his medial delts fire extra hard to complete the movement. The chains then touch back on the ground, killing any residual swing he might have been able to use for the next rep. The result is raw effort on every rep, a crazy contraction at the top of the movement, and ridiculous time under tension.
Second, muscle irradiation induced from the EliteFTS™ 3" Grenade Ball handles increases muscle fiber activation. Using standard handles is fantastic, but using the Grenade handles... that's just masochistic. Grenades also facilitate the correct wrist position for the movement, encouraging a standard pronation or even over-pronation to increase muscle fiber activation in the correct humeral pathway.
Joe Daniels of Swing This Kettlebells is also a fan of the Grenade-chain combination.
Flap no longer. Flex on, muscle-penguin.
You can find the EliteFTS™ 3" Grenade Ball here.
The possibilities are endless with chains! Find them here!