Kinesiology And Biomechanics Applied To Deltoid Exercises

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This was taken over from one of the newsletters at ifbb.com


KINESIOLOGY AND BIOMECHANICS APPLIED TO DELTOID EXERCISES
PART VI

By Professor Maurício de Arruda Campos
IFBB Education & Research Committee

FRONT DUMBBELL RAISE

If you want to target the anterior portion of the deltoids this is the exercise.

The front dumbbell raise can be done in a variety of ways, the most common being with dumbbells and an overhand grip to about shoulder level. Try several of the variations to work the muscles somewhat differently each time.

Use a pronated grip (the backs of your hands should face forward) or neutral grip (with your palms facing in toward the midline of your body) to enhance the focus on the anterior deltoids.



Figure 1 - Initial Position / Figure 2 – Final Position

The pectoralis major and coracobrachialis muscles work together with the anterior deltoids to efficiently raise the arms to shoulder height.

The serratus anterior and the superior and inferior portions of the trapezius act synergistically to promote the upward rotation of the scapula.

As you raise the dumbbells there is a great increase in the torque because there is a significant increase on the lever arm (distance between the weights at the axis of rotation on the shoulder joint). This greater lever arm at the end of the movement also demands a forceful isometric contraction from the thoracic and lumbar spine muscles to stabilize these regions of the vertebral column during the shoulder movement.

The maintenance of a neutral lumbar spine during this exercise is very important for the safety of this important region of the vertebral column.


Figure 3 – Unilateral Front Dumbbell raise.

A variation of this exercise that can be very functional is the unilateral front dumbbell raise. This variation helps increase the focus on each side of the shoulder and also imposes a greater demand on the stabilizing muscles of the spine that need to contract on the contralateral side of the shoulder movement.