Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
On April 26, 2022, Olivares showed why he’s someone to watch in the powerlifting sphere when the 23-year-old locked out a 417.3-kilogram squat (920-pound) with ease during a training session.
Takes 100% effort to make something look effortless.
Olivares wore wrist straps, a lifting belt, and knee sleeves for the lift. The athlete also had three spotters on hand as a precaution, though, given how easily he completed the squat — their direct intervention was unnecessary.
Check out the casual, staggering lift below, courtesy of Olivares’ Instagram profile:
Olivares may be in his early 20s, but he’s been competitive powerlifting in some capacity for almost a decade. A Texas native, Olivares began his career as a teenager with the Texas High School Powerlifting Association (THSPA) in 2013. After getting some experience and meets under his belt, he managed to win the 2014 THSPA Mustang Invitational — his first-ever victory.
From there, it’s been mostly smooth sailing for the stellar young powerlifter.
Of late, Olivares has won six straight competitions and hasn’t lost an event since 2015. To date, his peak career achievement might be a first-place finish in the 2021 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Classic Powerlifting Championships while competing in the 120-kilogram-plus weight class. That has also been Olivares’ competition weight during his ongoing winning streak.
Here’s a rundown of some of the more notable results from Olivares’ ongoing career:
Jesus Olivares Notable Career Results
2019 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Winter Iron Open — 1st place
2020 USAPL Capital City Classic — 1st place
2020 USAPL Collegiate Cup and Texas Open — 1st place
2021 USAPL Raw Nationals — 1st place
2021 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships — 1st place
2022 AMP Classic Open Nationals — 1st place
Olivares recently notched an unofficial world record for the 120-kilogram-plus weight class, among other feats. During the 2022 AMP Classic Open Nationals, the powerlifter pulled a 402.5-kilogram deadlift (887.3-pound) — which would’ve been the world record if achieved at an international competition. Ray Williams still holds the official all-time IPF mark with a 398.5-kilogram pull (878.5-pound) during the 2018 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships.
In addition, Olivares also scored a 1,110-kilogram total (2,447.1-pound) during the meet. It is the second-heaviest raw total for the 120-kilogram-plus weight class in the history of IPF powerlifting. According to Open Powerlifting, Daniel Bell holds the all-time top spot with a 1,182.5-kilogram total (2,607-pound) from the 2021 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) Hybrid Showdown III.
Here are Olivares’ stats from his recent meet, where he broke multiple competition records in the 120-kilogram-plus weight class:
Jesus Olivares | 2022 AMP Classic Open Nationals Stats
Olivares will continue to plug away with his training as he looks to defend his 2o21 IPF title. Considering his recent string of staggering results, he may become a repeat champion and officially log a world record or two.
The 2022 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships will take place on June 6-12, 2022, in Sun City, South Africa.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
On April 26, 2022, powerlifter Jessica Buettner made waves again when she deadlifted 245.4 kilograms (541 pounds) for two reps during training — a new double PR. For the pull, Buettner used a mixed grip, worked from a conventional stance, and wore a lifting belt.
Check out Buettner’s set below, via her Instagram profile:
This display of power and volume is nothing unusual for Buettner in progressions lately. She recently deadlifted a staggering 230 kilograms (507 pounds) for six reps during a training session in April 2022.
That said, Buettner’s new deadlift double PR is noteworthy for two reasons. First, it’s only 6.1 kilograms (13.4 pounds) off her all-time competition best — a 250-kilogram pull (551.1-pound) from the 2020 Canadian Power Union (CPU) Nationals. Second, Buettner has Type 1 diabetes. She maintained that this obstacle added a challenging dimension to her recent training session.
“I am happy I was able to move this because my blood sugars weren’t too good,” Buettner wrote in the caption of her Instagram post.
It’s a testament to Buettner’s strength and perseverance that she managed to push through with a PR lift anyway.
Around The Corner
Buettner’s schedule is about to get quite busy.
In the near term, the powerlifter will compete at the 2022 CPU Nationals, which will take place from May 9-14, 2022, in St. Johns, Canada. Following that event, after a relatively short reprieve, she will take the stage at the 2022 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Classic Powerlifting Championships, which occur on June 6-12, 2022, in Sun City, South Africa. The athlete will compete in her usual 76-kilogram weight class in both events.
Buettner should enter these competitions as an anticipated contender. As the reigning IPF World Classic Powerlifting Champion in the 76-kilogram weight class, she’s assuredly seeking a repeat. As for the CPU Nationals, it’s been two years since she last competed at the respective event.
Nevertheless, it would undoubtedly be a mistake for anyone to overlook the prolific powerlifter and what she brings to the table as an athlete.
To date, in 17 sanctioned competitions during her career, Buettner has 15 wins and two second-place finishes, according to Open Powerlifting. She’s also on a hot streak. The powerlifter has won three straight competitions, last coming in second during the 2019 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships.
Buettner’s continued diligence with her training is undoubtedly a significant factor in her ongoing success. When she steps onto the lifting platform in the coming weeks, she might be in a favorable position to notch wins and vaunted records at the same time.
Experts estimate that people around the world waste 1.3 billion tons of food each year.1 The costs to individuals, families, and the environment are astronomical. You can make a difference by making a personal commitment to minimizing food waste.
At Mark’s Daily Apple, we’re supporting Primal Kitchen in an effort to #MaketheMost of mealtime this National Food Waste Day. Scroll down to find tips and techniques for being more sustainable and reducing your environmental footprint by reducing food waste, optimizing your grocery budget, and contributing less to the landfill.
For more information, head to PrimalKitchen.com and sign up to receive an exclusive e-book to fight food waste with tasty recipes, packaging hacks, and tips that #MaketheMost of your favorite products and use every last delicious drop!
Small Steps Add Up to More Sustainability
Learn how to reduce food waste, cut down on your carbon footprint, and put less in the landfill. Small steps really do add up, especially when we all do our part.
Store and Preserve Food Properly So It Doesn’t Go to Waste
Food spoiling before you get a chance to eat it is a huge contributor to food waste. In additional to shopping smart (more on that below), you can nip this problem in the bud by storing food properly after you bring it home from the store.
For those times when you buy a little too much or you’re lucky enough to have a bountiful garden harvest, learn how to preserve that food and enjoy it for months to come.
We know, those bits and bobbles can be a little off-putting at first, but organ meats are some of the most nutritious foods on the planet! Eating the skin and gristly bits nets you a bunch of collagen to balance out the methionine in muscle meat. The bones of small, oily fish contain calcium and other minerals. And best of all, almost nothing goes to waste.
This is huge at a time when we’re fighting against a tide of anti-meat sentiment and claims that meat eating is bad for the environment. The best thing we meat consumers can do is advocate for and practice responsible omnivory or carnivory.
One way to reduce your carbon footprint is to buy locally grown food when you can instead of food shipping across the country or around the world.
Shopping at farmer’s markets not only supports local farmers and ranchers, but you also cut down on food packaging. Prioritizing locally grown produce also means you’ll naturally eat the foods that are in season in your region.
Planning a few days’ or a week’s worth of food can save money and cut down on food waste. A little leg work up front ensures you’re only buying what you need.
Take advantage of your local recycling program. Look on all food packages for what can be recycled or composted.
Reducing food waste is something you can do at home that really does make a difference. Talk to your friends and family, and start implementing some of these practices. What do YOU do to reduce food waste?
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
There’s a new deadlift mountain to climb for strength sports athletes everywhere.
Krzysztof “Mr. Deadlift” Wierzbicki deadlifted an astonishing 502.5 kilograms (1,107 pounds) during a training session. As a result, the Polish powerlifter now possesses the heaviest filmed deadlift in history.
Check out the historic feat below, captured from one of Wierzbicki’s recent Instagram stories and reposted by Julian Howard (@worldstrongestfan) on April 27, 2022:
Wierzbicki notched the all-time pull from a sumo stance while wearing wrist straps. He also may have been wearing a lifting belt under his shirt, but that is undisclosed for now.
At the time of writing, Wierzbick’s weight for the all-time accomplishment is unknown. If recent history is any indication, he might have weighed at or around 110 kilograms — his competition weight since Spring 2021, per Open Powerlifting.
Notably, since Wierzbicki’s momentous deadlift didn’t occur in a formal competition, it is not an official record. Nevertheless, it is the heaviest-ever deadlift from the floor and worthy of his evident jubilation upon completing the pull.
Wierzbicki’s Feat in Context
With this pull, Wierzbicki has gained entry into the legendary 500-kilogram (1,102.3-pound) deadlift club. There are only two other members — the 2017 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Champion Eddie Hall and the 2018 WSM Champion Hafthor Björnsson.
Hall was the first to capture the achievement with a 500-kilogram (1,102.3-pound) pull during the 2016 World Deadlift Championships (WDC). Björnsson then surpassed his rival by a single kilogram at the 2020 World’s Ultimate Strongman “Feats of Strength Series.”
Notably, aside from the formal competition difference, there are other vital distinctions between Wierzbicki’s historic pull and that of his 500-kilogram predecessors. The powerlifter Wierzbicki completed his deadlift from a sumo stance — which isn’t legal during strongman competitions. In addition, the Polish athlete just used wrist straps. Björnsson and Hall wore wrist straps and deadlift suits for their pulls.
With Wierzbicki’s record taken into account, here’s a shortlist of the heaviest deadlifts of all time:
Heaviest Recorded Deadlifts in History
Krzysztof Wierzbicki (Poland) — 502.5 kilograms (1,107 pounds) | Unofficial Record
Hafthor Björnsson (Iceland) — 501 kilograms (1,104.5 pounds) | All-time World Record
Eddie Hall (United Kingdom) — 500 kilograms (1,102.3 pounds)
Danny Grigsby (United States) — 465 kilograms (1,025.2 pounds) | Full Power Meet Record
Whether Wierzbicki is capable of eclipsing Björnsson and Hall on their strongman, conventional, fully equipped terms is unclear. However, when it comes to powerlifting, it’s apparent he has the capacity to surpass his contemporary in Grigsby — who also used a sumo stance, but no wrist straps — on his full power meet record mark set in late March 2022.
Whenever Wierzbicki does compete in a meet next, expect the greater strength sports community to be on watch for a potential new deadlift record.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
A professional strength sports athlete deadlifting 600-plus pounds will almost always be noteworthy. When that person’s a teenager who still has to get their parent/guardian’s signature on school permission slips, the entire community will be on notice. On April 25, 2022, 15-year-old Morgan Nicholls recorded a video of himself crushing a 274.3-kilogram deadlift (605-pound) during a training session.
Had Nicholls achieved the pull during a competition, it would’ve eclipsed Arslan Bochkaryov’s world record 250-kilogram deadlift (551.1-pound) in the 90-kilogram weight class by over 20 kilograms. Bochkaryov captured the Teenage 13-15 division all-time mark at the 2020 FPR Russian Juniors & Sub-Juniors Classic Powerlifting Championships.
Check out the staggering pull, courtesy of Nicholls’ Instagram profile:
Nicholls completed the deadlift using a conventional stance, used a mixed barbell grip, and wore only a lifting belt.
Nicholls in Context
Nicholls is no stranger to making waves as a lifter despite his youth.
For one, according to Open Powerlifting, Nicholls’ previous deadlift high during a competition is 206.38 kilograms (455 pounds). He notched that mark at the 2020 Southern Powerlifting Federation (SPF) GP Summer Bash while competing in the Teenage 13-15 division — his only sanctioned meet to date.
Roughly a half-year later, in January 2021, Nicholls gained notoriety for a 183.6-kilogram bench press (405 pounds). If achieved during a competition, it would’ve been the second-heaviest-ever bench press in the Teenage 13-15 division — second only to Colin Grebel’s 205-kilogram bench press (452-pound) from the 2014 APF Gary Pendergrass Memorial Meet.
Everything feeling good took 605 for a ride for a new PR.
Before this latest unofficial record feat, Nicholls had recently posted Instagram videos of his rapid training progression — deadlifting as much as 265.35 kilograms (585 pounds). He may well make another meteoric rise up very soon.
Building a Legacy
Why Nicholls is proving to be one of the youngest and strongest lifters around might not be a secret. His mother is Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls — a four-time Ms. Olympia winner, a member of the IFBB Hall of Fame, and a person who some regard as one of the greatest female bodybuilders of all time.
By that same lineage token, Nicholls’ father is Chad Nicholls, a trainer for some of the biggest names in bodybuilding like eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman, four-time Arnold Classic Champion Flex Wheeler, and current Mr. Olympia Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay.
Chad Nicholls expressed admiration for his son’s unofficial record feat over social media.
“Just another day in the office with the boys, which by the way, is literally my favorite part of the day,” Nicholls wrote of his son. [Morgan Nicholls] hitting a new deadlift PR 605 heavy-a** pounds.”
At the time of publishing, Morgan nor his parents have shared when his next formal competition will be. There’s likely no rush, though, given how far Nicholls has come with his strength.
The weather turns, the clouds disperse, the sun returns, and one’s thoughts wander to camping, backpacking, and just generally tromping around in the great outdoors. It is the human imperative to conquer the wilderness and to exult in its grandeur, beauty, and danger. The true frontier is mostly gone now, but we can emulate that most fundamental and ancient human experience by going camping.
Tuna packets or other tinned fish, canned oysters/mussels
Whole avocados
Whole fruits
Low-carb protein bars
Low-carb tortillas (or regular corn tortillas if you prefer)
Cooked potatoes/sweet potatoes (which last for a few days at room temp)
Hard boiled eggs (which last for a day or two depending on temperature)
Dried fruits, dates, berries, figs
In fact, you can eat quite well this way. You can certainly survive.
But sometimes you want a bit more luxury. You want something hot and comforting. Rather than squat around the fire gnawing on dried meat and crunching nuts, you want to sit with your people with a warm bowl in front of you and have a proper meal, wilderness style
Yesterday, you learned how to dehydrate food. Check that out if you’re new to dehydrating. It’s easy and economical, but there are a few things you need to know to get started. Today, I’m going to give you a few recipes for dehydrated trail meals. This is trail food—not car camping food. This is stuff that’s lightweight, backpack-stable, and dehydrated. This is food you can carry with you for days.
Making Your Own Easy Dehydrated Camping Meals
Unlike most commercial trail foods, these are nutrient-dense and delicious meals without any undesirable fats or ingredients. No industrial seed oils, plenty of animal protein.
There are a couple ways to make dehydrated camping meals:
You can make finished meals at home, dehydrate them, and heat them on the trail.
You can make individual dehydrated ingredients and then mix and heat them together on the trail.
I’ll describe below how to rehydrate food on the trail.
Scrambled eggs
This is almost as good as the real thing. Almost.
Add 1 part egg powder to 1.5 parts water, dried milk powder, and dried butter powder. (Ingredients readily available online or through a camping supply retailer.)
Whisk it furiously. You want it totally blended, completely smooth, with lots of aeration.
Heat oil or butter in a pan over medium-low heat. Add the egg mixture and any other rehydrated veggies you might have and stir continuously. Salt and season as you go.
Finish with cheese if you have any.
Pressure Cooker Chili
This is a bare bones chili. It doesn’t have any beans, but you can add them if you like.
Place the leanest beef you can find (top round, London broil, 96% lean ground, etc) in the pressure cooker along with tomato paste, onions, garlic, peppers, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and chipotle pepper (if you like spicy). Add enough bone broth to cover everything, then pressure cook until the meat is falling apart.
Reduce the chili until most of the liquid is gone and it’s a thick stew rather than soup.
Spread the chili in a thin layer and dehydrate it.
The trick here is using liquid and pressure to cook it, rather than fat. When you rehydrate it on the trail, add plenty of fat.
Dehydrated mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes
These make an excellent base for any meal, particularly if you’ve been expending a lot of energy out on the trail.
Peel and boil your potatoes just like you would when making mashed potatoes.
When they’re soft, drain them almost completely. Reserve a few cups of the cooking water.
Mash them with as much water as needed to produce a thick “soupy” textured mash, wetter than normal.
Add salt and spices if desired, or wait for the trail.
Do not add any fat, milk, butter, or cream. You can add that on the trail after reconstitution.
Spread into thin layer and dehydrate until dry and brittle. Break or grind up into powder and store.
To reheat, mix half cup of dehydrated potato with 2/3 cup boiling water. Cover for 5-10 minutes and add any milk, butter, cheese, or seasonings. Adjust texture by adding more water if you want.
This also works for cauliflower. Just be sure not to add any fat until you’re rehydrating it on the trail.
These are just a few ideas. You can do a lot of cool stuff out there if you stick to the basics and follow some fundamental rules.
Some Tips
Use as little fat as possible.
The thing about cooking and dehydrating your own meals for the trail is that you have to go about it a little differently. You can’t use a ton of fat when you cook because fat simply doesn’t dehydrate very well. The whole point of dehydrating is to remove moisture and end up with a final product that stays shelf-stable at room temperature for a long time. Too much fat will retain moisture and go rancid.
So when you’re looking at these recipes, they might seem a little funny. When I make my normal camp chili, I’m searing the meat and veggies in butter and olive oil and really making a rich, thick stew—but that doesn’t fly when you’re dehydrating chili. You can always add the fat afterwards, after the dehydrated meal has been heated up, and I’ll include a list of essential additions to bring along when you head out into the wilderness for enriching your meals.
Use lower fat meat.
When you use beef, go as lean as you can. When you cook chicken, use breast or canned chicken.
Use liquid.
Since you can’t really use tons of fat when cooking meals for dehydration, you’ll need to include a good amount of liquid to prevent sticking. Dehydration will take care of the moisture, of course.
Important Additions to Add to Your Pack
These are the cooking ingredients I consider essential for anyone eating well on the trail.
Gelatin powder/bone broth powder
Heat some water on the camp stove and whisk this stuff into it, then pour the gelatin-rich liquid into your soups, stews, chilis, and sauces to add texture, body, and gelatin.
Butter powder (yes, actual powdered grass-fed butter)
Add butter powder to any low-fat dish to enrich and render it more luxurious. You could also just bring real butter if there’s room, it’s not too hot out, and it won’t throw off your backpack weight.
Olive oil or avocado oil in small bottles
This is a great bottle (BPA-free, made in the USA) for storing edible oil to drizzle over your food. This is a good olive oil and this is a good avocado oil.
Milk powder is another good addition to have on hand.
Cheese powder or cheese
Cheese powder is a nice way to add body and nutrition to almost any dish. You could also pack straight-up hard cheese, which lasts quite well at room temperature. Shelf-stable grated cheese is also an option.
Salt, pepper, spices
At the very least, bring salt, black pepper, and something like garlic powder, paprika, porcini powder, or cayenne. Very easy, very simple, very effective seasoning.
Sun-dried tomatoes
Sun-dried tomatoes provide umami, acidity, sweetness, and that burst of rich tomato flavor that enriches almost any dish it touches. You can also snack on them directly.
Mayo
Yes, yes, it’s not essential, but if you have the room, keeping some mayo on hand will really enhance your meals.
How to Rehydrate Your Dehydrated Meals
This is quite simple.
Heat water until simmering in camp stove and add your meal. Usually it’s about 1 part dehydrated meal to 1.5 parts water.
Cover and heat until it reaches the desired consistency.
Adorn your meal with any spices, seasonings, oil, fat, and cheese.
Different dishes will have different rehydration requirements, but that’s the basic formula. If you’re just guessing, use less water than you think. You can always add more.
I’d love to hear what you guys are dehydrating and rehydrating out there on the trail. Let me know down below what your favorite dehydrated backpacking dishes are to make and eat!
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
On April 24, 2022, Danny Grigsby deadlifted 437.2 kilograms (964 pounds) for two reps during training. The mark is the latest in a growing line of a recent deadlift progression for the powerlifter.
Check out the staggering deadlift double below, courtesy of Grigsby’s Instagram profile:
For the pull, Grigsby forgoes all equipment save for a lifting belt. He also completes the deadlift double with relative ease from a sumo stance.
In the Instagram post’s caption, Grigsby elected for self-deprecation to describe the training session. He alluded to minor sleep troubles in a seeming joking desire to get a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment. It doesn’t seem like Grigsby’s apparent lack of sleep prevented him from showing off his tremendous power.
“Counting down the days until I get a CPAP, so I’ll recover better and won’t feel like dog-sh** every workout,” Grigsby wrote.
A fellow powerlifter with a similar deadlift prowess, Jamal Browner, poked fun at Grigsby’s pulls, writing in a reply, “Can you please chill out?” Meanwhile, four-time Men’s Physique Olympia Champion (2014-2017) Jeremy Buendia marveled at Grigsby’s strength, quickly commenting, “Easy work, man! Incredible.”
Indeed, as long as he continues to share incredible strength feats like this, the 28-year-old Grigsby may draw attention from major corners across the strength sports world.
Pulling at Full Strength
This sort of staggering deadlift double is nothing new for Grigsby.
Recently, the powerlifter became the first person ever to deadlift 1,000 pounds in a full power meet with an all-time world record 465-kilogram pull (1,025-pound) set during the 2022 United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) Virginia Beach Classic 2. Grigsby notched the achievement while competing in the 125-kilogram weight class.
Following that record feat, Grigsby said that he was working through some minor leg ailments over social media. They were prevalent enough for him to take aspects of his training gradually — especially but not limited to his deadlift. Roughly two weeks later, in April 2022, Grigsby seemingly quelled all concerns when he pulled a 415-kilogram deadlift (915 pounds) for two reps and then crushed a 770-pound deadlift for an eight-rep, volume PR.
Grigsby accomplished each of his recent training feats, like his new deadlift training double, while wearing only a lifting belt. Suffice to say that if these pulls are what taking it easy looks like, then Grigsby certainly looks like he’s back at a full power capacity.
Only an approximate month removed from his latest meet, Grigsby has not yet confirmed his next competition in the year 2022. Whenever he’s on a sanctioned lifting platform again, his new stated goal remains unchanged — He wants to notch at least a 1,043.3-kilogram (2,300-pound) total.
Such a mark would give Grigsby the second-heaviest total for a competitor in the 125-kilogram weight class. Zac Myers holds the current world record with a 1,053-kilogram total (2,321.5-pound), set at the 2020 USPA No Luck Needed Open.
Grigsby’s continued impressive work with his deadlift will undoubtedly be a factor in capturing that achievement.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
If you plan on being in the gym long-term, you need to avoid beating up your joints. The shoulders, in particular, can be tough to train intensely without excessive wear and tear. Fortunately, the lateral raise can be a very effective way to build the shoulders without attacking the joints.
Beyond joint-friendly training, if you want to look great but haven’t added lateral raises into your workouts, two words should convince you otherwise: boulder shoulders. You can bench and overhead press all you want, but you still won’t see a set of broad, round, fully developed shoulders in the mirror.
The lateral deltoid is underdeveloped in many lifters due to the lack of direct stimulation from many compound exercises. Add lateral raises to your program, and you’ll close the gap in developing well-rounded shoulders. Let’s break down everything you need to know about performing this beneficial exercise.
The lateral raise seems simple enough. Grab hold of some dumbbells, raise them out to the side, lower them down, and repeat.
The shoulder is a tricky piece of machinery, and if poor technical habits are engrained, they may lead to an increased risk of injury. Let’s give you the rundown on performing this exercise perfectly.
Step 1 — Find the Starting Position
Credit: Benoit Daoust / Shutterstock
Stand up straight with your arms at your sides and a dumbbell in each hand. Position your feet just inside shoulder-width apart and brace your core. Lean forward slightly and allow the weights to touch each other in front of your thighs. Your palms should be facing each other and your elbows should be very slightly bent.
Form Tip: Slightly bending at the hips will shift your center of gravity and help to keep yourself grounded as long as you also tense your core. It also elicits a greater range of motion for the shoulder to move through, compared to keeping the weights at your sides.
Step 2 — Raise to Shoulder-Level
Credit: Benoit Daoust / Shutterstock
Maintain a neutral grip (palms facing your body) and keep your elbows in a softly bent position. Initiate the raise by driving out and up through your elbows until your upper arm is parallel to the floor. As the weights come up, your hands should naturally rotate to point your palms towards the ground.
Focus on moving your elbows to lift the weight, not leading with your hands. Your shoulders should be kept down, not shrugged up towards your ears.
Form Tip: Think of standing on the face of a clock. During the movement, your left arm should be pointing between nine and ten and your right arm should be between two and three. Keeping your arms in this alignment will better serve shoulder health while maintaining tension on the muscle.
Step 3 — Lower to Stretch
Credit: Motortion Films / Shutterstock
Maintain tightness through your core and lower body as you lower the weights along the same path. Use a controlled tempo, taking one to two seconds. The dumbbells should end up in the starting position touching each other in front of your thighs.
Form Tip: Rest in the bottom position for one second before starting the next rep. This will lessen any momentum being used to drive up the dumbbells.
Lateral Raise Mistakes to Avoid
While the lateral raise may seem easy enough to perform, there are some important mistakes that must be avoided to prevent any unnecessary risk of injury.
Lifting the Dumbbells Above Your Head
While lifting with a large range of motion can sometimes provide greater benefits in building muscle, in this case more is not better.
Credit: Prostock-studio / Shutterstock
Lifting your arms too high (bringing the upper arms well-above shoulder-level) can place you at risk of an impingement in the shoulder, which is one of the most common causes of shoulder pain. (1)
Avoid It: Imagine you have a barbell across your upper back, much like when performing a barbell squat. As you raise the dumbbells upwards, think about the barbell. Once your upper arm “touches” the bar, lower the weights down.
Lifting Too Much Weight
A lot of gym-goers can be seen using a weight that is so heavy it forces them to use momentum to complete the lateral raise.
Credit: Jasminko Ibrakovic / Shutterstock
This form of “cheating” will allow you to move more weight, but it also means that you lose a lot of the tension being placed on the target muscle. This goes against the objective of the exercise, which is to maximally recruit and stimulate the lateral deltoid.
Avoid it: Leave your ego at the door. Use a weight that you can lift with control for at least six reps. Keep your entire body tensed to maximize stability and reduce any chance of momentum being used.
Over-Rotating the Wrists
In order to increase the activation of the lateral delt, many lifters dramatically rotate their wrists during each rep, tipping their thumbs towards the floor and their pinkies towards the ceiling (imagine pouring a glass of juice). (2)
Credit: Vladimir Sukhachev / Shutterstock
At first, this sounds like a great technique to implement into your training due to the increased muscle activation. However, further studies have also shown that using this technique can increase your shoulders’ vulnerability and increase your risk of injury. (1)
Avoid it: Ensure that your palms, not your thumbs, are pointed towards the ground in the top position of each rep.
Benefits of the Lateral Raise
The benefits of the lateral raise are largely aligned with strengthening the shoulder and improving muscle development through isolating the side shoulder (lateral deltoid) muscle.
Credit: Sjale / Shutterstock
Shoulder Strength
The shoulder muscle is most commonly trained with various types of overhead pressing. However, directly training the lateral deltoid head with lateral raises, similar to directly training the front and rear heads of the shoulder, carryover to improved pressing strength.
Well-Balanced Upper Body Appearance
The lateral deltoid is a muscle that is not effectively or efficiently stimulated in many compound exercises, which can leave them lagging and under-developed. The lateral raise can specifically isolate this muscle allowing you to build a more balanced and aesthetic upper body.
Muscles Worked by the Lateral Raise
The shoulder joint has a very high degree of freedom, which means the shoulder muscle can perform a variety of functions. The shoulders are anatomically split into three heads — the anterior (front), the lateral (side), and the posterior (rear).
Credit: Improvisor / Shutterstock
The lateral raise trains all three heads of the deltoids, but the movement is most effective at isolating the lateral head, hence the name of the exercise itself.
Lateral Deltoids
The lateral delts are most visible in the center part of the shoulder muscle. They connect your upper arm to the acromion process on top of your shoulder blade. This head of the shoulder assists in moving your arm out to the side and away from your body, which is the exact movement performed during the lateral raise.
Anterior Deltoids
The anterior, or front, delts are found just above the biceps. They connect your upper arm to your shoulder blade. While they primarily work to bring your arm in front of your body, they are recruited during lateral raises.
Posterior Deltoids
Your posterior, or rear, delts are on the back section of the shoulder muscles. They attach your upper arm to a different section of your shoulder blade. The rear delts function to move your arms behind your body and help control your scapulae (shoulder blades). The posterior delts are significantly recruited during lateral raises, particularly while your torso is slightly bent forward during the exercise.
Trapezius
The trapezius is a relatively large muscle found along your neck and upper back. It isn’t, and shouldn’t be, a primary mover during the lateral raise, but it’s recruited as the weight is moved during the exercise. When lateral raises are performed incorrectly (swinging the upper body or shrugging the shoulders up), the traps can “take over” and reduce deltoid activation.
Who Should Do the Lateral Raise
The lateral raise is a good shoulder strengthening exercise and a great choice for lifters who want to maximize their lateral head muscle development.
Training for Strength
The lateral raise supports overall pressing strength by helping to build the shoulders, which are required for all variations of the bench press and overhead presses. Strength athletes looking to move significant weight in any press will build shoulder strength and overall joint health by incorporating the lateral raise.
Training for Muscle
The lateral raise is one of the few exercises to target and specifically emphasize the side delt directly. When performed correctly, you can overload this section of your shoulder without relying on an excessive amount of weight, making it ideal for any lifters looking to increase shoulder size with minimal joint strain.
How to Program the Lateral Raise
To prioritize muscle growth in the side delts, the dumbbell lateral raise should be programmed earlier in the session to capitalize on energy and focus. However, the exercise can also be effective when used to completely exhaust the muscle fibers towards the end of your workout.
Moderate Weight, Moderate Repetition
To build a well-developed set of shoulders, a classic bodybuilding approach working for three to four sets in the six to 12 rep range will increase training volume for the side delts, which is beneficial for building muscle. (3)
Low Weight, High Repetition
Working for two to three sets in the 13 to 20 rep range (or higher) will deliver the best results when using lighter weights, but it is important to ensure you are not just going through the motions when reps get incredibly high. Each repetition should be performed with crisp technique, no matter how many are performed.
High-rep sets with lighter weight can increase total training volume even further. These types of “burnout sets” are ideal at the back end of your workouts to fully exhaust the muscle fibers of the side delt.
Lateral Raise Variations
While the lateral raise will forever be a time-tested movement, there are also a few variations that can be rotated into your workouts for additional lateral delt development.
Machine Lateral Raise
The machine lateral raise can make it more comfortable for lifters to target the side delt. The main benefit is the weight being placed on your forearms or upper arms instead of being held in your hands. No longer will your grip be a limiting factor.
The machine also makes it more difficult to swing the weight into position, requiring more muscle activation.
Seated Lateral Raise
The seated lateral raise makes it next-to-impossible to move your torso without noticing, which ensures the tension is maintained on the side delt and reinforces strict form.
The seated variation is nearly identical to the standing exercise. The key difference is the stable upright position of your torso, which makes any swinging of your torso immediately noticeable.
Lean-Away Cable Lateral Raise
This cable variation places the muscle under a significant amount of tension throughout its entire range of motion and allows for a more constant resistance curve.
The basic dumbbell exercise relies on gravity to provide resistance, which is minimal in the lower portion of the movement. The cable pulley provides steady resistance throughout the entire exercise.
The lean away approach also changes the arm angle so that less emphasis is placed on the rotator cuff, and a greater emphasis is placed on the lateral delt. (4)
Lateral Raise Alternatives
The lateral raise is a great exercise that targets the side delt. However, there are a few alternatives that you can rotate into your programming for variety and more diverse muscle activation.
Single-Arm Dumbbell Upright Row
This unusual but highly effective movement allows for greater freedom at the shoulder joint than the more traditional barbell upright row, which has a reputation for excessive joint stress.
The single dumbbell also allows the shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints to move and adjust for the exact range of motion that feels most comfortable and least stressful on the joints.
Cable Upright Row
This exercise may be the most effective compound movement for lateral delt development due to the significant shoulder abduction (upwards and outwards) component. Using a rope on a low cable pulley gives the shoulder joint more freedom to move, compared to attaching a straight bar to the cable.
To prevent any chance of shoulder impingement or joint strain, don’t allow your elbows to rise up above shoulder-height. To minimize the trapezius being recruited, initiate the movement by pulling the rope handle apart and out towards your shoulders, rather than straight up towards your chin.
FAQs
How heavy should I perform lateral raises?
The side delt is a relatively small muscle and does not require an extremely heavy load to stimulate the muscle. You want a weight that is challenging for the intended rep range, but not so heavy that it forces you to cheat the weight up.
Remember that the goal of the exercise is to stimulate the side deltoid, not to move the most weight.
How many times per week can I do lateral raises?
Throwing in some lateral raises twice per week is going to be more effective than once per week for maximizing growth. (5) As you become a more experienced lifter, it can be worthwhile adding in an extra day per week.
Because the lateral raise doesn’t contribute significantly to overall training stress (compared to a bigger exercise like deadlift), it can be plugged into many other workouts without drastically affecting recovery.
References
Kolber, M.J., Cheatham, S.W., Salamh, P.A., & Hanney, W.J. (2014). Characteristics of Shoulder Impingement in the Recreational Weight-Training Population. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 28, 1081–1089.
Coratella, G., Tornatore, G., Longo, S., Esposito, F., & Cè, E. (2020). An Electromyographic Analysis of Lateral Raise Variations and Frontal Raise in Competitive Bodybuilders. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(17), 6015. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17176015
Schoenfeld, B. J., Contreras, B., Krieger, J., Grgic, J., Delcastillo, K., Belliard, R., & Alto, A. (2019). Resistance Training Volume Enhances Muscle Hypertrophy but Not Strength in Trained Men. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 51(1), 94–103. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000001764
McMahon PJ, Debski RE, Thompson WO, Warner JJ, Fu FH, Woo SL. Shoulder muscle forces and tendon excursions during glenohumeral abduction in the scapular plane. J shoulder Elb Surg. 1995;4(3):199-208.
Schoenfeld, B. J., Ogborn, D., & Krieger, J. W. (2016). Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 46(11), 1689–1697. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
Olympian weightlifters are consistently some of the world’s strongest athletes. With her latest staggering feat in training, Katherine Nye is no exception. On April 22, 2022, the Team USA weightlifter — who competes in the 76-kilogram weight class — logged a new personal record when she squatted 186 kilograms (410 pounds).
Check out the stellar PR squat below, via Nye’s Instagram profile:
Nye completed the squat while wearing a lifting belt, knee sleeves, and heeled weightlifting shoes. These shoes allowed her to use more of her ankle flexibility and better engage her quads.
In addition, Nye uses a women’s weightlifting bar, which is lighter (35 pounds) than a traditional barbell (45 pounds). Along those same lines, women’s weightlifting bars have more flexibility. That might explain why Nye’s bar bends and shakes a bit more as she finishes the PR rep.
Given that Olympic weightlifters only focus on the snatch and clean & jerk in competitions, Nye’s squat is an impressive mark. In context, amongst fellow strength sports competitors, Nye’s 186-kilogram squat (410 pounds) compares well. Per Open Powerlifting, her squat would rank as the eighth-heaviest raw squat in history by female powerlifters who compete around the approximate 76-kilogram weight class.
At only 23-years-old, Nye has built up quite the resume for an Olympic weightlifter. She last competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she captured a silver medal for Team USA. It was her first Olympic medal in her first career Olympic Games.
Since her debut in 2016, across the Youth, Junior, and Senior divisions, Nye has made a name for herself as one of the top names in Olympic weightlifting. She’s done so well, Nye even appeared in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2019.
Here are the best results on the snatch and clean & jerk from Nye’s career:
Nye has built up quite a baseline of finishes throughout her career. According to the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), she has qualified for the podium in nine of 10 IWF events.
Here’s a tally of Nye’s overall medal tally to date:
Katherine Nye — International Medals
Gold — 5 (2019 Junior World Championships; 2019 World Championships; 2019/2021 Pan American Championships; 2019 IWF Championships)
Silver — 3 (2018 Junior World Championships; 2020 Pan American Games; 2020 Tokyo Olympics)
Bronze — 1 (2019 Pan American Games)
Note: These medal counts are medals awarded in the Total, which is the total sum of the athlete’s top snatch and top clean & jerk.
The Road to Paris
In anticipation of potential drug-related offenses, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) — the organization for the Olympics — has reorganized its categories for Olympic weightlifters. Come the 2024 Paris Olympics, Nye’s 76-kilogram weight class will no longer be a division. Nye has previously stated over Instagram that she plans to compete at 71 kilograms again — her division prior to Tokyo 2020.
Nye will undoubtedly be looking to improve upon her silver medal finish approximately two years from now. She’ll likely have to overcome the Neisi Dajomes — the reigning 76-kilogram Olympic Champion who beat Nye for the gold medal in Tokyo. If Nye’s new all-time powerful squat is any indication, she’s well on her way toward that ambitious goal.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
The 2022 Strengthlete Collective Clash on the Coast (SCCOC) is in the books. On April 22-24, 2022, in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, some of the best under-105-kilogram strongmen (U105KG) and under-82-kilogram strongwomen (U82KG) gathered to show off their strength and compete in the prestigious event.
Other competition highlights include new Cyr dumbbell world records for strongman Samantha Belliveau and strongman Nicolai Myers, and a new deadlift world record for Kira Wrixon.
By the event’s end, Isaac Maze won the U105KG strongman division, and Melissa Peacock was the inaugural victor in the U82KG strongwoman division.
The strongwoman part of that competition was an Invitational, with Peacock and seven other athletes heading straight to the Women’s Final on April 24, 2022. Meanwhile, the strongman segment featured Maze and 35 other athletes who had to progress through a preliminary round before the Men’s Final on April 23, 2022.
Strongman legend Nick Best was the head judge of the entire competition, while 2022 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) competitors — Maxime Boudreault and Evan Singleton — helped supervise the different events.
With her first-place finish, Peacock earned a cool $12,000 prize. Belliveau (second place) potted $5,000, while Nadia Stowers (third place) netted $3,000. On the men’s side, Maze took home $10,000 while Matthew McKeegan (second place) and Dan Hughes (third place) earned $3,000 and $2,000, respectively.
Below are the complete results of the competition:
2022 Strengthlete Collective Clash on the Coast | U105KG Strongman Results
Event 1 — Cyr dumbbell presses for reps | 95 kilograms (210 pounds) | 60-second time limit
Event 2 — Fridge carry | 50-feet | Fastest possible time
Event 3 — Axle deadlift for reps | 306 kilograms (630 pounds) | 60-second time limit
Event 4 — Yoke 362 kilograms (800 pounds) to 317.5-kilogram (700-pound) Frame Medley Carry | 50 feet each way
Event 5 — Stone Over Bar
Maze took home the victory and primary prize money with consistent finishes near the top throughout both stages of the men’s competition. A first-place finish was worth five points, which decreased successively to one earned point for fifth place.
Notably, after some challenges during an 11th-place start, the Irish athlete in McKeegan battled all the way back to finish second overall.
2022 Strengthlete Collective Clash on the Coast | U82KG Strongwoman Results
Event 4 — Flint stone deadlifts for reps | 204 kilograms (449.7 pounds) | 60-second time limit
Event 5 — 295 kilograms (650 pounds) Yoke for time | 50 feet each way | 60-second time limit
Event 6 — Loading Race | Five cycles, each object is 30 feet away from the main platform | 75-second time limit
Like Maze, Peacock enjoyed exemplary consistency, finishing at or near the top in most of the final events, leading to her eventual victory.
Notably, outside of competition, Maze and Peacock are in a relationship. With their victories in this competition, they might be in the conversation for Strongest Couple in the World.
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