The Science-Backed Shortcut to Boulder Shoulders – It’s Insane!

Summary

This script delves into the intricacies of deltoid muscle training, emphasizing the importance of understanding fiber orientation and the role of the posterior and anterior deltoids in achieving broad shoulders. The speaker shares personal training adjustments that led to growth, critiques common exercises, and highlights effective ones like the lying incline dumbbell rear delt raise. The discussion also touches on the science behind 'moment arms crossing the anatomical shoulder,' explaining why certain movements are superior for targeting the posterior deltoids. The script concludes with the release of two new workout programs for different gym setups.

Takeaways

• 💡 Understanding fiber orientation and the origin of muscle segments is crucial for effectively training deltoids.
• 🏋️‍♂️ The posterior and anterior heads of the deltoid muscle are more significant for achieving wide shoulders than the lateral head.
• 🔍 Emphasizing full range of motion or partial range of motion exercises at longer lengths can enhance hypertrophy training for the rear deltoids.
• 🚫 Isolation of the rear deltoids can be challenging due to the involvement of other muscles like the traps and lats.
• 🧠 Research indicates that muscle isolation is not always necessary for growth, but it's beneficial when multiple muscles can interfere with the target muscle's development.
• 🛠️ Adjusting the execution of exercises, such as sitting sideways for unilateral rear deltoid flies, can improve the effectiveness of training.
• 🤔 Controlling scapular movement is essential to prevent upper traps from interfering with the stretch and contraction of the rear deltoids.
• 📊 A study on 'moment arms crossing the anatomical shoulder' provides insights into the mechanical advantage of different muscle regions during specific movements.
• 💪 The lying incline dumbbell rear delt raise, with arms close to the body, is an effective exercise due to the reduced involvement of traps and lats.
• 🚫 High dual cable rear delt exercises are often less effective due to the natural engagement of the trapezius muscle.
• 🎯 Single-arm rear delt partial range of motion exercises are highly recommended for their ability to focus on the stretch and overload the muscle effectively.

Q & A

What is the key takeaway from the script regarding the growth of deltoid muscles?

The key takeaway is understanding fiber orientation and how the segments of the deltoid muscle originate, with a focus on the posterior and anterior deltoids being more significant for achieving wide shoulders than the lateral head.

Why did the author change their training approach for their deltoids?

The author changed their training approach after realizing that the lateral head of the deltoid, which is responsible for shoulder abduction, is actually quite small, and that growth is more related to the posterior and anterior heads.

What is the author's preferred method for training the rear deltoids?

The author prefers partial range of motion at longer lengths for the rear deltoids, focusing on isolating the muscle as much as possible to stimulate growth.

Why is it difficult to isolate the rear deltoids during training?

Isolating the rear deltoids is difficult because other muscles like the traps and lats can engage during movements, especially when the shoulder is abducted or the arm is dropped, affecting the intended isolation.

What is the significance of the study mentioned about leg extensions and bicep curls in relation to muscle growth?

The study highlights that the mind-muscle connection, or the ability to isolate and flex the muscle during an exercise, can significantly impact muscle growth, as seen in the difference in bicep growth between the two groups.

How can the machine rear delt fly be improved to better target the rear deltoids?

The machine rear delt fly can be improved by sitting sideways and performing unilateral rear delt flies, which places the rear delt at an extreme length and helps to control scapular movement.

What is the importance of understanding scapular movement when training the rear deltoids?

Understanding scapular movement is crucial to prevent the upper trapezius from engaging and to ensure that the rear deltoids are being effectively targeted during exercises.

What exercise does the author consider to be an S-tier exercise for training the rear deltoids?

The author considers the lying incline dumbbell rear delt raise, with arms close to the body and focusing on reaching out at the bottom and scooping back, to be an S-tier exercise for the rear deltoids.

What scientific concept did the author discover that justified the effectiveness of the lying incline dumbbell rear delt raise?

The author discovered the concept of 'moment arms crossing the anatomical shoulder,' which showed that the posterior deltoid is more effective at extension of the arm in certain positions than the latissimus dorsi.

How does the author's approach to training lats change based on the study mentioned?

The author now bends their arms more during cable pullovers to target the lats more effectively, as the study showed that the teres major has a higher mechanical advantage in certain positions.

What is the author's recommended approach to using cables for training the rear deltoids?

The author recommends keeping the arms close to the body and focusing on a constant tension during the exercise, as well as finding the perfect angle by tilting the body back and forth.

What injury did the author experience and how did they address it?

The author experienced a split in their soleus muscle after doing single leg calf raises on the leg press. They addressed it with stem cell therapy, local injections of bpc157 and tb500, red near-infrared light therapy, and using a hyperbaric chamber.

What is the author's opinion on the high dual cable rear delt exercise?

The author considers the high dual cable rear delt exercise to be ineffective and not recommended due to the engagement of the trapezius muscle when raising the arm above the head.

What is the author's favorite single-arm rear delt exercise and why?

The author's favorite single-arm rear delt exercise is the single-arm rear delt partial range of motion, as it allows for a great stretch, strong connection, and the ability to overload the muscle.

What does the author suggest for those interested in further exploring deltoid training?

The author suggests that if there is interest, they could continue with variations for side deltoids and front deltoids, otherwise, they will return to their regular workout routine.

What new programs has the author released and what are their intended audiences?

The author has released two new 30-minute programs; one for people with access to full gym equipment and another for those working out in their garage, both designed to be challenging and time-efficient.