Lateral raises for wider shoulders: complete guide for bodybuilders and men's physique.

Dumbbell lateral raises are one of the most effective exercises for targeting the deltoid muscles, especially the lateral (side) head of the shoulder. But there’s one often-overlooked detail that can significantly impact your results: the starting position of the dumbbells.

How to do lateral raises correctly.

Lateral raises involve lifting dumbbells out to the sides of your body, with a slight bend in your elbows, until they reach shoulder height. It’s a classic shoulder exercise, used for both muscle growth (hypertrophy) and definition.

There are two common ways to start the movement:

• With the dumbbells in front of your thighs.

• With the dumbbells at your sides.

This brings us to an important question:

What's the best starting position for lateral raises?

A common question in shoulder training.

Many people report feeling stronger when they start with the dumbbells in front, but they feel more activation in the side delts when starting from the sides.

To better understand the difference, a group of experienced bodybuilders was asked to test their 10-rep max (10RM) using both variations of the exercise.

Study Results:

• Starting in front of the thighs: average of 19 kg (total of both dumbbells).

• Starting at the sides: average of 15.4 kg,

That’s a difference of over 3 kg, or about 20% more weight lifted when starting from the front.

Why can you lift more weight from the front?

Starting lateral raises with dumbbells in front of the thighs engages more muscles, including:

• Front deltoids.

• Trapezius.

• Initial momentum or inertia.

This momentum reduces the load placed on the side delts, allowing you to lift heavier weights more easily.

What happens when you start from the sides?

When the dumbbells begin at your sides:

• Momentum is reduced.

• The lateral deltoid does almost all the work.

• Front deltoid and supraspinatus activation is minimized.

In short, the side delts are fully activated from the very start, which explains why you feel them working more, even though you can’t lift as much weight.

Which version is better for shoulder growth?

Both techniques have their advantages, depending on your training goals:

Variation	Main Benefit	Best For
Dumbbells in front	Lift more weight	Strength and general hypertrophy
Dumbbells at sides	Better side deltoid isolation	Definition and focused muscle activation

Final recommendation for deltoid training.

To achieve full side deltoid development and well-rounded shoulder strength:

👉 Include both variations in your weekly routine.
👉 Combine heavy loads (front position) with more controlled reps (side position).
👉 Always maintain strict form to avoid injury and maximize muscle engagement.

Don’t eat less, train smarter: the strategy that will transform your body and metabolism for good.

 

Train with strength, eat better, and burn real fat.

For decades, we were led to believe that the only way to lose fat was endless hours of low-intensity cardio and constant hunger. But times change—and so does exercise science. Today, we know that a far more effective—and way more exciting—strategy to transform your body is about lifting more and eating better, not less.

❌ The mistake of endless cardio and restrictive diets.

Yes, cardio and watching your diet can help you lose weight—but in the long run, they might become your worst enemies. Why? Because cutting calories too much and overdoing cardio can slow down your metabolism, cause muscle loss, lead to postural imbalances, and push your body into "survival mode."

The result? You plateau, lose strength, feel drained, and fat clings to your waist like gold.

Sound familiar?

• You're training more than ever, but seeing no results.

• You're eating less every week, but the scale won’t budge.

• You feel weak, low on energy, and unmotivated.

If this is happening, it's time for a serious change:

👉 You need strength training.

🔥 The key isn’t eating less, It’s burning more.

The equation is simple: to lose fat, you need to burn more calories than you consume. But the smart way to do it isn’t starving yourself—it’s raising your resting energy expenditure.

This is done by increasing your basal metabolic rate (BMR)—the energy your body uses just to stay alive.
And here’s the kicker: muscle is your metabolic engine.
More muscle = higher metabolism = more fat burned 24/7.

🧠 Strength = smart fat burning.

When you only do cardio, you burn calories during the session... and that’s it. But when you train strength intensely:

• You boost post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).

• Your metabolism stays elevated for hours.

• You stimulate fat-burning hormones like catecholamines.

• You build muscle—which burns calories even while you sleep.

The result? A 24/7 fat-burning machine. More energy, better mood, and no extreme diets.

🏋️‍♂️ It's not just about muscles, it´s about movement.

Forget about isolated exercises. Doing only biceps curls or hip abductions on machines won’t transform your body.

If you want definition and real fat burning:

✅ Prioritize compound and functional movements
✅ Use free weights: squats, deadlifts, presses, lunges
✅ Engage large muscle groups
✅ Combine upper and lower body in a single movement

Example? Lunges with overhead press, dips, kettlebell swings, pull-ups… these moves skyrocket your energy expenditure.

❤️‍🔥 Cardio? Yes, but use it wisely.

We’re not demonizing cardio—far from it. It has its place. But you don’t need to do it for hours on end.
3–4 sessions of 30–45 minutes per week is enough if combined with strength training.

Even better: Do your cardio after strength training to deplete glycogen stores and access fat reserves faster. Now that’s strategy.

📌 Action plan: effective workouts for fat loss.

🔰 FOR BEGINNERS

Functional Strength Circuit (2–3x/week)
Do 3 rounds of 20 reps per exercise:

• Dumbbell squats

• Lat pulldown

• Push-ups

• Dumbbell shoulder press

• Lunges

• Plank or weighted crunches

Perfect for activating major muscle groups, improving form, and starting to build lean mass.

🏋️ FOR INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED

💥 PROGRAM A – Lower Body + Push (Chest, Triceps, Core)

1. Smith machine squats – 4x15-12-10-8
   Main lower-body lift for glutes and quads.

2. Leg press or walking lunges – 3x12-10-8
   Auxiliary for added volume and variation.

3. Barbell bench press – 4x12-10-8-6
   Foundational pushing movement for the chest.

4. Dips or close-grip bench press – 3x10-12
   Triceps and lower chest accessory push work.

5. Triceps pushdowns – 3x12-15
   Isolation finisher for triceps pump.

6. Core (plank + weighted abs) – 3 combined sets
   Ab strength and stability, key for squats and presses.

💪 PROGRAM B – Posterior chain + pull (back, biceps, shoulders, core).

1. Deadlift (conventional or romanian) – 4x15-12-10-8
   Main posterior chain exercise for glutes, hamstrings, and lower back.

2. Hip thrust or lying leg curl – 3x12-10
   Glute and hamstring accessory work.

3. Seated cable row – 4x12-10-8-6
   Back thickness and rhomboid focus.

4. Pull-ups or lat pulldown – 3x10-12
   Vertical pull for lats and upper back.

5. Hammer curls or Incline Bench Curls – 3x12-15
   Long head and brachialis emphasis.

6. Core (Ab Wheel or Hanging Leg Raises) – 3 sets
   Dynamic and demanding ab work for core strength.

🔁 Tips for both programs:

• Train 3–4 times per week alternating days (e.g., A-B-rest-A-B)

• Rest 60–90 seconds between sets

• Prioritize technique over weight, and progress gradually

• Finish sessions with 10–15 min of light cardio (treadmill, bike, elliptical) if fat loss is your goal

✅ Conclusion: transform your body by changing your approach.

If your goal is to lose fat effectively, sustainably, and without ruining your health:

✅ Train strength with intensity
✅ Eat enough, and eat quality food
✅ Use cardio strategically—not as punishment
✅ Sleep and recover properly

Forget the myth that getting lean means eating less and doing more cardio.
Build a strong, active body with an unstoppable metabolism.
Don’t think about diets—think about performance.
Don’t think about sweating for hours—think about training with purpose.

Your body can do more. You just have to train it to prove it.