Starting position with hands in front of face, as you press up and you horizontally abduct the shoulder it engages the rear delt.

Meh, sounds pretty minimal, as you are contracting horizontally and not against the direction of gravity.

Then you are not doing the lift correctly. Abduction should happen as you press up. All as one continuous motion. Not before pressing like you see most do.

But the rear delt is still not contracting against the weight. The weight is pressing downward because of gravity (see the red arrows). Sure, you're getting a contraction of the rear delt (green arrows) as you rotate the weight from the front to the sides as you raise it, but the contraction is pretty much better than it would be just contracting it against no weight at all because you're working perpendicular to gravity. Of course the front and side delts are fully working (blue arrow) directly against gravity, which actually causes the rear delts to stretch to a degree.


My point is to not do this exercise and expect it to do anything to grow a rear delt.


EDIT: Damnit, my work internet won't let me upload the little diagram that I drew.

I completely agree. Not enough resistance to matter. I was just explaining the idea behind the lift.

More reason to just isolate.

Hit 315 on squats today, which is a PR. Did 2 reps, but the 2nd rep I didn’t get low enough. My goal is to hit it 5 times before the end of summer.

Pulled a 405 standard dead yesterday. Only equipment was straps. No belt, suit or knee wraps. Was easy once it broke from the ground. I think I could have gone another 15-20lbs if I pushed it.

On target to hit the 1000lb club by end of the year.

I need 45lbs to go and I’ll be there

I haven't tried to go heavy on squats yet so I could be there. I have pushed 265 raw on bench so would only need a 330 squat. Tomorrow is legs so might push it and see how it goes.

I’m 285 on bench raw, flat back not arched.

Flatback as well. If I did the powerlifting arch I could easily top 300.

O god, the powerlifting arch...LMAO


It's the worst when they're painfully skinny, take the widest grip possible, and arch so high that there is literally 2 inches of actual bar travel, all to bench something paltry like 225.


closely followed by the sumo deadlift

But they updated the rules and now they are at 3" travel!

Don't get me started on sumo deadlift.

Fake it until you make it

Just hit PR on deadlifts, 385. Need 15 more lbs for the 1000lb club.

Thought I’d share :D