Jeff Nippard’s 3 Lateral Raises Tips to Grow the Medial Delts

Nippard says to use cuffs instead of handles when performing lateral raises to use heavier weights. 

Targeting the medial delts is vital for sculpting boulder-like, toned shoulders. In a study involving thirteen men, various exercises, including shoulder presses, dumbbell flyes, bench presses, and lateral raises were analyzed. It was found that lateral raises were the most effective at activating the medial delts (1). Recently, renowned fitness coach and influencer Jeff Nippard imparted crucial advice on performing lateral raises with efficacy.

Holding a degree in biochemistry, Nippard frequently adopts a scientific methodology in his training regimens, a technique that resonates well with his followers. Moreover, his recommendations are straightforward and readily implementable for muscle development. 

In this post, we’ll be looking at the three tips that Jeff Nippard shared on lateral raises. We’ll also discuss the benefits of this exercise and how to do it. To get started, here are step-by-step instructions on how to do the cable lateral raise, which is the variation Nippard shares his tips on doing.

How to Do the Cable Lateral Raise

1. Choose a weight you can lift with one hand and attach the stirrup handle to the pulley.
2. Stand with your left side to the machine and assume a stance with your legs shoulder-width distance apart.
3. Put your chest forward and your shoulders back and down while slightly bending your knees. 
4. Reaching across your body with your right hand, grab the handle. You can hold the tower with your left hand for support. This is your starting position.
5. Slightly bend your elbows and pull the cable while lifting your hand.
6. Stop when your hands reach shoulder level and are parallel to the ground.
7. Slowly lower your arm to return to the starting position and complete the rep.
8. Repeat for multiple reps, switch sides, and use the other hand to do steps 2-7.

Benefits of the Cable Lateral Raise

The lateral raise is a great exercise for your shoulders. Doing the cable variation is even better, especially for building your medial delts. Below are more benefits of the cable lateral raise.

Grow Your Shoulders

Many shoulder exercises focus on the anterior delts more than the medial delts. The cable lateral raise is one exercise that emphasizes the fibers of your medial delts. Building your medial delts with this exercise will increase the size of your shoulders.

Better Coordination

The cable lateral raise works on your body one side at a time. This can help you find and fix muscle imbalances in your upper body. The more balanced your sides are, the better your coordination will be.

Improve Your Posture

Due to how much time we spend hunched over desks or laptops these days, our back muscles get weak. This weakness leads to a bad posture in time. Cable lateral raises work to strengthen the muscles responsible for your posture and, in doing so, improve your posture. 

Constant Tension

Other variations of the lateral raise have a point when the tension is at its maximum and then gradually decreases until the tension is zero. The cable machine, however, keeps constant tension on your muscles throughout the range of motion. Research shows that keeping your muscles under tension for a long time increases muscle growth (2). 

Better Form

Good form is essential to get the right results and prevent injuries. Using the cable machine to do lateral raises helps you keep your form by avoiding using momentum. 

Jeff Nippard’s Cable Lateral Raise Tips

 

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Jeff Nippard recently shared three tips for doing more effective cable lateral raises. He pointed out the mechanics behind these tips on his Instagram page and shared that he had tested them to prove they work. Below are the three tips and his insights on why they’re effective.

Raise the Cable Height

Jeff Nippard shares that raising the cable height instead of putting it in the lowest setting helps to target your side delts more. The higher angle allows the shoulders to contract more. 

“Tension is highest whenever the cable and your arm form a 90-degree angle. If the cable is low, that angle happens later in the range when the shoulder is less stretched, but if the cable is high, that angle happens earlier in the range when the shoulder is more stretched.”

Use Cuffs

Jeff Nippard’s second tip is that using cuffs for your training can help to improve your focus. 

“Earlier this week, I did a max rep test using a conventional D-handle and, again, using cuffs. I got two extra reps simply by using cuffs, plus they give me a better mind-muscle connection.”

Research shows that the mind-muscle connection is an effective tool for improving muscle growth (3). Nippard also shares that he holds a lacrosse ball to strengthen his wrist stability during this routine. 

Stretch the Cable Across Your Body

Jeff Nippard’s third tip for doing the cable lateral raise is to stretch the cable across your body. He shares that this increases your range of motion and stretches your delts more during the exercise. 

“Third, stretch the cable across your body instead of stopping at your side. This will increase the range of motion and stretch the side delts more.”

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References

1. Campos, Y. A. C., Vianna, J. M., Guimarães, M. P., Oliveira, J. L. D., Hernández-Mosqueira, C., da Silva, S. F., & Marchetti, P. H. (2020). Different Shoulder Exercises Affect the Activation of Deltoid Portions in Resistance-Trained Individuals. Journal of human kinetics, 75, 5–14. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2020-0033 
2. Mang, Z. A., Ducharme, J. B., Mermier, C., Kravitz, L., de Castro Magalhaes, F., & Amorim, F. (2022). Aerobic Adaptations to Resistance Training: The Role of Time under Tension. International journal of sports medicine, 43(10), 829–839. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1664-8701 
3. Calatayud, J., Vinstrup, J., Jakobsen, M. D., Sundstrup, E., Brandt, M., Jay, K., Colado, J. C., & Andersen, L. L. (2016). Importance of mind-muscle connection during progressive resistance training. European journal of applied physiology, 116(3), 527–533. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3305-7