Subject: deltoid exercises - beginners

Submitted by: Stephen Wolfenberger, Santa Fe, NM

 

I just finished reading HIE and noticed you did not put any exercises for the delts on your Beginner routines.  You say to do two chest and then do two back exercises and alternate.  How is my delt exercises going to fit in with this routine you have outlined in your book?

Also, I have a history of chronic back injuries, and my chiropractor told me to absolutely avoid squats and deadlifts.  He said he could understand if I was a seasoned bodybuilder, but that other than that, he said I was just asking for another premature relapse if I did do these exercises.   I would really appreciate some feedback on these issues.  Thanks for your courage and doing the research for us guys who would other be another cow following the herd. Last, I’m still waiting for you to do a supplement review.

I can offer no suggestions on how to lift weights when you’ve got a back injury and your doctor says no.

You are correct that isolation delt exercises are not part of the HIE Beginner routine. This is because I believe beginners should not perform isolation delt exercises. You work your delts as helper muscles when performing the upper body lifts recommended for beginners. The risk of injury is increased when a beginner who has not yet developed basic shoulder strength does these exercises. Therefore, I advise against it.