iron cross

[Endless1]

Is it just me or has this exercise completly disappeared? Was there something wrong with it or did the general public just not like it? I used to do it all the time for shoulder exercise and was thinking of putting it back into workouts. So any feedback?

iron cross =(kinda like a front raise then goto a "T" shape then lower the weight to your side then back up to the "T" then back infront and lower. )

[AaronH]

Many certification, and training courses are explaining that the shearing force on the shoulder is exaggerated when you do a lateral raise with the elbows straight. That's one reason why so few people do them. Add to that, some trainers take everything they hear as gospel, and spread the word to avoid certain exercises at all costs. Have you noticed fewer people doing behind the neck presses, too?

[Boss Man]

I would think, because BNP's are likely to cause Rotator Cuff problems and maybe Scapulae problems, as well as possible Cervical Vertebrae issues.

I mean squatting with a Bar on your Neck, fair enough, but when you use that Bar positioning, then move the Arms up and down, it's not normal for that force to be used on Shoulders, that are either back behind 180 degrees, where they shouldn't go, or Vertebrae that are protruding because the neck is tipped forwards, or worse both.

I've tried that past 180 degrees Arm position before without weight and it doesn't feel right when you do a few reps and start to feel some kind of stiffening sesnation.

I'm not in favour of those, same as I'm not in favour of Lat Pull-downs behind the neck, for the same reasons.

I'm not arguing with you, just proffering a constructive response

[Weasel]

I found behind the neck raises did inflame rotator cuff, but I injured them early on going to heavy too quickly (don't we all). As for the iron T, I had never heard of that one before and it isn't even in Arnold Schwarzenegger encyclopedia of modern body building (this book put me on the correct path to weight training). There is one shoulder exercise I do that is a modification on the lateral raises; instead of starting with the dumbbells at your side, start with them above your head touching, and slowly lower them to the lateral position, then squeeze the shoulders to bring them back above the head. Arnie calls them British lateral raises and explains that he saw many UK fellows using this method. I use them just to hit the shoulders differently so they don't adapt to the regular lateral raises.