Exercise Tutorial: V Raises
Table of Contents
What Are V Raises
V Raises are a great isolation exercise that targets the shoulders, mainly the side deltoids with assistance from the rotator cuff and superior aspect of the pec major. This exercise is referred to as a V Raise as you use your arms to form a wide “V” shape.
How to Do V Raises
Holding light dumbbells in your hands with your palms facing your thighs, stand up straight with your feet approximately hip width apart.
Pull your shoulders down and back (squeeze your shoulder blades).
With your arms nearly straight (don’t lock elbows), raise your arms up at angle in from your trunk so your upper body forms a wide “v”.
Raise arms to until they are about parallel with the floor.
Briefly pause at the position, before slowly lowering arms back down.
Repeat for desired number of reps.
V Raises Form
There are a few things to keep in mind when performing V Raises. It’s important to note that this is not an exercise where we aim to go super heavy, and you likely won’t be able to if you really tried due to the muscles it targets are typically weakened. As a result, this exercise should be performed with light dumbbells or bodyweight. The main key features we are looking for when performing V Raises is that shoulders are down and back.
Think of increasing the space between your shoulders and ears to avoid shrugging. We also are looking to see if a neutral spine is maintained. It’s often found that when fatigue sets in, clients try to use the momentum of their arms to get the dumbbells up. This often results in arching of the lower back and can lead to injury so try to avoid this as much as possible.
V Raises Benefits
There are many benefits to performing V Raises. Some include:
Requires little to no equipment
Improve shoulder strength and mobility
Reduce risk of injury
Can help improve posture
Why Are V Raises Useful
V Raises are a useful exercise as they are extremely versatile, and anyone can perform it. From beginner to expert, this is a great exercise to add to your arsenal. The V Raise can be performed as a body weight exercise to focus on your form and mobility or use light dumbbells or a resistance band to build strength. So, there is a variation for everyone.
The V Raise is a great prehab exercise to that targets the shoulders to improve mobility, strength, stability and mobility as well as reduce risk of injuries.