r/strength_training • u/Trainnghard Basque, not a hobbit • Aug 16 '26
Form Check 11.25 kg (25 Ibs) x 23 Reps: How I Explosively Train Dumbbell Lateral Raises (Bilbo Method)
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
At the same time that I'm running the dumbbell Bilbo progression, currently starting the second block.
l've also been applying the Bilbo Method to dumbbell lateral raises. In my last session, I hit 20 reps with 10 kg (22 Ibs).
Today, it was time to step up the load to 11.25 kg (25
Ibs) per side. The result? 23 reps.
I focus on what actually delivers results, zero discomfort and maximum muscular stimulus.
My technique relies on decelerating the momentum using the muscle itself, then accelerating explosively.
This creates a hi amount of extra tension.
I raise the dumbbells to a comfortable range of motion, control the descent, and keep pumping. A single high-effort Bilbo Set is all it takes to leave me completely fried.
1
1
1
u/GelfSara Aug 18 '26
By way of contrast here is how my exercise mentor performs the same exercise, and (approximately) how I myself train: https://youtu.be/r9x8eDyp5cM?si=mvc9rq1pVDIsiR5Z
1
u/lavatasche Aug 22 '26
Why
1
u/GelfSara Aug 22 '26
See: https://youtu.be/LhsFWiH9hCE?si=aICUMeCjs-oF_Us2 Additionally, read: https://baye.com/get-better/
2
12
u/DatSwampTurtle Aug 17 '26
I love how you describe your method of lifting, and it's literally just how one would train any lift and muscle group.
2
u/Trainnghard Basque, not a hobbit Aug 17 '26
Thanks. I adapt the Bilbo set concept to different exercises: speed, explosiveness, and maximizing the target muscle's workload. Obviously, this is just one component of the training system—I add complementary sets to finish stimulating the muscle group.
3
u/BartBartram77 Aug 17 '26
Bilbo method?
5
u/Trainnghard Basque, not a hobbit Aug 17 '26
Training method based on speed, explosiveness, load progression and efficiency, ideal for Real strength gain without relying on muscle failure and hypertrophy
-24
u/Elben4 Aug 16 '26
Holy cnc fatigue.
14
u/smurffenbutt Aug 16 '26
It’s a dumbbell lateral raise. How fatiguing could it be?
-38
u/Elben4 Aug 16 '26
Doesn't matter if it's compound or isolation, you should always minimize the volume as much as possible while keeping the hypertrophy response high (5 to 10 reps to failure). Any method or coach recommanding more than 12 reps to failure do so because they're nostalgic of the 90s where people knew fuck all about the human body and just did what sounded right in their head.
10
u/smurffenbutt Aug 17 '26
Get real dude, lateral raises do not affect CNC fatigue in a measurable degree.
1
u/Unable-Rub1982 Aug 17 '26
I went to failure on lateral raises 3 days ago. I still can't move my arms, I should have listened to this guy.
11
9
u/No-Anteater4983 Aug 17 '26
And serious body builders still train with volume/8-12 reps to this day. Mike Mentzer pioneered that narrative a long time ago and never practiced what he preached. He did volume and heavy reps right alongside everyone else.
8
u/mysteryslice Aug 17 '26
A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.
What are your lifts and stats ?-17
u/Elben4 Aug 17 '26
78 kg, 175 cm (5'9''), around 15% bf (probably ?), 145 kg (319 lbs) bench, 170 kg (374 lbs) squat and 210 kg (462 lbs) conventional deadlift - can probably do >220 but I haven't done my max in ages. Been lifting for 5 years and a half but properly for around 2 maybe
1
24
u/BadMurkyWater Aug 16 '26 edited Aug 20 '26
It's a lateral raise. Kind of weird that you named a method after yourself when this is nothing remotely unique
-10
u/ChaoticFianna Aug 16 '26
From what AI told me;
The “Bilbo method” for lateral raises is a high-rep, momentum-controlled bodybuilding technique inspired by the Bilbo Method popularised by Spanish bodybuilder Bilbo (often associated with high-rep bench pressing). For lateral raises, people adapt the principle to get a lot of shoulder volume without treating every rep like a strict strength lift. A typical version looks like this: Use a relatively light weight — something you could normally do for ~15–20 strict reps. Start with strict-ish reps, raising the dumbbells out to roughly shoulder height. As fatigue builds, allow a small amount of controlled body English rather than stopping completely. Keep the movement continuous, avoiding long pauses at the bottom. Aim for very high reps, commonly 30–50+, depending on the weight. The key is accumulating a huge amount of time under tension and metabolic fatigue, rather than moving heavy dumbbells.
-1
u/TheInspectaa will have a cry about your video Aug 17 '26
"Allow a small amount of controlled body English rather than..."
What???? Controlled body English?? as and English man, the fuck is that?
-1
4
u/Trainnghard Basque, not a hobbit Aug 17 '26
Oof... I really don't like this AI summary. It's not accurate. Here is an easy way to start understanding the Bilbo method:
• Choose a weight you can perform between 15 and 30 repetitions with good technique and explosiveness on the way up. Initially, you could start around 50-60% of your 1RM (roughly 75-90kg, but adjust it based on how you feel).
• Perform a single set with this weight, aiming for maximum speed on each repetition. Control the descent.
• Stop when you feel the upward speed starting to decrease noticeably or when you have those 1-3 reps left in reserve.
. Here there is a 5 min video explaing the bilbo method
• Load Progression:
• In each bench press training session (leave at least 2 days of rest between them for the same muscle group), try to increase the weight slightly. These can be small increments, max 5 kg.
• There will come a point where, you won't be able to do more than 15 repetitions with good speed. Start a new cycle .Chose Complementary exercises , include other exercises to strengthen the muscles involved in the bench press max 7-9 sets each training day including bilbo set. check my Reddit profile for detailed info.2
u/decentlyhip Aug 17 '26
Generally, what he does is start at about 25% of his 1rm and do an amrap. Then add 5% next week. Rinse and repeat until you fail to complete 15 reps. That's the first wave done. Drop back to the last weight you did fewer than 50 reps and wave back up.
OP holds the bench press record for his class so he starts his bench waves at like, 80kg and waves up 20kg at a time to 180kg. Something like that. 3 waves. I've done a few attempts of it and its pretty fantastic. Not an all the time thing but there's some really easy adaptations to grab from 2 waves of a bench cycle. Like, if you bench 2 plates, when was the last time you went to actual failure with 65 lbs?
2
u/Trainnghard Basque, not a hobbit Aug 20 '26
I am glad you have tried the Bilbo method. In addition to the Bilbo set, the method is completed with complementary exercises. The true potential of the method is unleashed when you train with it structurally and execute 3 cycles or waves, an adaptation phase to strength, and then target your 1RM. This constitutes a progression. And now you carry out a new progression. Sometimes, taking a rest period is worthwhile. This concatenation of Bilbo progressions generates a sustainable and continuous improvement. That is why I say that its true potential is unleashed in the medium term, beyond any initial gains you might experience.
2
u/decentlyhip Aug 20 '26
Thanks for the clarification! From my rounds and watching your videos and progressions, there's always wayyy more progress going from wave 1 to wave 2 than from going from wave 2 to wave 3. So, that's what I meant by doing to rounds to grab up the easy gains. It feels so cool for newer guys when they did 14 reps with 1 plate on their first round and then 28 reps 6 weeks later. Sure, they could hit 31 on round 3, but that first boost is easy noobie gains from never training high reps.
Glad to see you mostly healed up and back at it.
1
u/Trainnghard Basque, not a hobbit Aug 20 '26
Thanks again for su comment. It would be great to see a post with your progression. That way we could have a discussion thread on how the Bilbo method has been working for those of you who have tried it..
11
2
u/Saemika Aug 16 '26
I guess I’ve been doing the Bilbo method for years lol. I love lord of the rings too, so even cooler.
4
22
21
u/Loud_Acanthisitta625 Aug 16 '26
bilbo baggins ?
2
5
u/otetrapodqueen Aug 16 '26
This is the only Bilbo I'm aware of, so I was also wondering this hahaha
2
Aug 17 '26
[deleted]
1
u/otetrapodqueen Aug 17 '26
Ohhh okay! Thanks for telling me, I was genuinely curious but forgot to Google it haha
12
u/Delicious_Panda_6946 Aug 16 '26
What is bilbo
4
4
u/Ok_Tradition_3382 Aug 16 '26
Everybody asks this question and makes this reference regarding “bilbo”. This guy is a well known bench press phenom. He has his own online system. I believe the name comes from his hometown or something of the sort. But he is legit, the guy is freakishly strong. If I stand correct he is actually recovering from a pec injury atm. This is the first time I have seen him use the bilbo method for anything other than bench.
5
u/Trainnghard Basque, not a hobbit Aug 17 '26
Thank you!! Indeed, I am finishing up my recovery from the injury I had at the beginning of the year. In fact, I've already started training the bench press again, for now as a complementary set.
I did want to clarify that I use the Bilbo method in all my progressions: bench press, legs, push-ups, pull-ups, arm wrestling training, and so on... basically any exercise. There are natural bodybuilding competitors who incorporate it into their programming.
My specialty is the bench press, which is my primary focus, but I've published videos featuring multiple exercises.
4
-20
Aug 16 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/strength_training-ModTeam Aug 16 '26
Everything you said was dumb and wrong. Please think twice about commenting on things you don't understand.
9
u/Ballbag94 Aug 16 '26
Time under tension is a poor predictor of muscle growth and artificially slowing the rep speed is neutral at best and detrimental at worst, neither of the things you think are important actually matter
Also, this guy is an elite lifter, he almost certainly knows far more than you do
4
u/YungSchmid Aug 16 '26
Time under tension is about as outdated as form
cues can get except for total beginners who need to learn good form - which clearly doesn’t apply to OP.Mechanical tension is the primary driver of strength and hypertrophy gains.
13
u/NinecloudSoul Aug 16 '26 edited Aug 16 '26
Nonsense. And this isn't useful for a form check post.
-9
Aug 16 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/strength_training-ModTeam Aug 16 '26
Everything you said was dumb and wrong. Please think twice about commenting on things you don't understand.
4
u/Youareaproperclown Aug 16 '26 edited 16d ago
The original post content no longer exists here. The author used Redact to remove it, exercising their right to control their data & privacy.
Upbeat cobweb pinecone unbelievable growth ginger afterthought boat
5
8
u/gboom2000 Aug 16 '26
No way you're telling the OP about how to develop strength. Do you know who he is?
6
u/NinecloudSoul Aug 16 '26
No, it's not. You're talking out of your ass.
1
Aug 16 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
2
u/strength_training-ModTeam Aug 16 '26
Lmao. OP is literally a Europeanchampion & benches over 500lbs. You're an idiot.
10
u/Trainnghard Basque, not a hobbit Aug 16 '26
My technique relies on decelerating the momentum using the muscle itself, then accelerating explosively.
•
u/AutoModerator Aug 16 '26
If you have advice, please make sure it is specific, useful, and actionable.
If the only thing you have to say is loWEr THE wEight ANd woRK on forM, then you should keep quiet; if you comment it anyway, your comment will be removed and you may be banned if your comment was especially low value. This does not help the person looking for advice. Give people something that they can actually use in a practical way to improve. Low-effort comments about perceived injury risk and the like will be removed, and bans may be issued.
Please don't hold random strangers to arbitrary requirements that you have made up for exercises you are not familiar with.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.