Shoulders · Side delts · Dumbbell
Lateral Raise
The lateral raise is lifting dumbbells out to the sides to shoulder height. It is the main exercise for the side delts, the part of the shoulder that adds width, and one that presses cannot replace.
How to
Dumbbell- 1 Dumbbells at the sides, slight forward lean.
- 2 Raise out to the sides to shoulder height.
- 3 Lower slowly, leading with the elbows.
Tips
- Think of pushing the dumbbells out to the walls, not up to the ceiling.
- Stop at shoulder height; higher moves the work to the traps.
- Light weight and higher reps, 12 to 20, suit this exercise.
Common mistakes
- Swinging with the hips to start each rep.
- Shrugging the shoulders as the arms rise.
- Leading with the hands so the elbows drop below them.
Muscles worked
Main
- Side delts
Also working
- Front delts
- Upper traps
Breathing and bracing
Breathe out as the arms rise, breathe in as they lower.
Sets and reps
- Muscle size
- 3–5 sets of 12–20 reps, 1–1.5 min rest
- How often
- The side delts recover quickly; 2–3 times a week works well
Setup
- 1 Stand with a light dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
- 2 Lean the torso slightly forward from the hips.
- 3 Bend the elbows a little and keep that bend.
- 4 Turn the palms to face the body or slightly down.
Technique in detail
- Raise the arms out to the sides, leading with the elbows.
- Stop when the upper arms are level with the shoulders.
- Keep the hands at or slightly below elbow height.
- Lower slowly, over two to three seconds.
- Keep the shoulders down; do not shrug the weight up.
In these plans
- PPL · 3 DAY · Push
- PPL · 6 DAY · Push A
- PPL · 6 DAY · Push B
- UPPER / LOWER · 4 DAY · Upper B
- BRO SPLIT · 5 DAY · Shoulders
Variations and alternatives
Questions
Why do I feel it in my traps?
The weight is too heavy or the arms go above shoulder height. Go lighter, stop at shoulder level and push the arms out rather than up.
Thumbs up or down?
Neither extreme. Palms facing down or slightly forward is comfortable for most shoulders.
How heavy should I go?
Light. Most people use 5–12 kg dumbbells for strict sets of 12–20.
Log it in Volu(me)
Add Lateral Raise to any workout. Next time the app fills in the weight and reps from your last session and marks a new best set the moment you tick it.