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Lateral Raise
PushIsolationHaltèresBeginner
Muscles worked
Front
Back
Shoulders
Instructions
- 1Pick a couple of dumbbells and stand with a straight torso and the dumbbells by your side at arms length with the palms of the hand facing you. This will be your starting position.
- 2While maintaining the torso in a stationary position (no swinging), lift the dumbbells to your side with a slight bend on the elbow and the hands slightly tilted forward as if pouring water in a glass. Continue to go up until you arms are parallel to the floor. Exhale as you execute this movement and pause for a second at the top.
- 3Lower the dumbbells back down slowly to the starting position as you inhale.
- 4Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
About Lateral Raise
The dumbbell lateral raise is the go-to exercise for the lateral deltoid, the head responsible for shoulder width. With the elbows slightly bent, you raise the dumbbells out to the sides up to horizontal. It is an essential isolation move for a V-shaped frame.
check_circleBenefits
- check_circleDirectly targets the lateral delt for shoulder width
- check_circleImproves the V-taper and upper-body aesthetics
- check_circleSimple isolation exercise, scalable to any load
lightbulbExecution tips
- lightbulbKeep the elbows slightly bent and leading the movement
- lightbulbRaise only to horizontal, not above
- lightbulbThink of pouring a bottle, pinkies tilted up
- lightbulbControl the descent without dropping the dumbbells
warningCommon mistakes
- warningUsing body momentum to swing the dumbbells up
- warningShrugging and shifting the load to the traps
- warningRaising too far above the horizontal
- warningGoing too heavy and losing control
helpFrequently asked questions
What weight for lateral raises?expand_more
Light to moderate: the lateral delt is small and responds better to good form and higher reps than to heavy load.
How many reps should I do?expand_more
Sets of 12 to 20 controlled reps work very well for this small muscle that thrives on volume.
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