Seated Lateral Raise
Muscles worked
Instructions
- 1Pick a couple of dumbbells and sit at the end of a flat bench with your feet firmly on the floor. Hold the dumbbells with your palms facing in and your arms straight down at your sides at arms' length. This will be your starting position.
- 2While maintaining the torso stationary (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.
table_chartRecommended sets and reps
These ranges vary depending on your training goal — adjust the load accordingly.
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| boltStrength | 3–4 | 6–8 | 2–3 min |
| fitness_centerHypertrophy | 3–4 | 10–15 | 60 s |
| timerEndurance | 2–3 | 15–20 | 30–45 s |
About Seated Lateral Raise
The seated lateral raise is an isolation variation that removes any chance of cheating with your legs or lower body to help swing the weight up. Sitting on the edge of a bench, you raise the dumbbells out to the sides up to shoulder height while keeping your torso perfectly stable. This seated position forces strict execution and concentrates all the work on the side deltoid, the muscle responsible for visual shoulder width. It's a great option when standing form starts to break down due to fatigue or excess load, and a classic finishing exercise to target the shoulders at the end of a session.
check_circleBenefits
- check_circleStrictly isolates the side deltoid without leg assistance
- check_circleRemoves any cheating from lower-body momentum
- check_circleEncourages very strict technical execution
- check_circleContributes to the visual width of the shoulders
lightbulbExecution tips
- lightbulbSit up tall with your feet firmly planted
- lightbulbTilt your hands slightly forward as you raise the weights
- lightbulbRaise to shoulder height only, not higher
- lightbulbKeep a slight bend in the elbows throughout
- lightbulbUse a moderate load to protect your technique
warningCommon mistakes
- warningLeaning backward to help swing the weight up
- warningUsing a jerky motion instead of a controlled one
- warningRaising the dumbbells above shoulder line
- warningChoosing a load too heavy that breaks your form
helpFrequently asked questions
Why do this seated instead of standing?expand_more
The seated position removes any lower-body momentum and more strictly isolates the side deltoid.
What load should I use?expand_more
A light to moderate load is best here — strict technique matters more than the weight for this isolation move.
Track your progress
Log your sets, your weights and beat your records — free, on mobile and desktop.