Dumbbell Lateral Raise
The lateral raise is the most commonly overloaded movement in the gym. The middle delt is small, the lever is long, and a heavy bell just recruits the traps instead.
How to do Dumbbell Lateral Raise
- Pick 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.
- While 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.
- Lower the dumbbells back down slowly to the starting position as you inhale.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Dumbbell Lateral Raise Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
Not a strength movement. Keep it at 4 sets of 8-10 strict reps at a load you can raise without any torso swing, 60-90 seconds rest.
Hypertrophy
3-4 sets of 12-20 reps with a 2-second lowering phase and 45-60 seconds rest. Partial reps at the end of a set work well here.
Endurance
3 sets of 20-25 reps with very light bells and 30-45 seconds rest, keeping continuous tension by not letting the arms fully rest at the bottom.
Common Dumbbell Lateral Raise Mistakes
Using bells so heavy that the torso rocks and the traps shrug the weight up.
Halve the weight. If the shoulders rise toward the ears at the top, the middle delt is not the prime mover any more.
Raising the arms well above shoulder height, where the upper traps take over.
Stop when the upper arms reach roughly parallel with the floor, hold for a beat, then lower slowly.
Turning the palms up as the arms rise, which externally rotates the shoulder and shifts work to the front delt.
Keep a slight forward tilt with the little finger marginally higher than the thumb, as if pouring from a jug.
Easier and Harder Than Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Swap Dumbbell Lateral Raise For
Dumbbell Lateral Raise — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Dumbbell Lateral Raise?
Pick 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. While 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. Lower the dumbbells back down slowly to the starting position as you inhale. Use dumbbells and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Dumbbell Lateral Raise work?
The Dumbbell Lateral Raise primarily targets the delts. It is classified as a shoulders exercise and is performed with dumbbells.
How many sets and reps of the Dumbbell Lateral Raise should I do?
For muscle growth: 3-4 sets of 12-20 reps with a 2-second lowering phase and 45-60 seconds rest. Partial reps at the end of a set work well here. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Dumbbell Lateral Raise good for beginners?
Yes. The Dumbbell Lateral Raise is a beginner-level movement, so it is a reasonable place to start. Keep the load light enough that you can control every rep and stop 2-3 reps short of failure while you learn the pattern.
What can I do instead of the Dumbbell Lateral Raise?
Try the Cable Front Raise, Reverse Fly or the Face Pull. Each trains the delts with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
