Lateral Raise
Also known as: Side Raise · Dumbbell Lateral Raise
The only exercise that directly loads the side delt, and the one that actually makes shoulders look wide.
- Primary
- Lateral deltoid
- Secondary
- Anterior deltoid, Upper trapezius
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Type
- Isolation
- Level
- Beginner
How to do it
Set up
- Stand with a light dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
- Slight forward lean from the hips, soft bend in the elbows.
- Shoulders down, away from your ears.
Perform the rep
- Raise the dumbbells out to the sides, leading with your elbows.
- Stop at shoulder height: no higher.
- Keep your pinky slightly higher than your thumb at the top.
- Lower slowly, resisting the whole way down.
Common mistakes
-
Swinging the weight up
Momentum from the hips is the default failure mode here. If your torso moves, drop the weight: this is a small muscle and it needs a small load.
-
Shrugging
Letting the traps take over defeats the purpose. Keep your shoulders pressed down and stop at shoulder height.
-
Raising above shoulder height
Past horizontal the traps take over from the side delt. Higher is not better here.
-
Leading with the hands
Think about lifting your elbows, not your hands. Leading with the hands turns it into a front-delt movement.
How to programme it
Respond well to high frequency and high volume. Adding these to every upper-body day is one of the highest-return changes most lifters can make.
Variations
- Cable lateral raise: constant tension, better at the bottom
- Leaning lateral raise: hold a rack and lean away for more range
- Lying incline lateral raise: loads the stretched position
Frequently asked questions
How heavy should lateral raises be?
Much lighter than most people use. If you cannot pause at the top with control, it is too heavy. Many strong lifters do their best work here with 6–10 kg.
Why do I feel lateral raises in my traps?
Usually raising above shoulder height, shrugging as you lift, or going too heavy. Keep the shoulder actively depressed, stop at horizontal, and reduce the load.