Exercises / Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Also known as: Side raise, DB side raise, Lateral deltoid raise

A standing isolation raise. The dumbbells travel out to the sides until the elbows are about shoulder height.

Primary muscles
Shoulders (lateral deltoid)
Secondary muscles
Back (trapezius)
Equipment
Dumbbell (pair of light dumbbells)
Pattern
Isolation
Difficulty
Beginner
Line diagram of a Dumbbell Lateral Raise.
Diagram: Fytniz. License: original-placeholder (Fytniz).

Stills

Standing dumbbell lateral raise at about shoulder height.
DumbbellLateralRaise.JPG by GeorgeStepanek, CC BY-SA 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons. Share-alike. License: CC BY-SA (share-alike). Source.

Cues

  1. Stand with a light pair of dumbbells at the sides, elbows slightly bent, and keep that elbow angle.
  2. Raise the arms out to the sides until the elbows are about shoulder height; the pinkies can finish slightly high.
  3. Lead with the elbows, not a shrug of the traps.
  4. Lower under control; do not swing the bells with the torso.
  5. If the load forces a lean or a heave, it is too heavy for this isolation lift.

Common mistakes

  • Using hip swing and torso lean to throw the bells up.
  • Shrugging so the upper traps finish the lift.
  • Raising well above the shoulder and turning it into a shoulder press.

Safety

  • Use a load you can lift without swinging the torso.
  • A sharp pinch at the top of the raise is a reason to stop, not to shrug harder.