Seated lateral raise
- Sit on a bench with your back straight. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides with your palms facing your body.
- Keeping your arms relatively straight (a slight bend in the elbows is okay), lift the dumbbells out to your sides until they reach shoulder height.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells with control back to the starting position.
Tips
- Lead the movement with your elbows rather than your wrists, so the dumbbells travel outward and upward in a wide arc to shoulder height.
- Keep your torso upright and still throughout the set, letting only your arms move.
- Lower the dumbbells at a controlled pace rather than letting them drop, maintaining tension through the descent.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the torso backward at the start of each rep to help lift the dumbbells, which turns the movement into a momentum-driven action rather than a controlled raise.
- Shrugging the shoulders upward as the dumbbells rise, so the trapezius rather than the side delts drives the lift.
- Bending the elbows significantly during the lift, shortening the lever and reducing the range through which the side delts work.
Make Every Set Count.
Plan your workouts, track every session, and see your progress over time.
