Lateral raise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides with your palms facing in.
- Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, raise the dumbbells out to your sides until they are level with your shoulders.
- Pause at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells with control back to the starting position.
Tips
- Lead the movement with your elbows rather than your wrists, so the elbow travels slightly higher than the hand throughout the lift.
- Lower the dumbbells slowly and with control on the way down, taking roughly the same amount of time as the upward phase.
- Keep your torso upright and still throughout the set, avoiding any forward lean or rocking.
Common mistakes
- Shrugging the shoulders upward as the dumbbells rise, which pulls the trapezius into the movement instead of keeping the lift driven by the side delts.
- Using a swinging motion with the torso or hips to generate momentum, so the dumbbells are carried up by body movement rather than arm abduction.
- Raising the dumbbells well above shoulder height, which causes the torso to compensate and takes the movement beyond the intended range.
Make Every Set Count.
Plan your workouts, track every session, and see your progress over time.
