Lateral Raises (Dumbbell)

Muscles Worked

Primary

Shoulders

Quick Cues

1

Slight bend in elbows

2

Raise to shoulder height

3

Control the descent

4

No swinging

Equipment Needed

Dumbbells

Stand with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing inward.
Keep a slight bend in your elbows throughout.
Raise both dumbbells out to the sides until your arms are parallel to the floor.
Pause briefly at the top.
Lower the dumbbells back down under control.
Avoid shrugging your shoulders up during the lift.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Common Mistakes

Lifting too high above shoulder level

Using momentum to swing the weights

Shrugging the shoulders up while lifting

Pro Tips

Lead with your pinkies as if pouring water to increase lateral delt engagement

Stop at shoulder height to avoid impingement

Use a slight forward lean to target the side delts more effectively

Your Progress

Variations

Cable Lateral Raise

Machine Lateral Raise

Seated Lateral Raise