- EquipmentDumbbell
- PatternIsolation
- Reps10 to 20 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
How to do the Lateral Raise
Set up. Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing in and elbows slightly bent.
- Raise the dumbbells out to the sides.
- Stop at about shoulder height.
- Lower them slowly back to your sides.
Form cues
- Lead with the elbows.
- Keep the shoulders down, away from the ears.
- Use a light weight and a slow lowering.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the body to lift the weight.
- Shrugging the shoulders as the arms rise.
Muscles worked
Main target: Side delts. The middle head of the deltoid sits on the outside of the shoulder. It lifts the arm out to the side and gives the shoulders their width.
The catalog names no other muscle it works on the way.
Its other side: Lats and Traps, in the overhead press and pull pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Lateral Raise, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Dumbbell Pullover Superset partner: it trains the other side of the overhead press and pull pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Dumbbell Bench Press Same push session: it trains the chest.
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press Same push session: it trains the front delts.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Lateral Raise first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Lateral Raise 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Dumbbell Pullover 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Dumbbell Bench Press 3 × 6 to 15 reps
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 × 6 to 15 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Gym or cable swap
Machine Lateral Raise
Machine
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
Its variations: Cable Lateral Raise, Machine Lateral Raise and Leaning Lateral Raise.
Do before it: Prone Y-Raise (shoulder blades).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Lateral Raise is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Lateral Raise?
Set up: Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing in and elbows slightly bent. Steps: 1. Raise the dumbbells out to the sides. 2. Stop at about shoulder height. 3. Lower them slowly back to your sides. Form cues: Lead with the elbows. Keep the shoulders down, away from the ears. Use a light weight and a slow lowering. Common mistakes: Swinging the body to lift the weight. Shrugging the shoulders as the arms rise.
What muscles does the Lateral Raise work?
It trains the side delts; the catalog names no other muscle it works on the way.
What can I do instead of the Lateral Raise?
In a gym: Machine Lateral Raise. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Lateral Raise with?
Good partners in the same workout are Dumbbell Pullover, Dumbbell Bench Press and Dumbbell Shoulder Press.
How heavy should the Lateral Raise be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.