Muscles worked
What the dumbbell lateral raise trains
Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.
Before the first rep
How to set up
- 01
Pick a light pair. Choose dumbbells you could raise for 15 clean reps. Most people need far less weight here than on any press.
- 02
Stance. Stand tall with your feet about hip width apart and your knees soft. A slight forward lean from the hips is fine, as long as it stays the same on every rep.
- 03
Arm position. Let the dumbbells hang just in front of your thighs, palms facing in, with a small bend in your elbows that you keep for the whole set.
- 04
Shoulders down. Pull your shoulders down away from your ears and brace your abs lightly before the first rep.
Step by step
How to do the dumbbell lateral raise
- 01
Raise. Lift the dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc, leading with your elbows. Keep your arms slightly in front of your body rather than straight out to the side.
- 02
Top. Stop when your elbows reach about shoulder height, with your hands level with or just below your elbows. Your upper arms end roughly level with the floor, a little forward of a straight T.
- 03
Palms down at the top. At the top your palms face the floor, or your thumbs tilt slightly up. Do not roll your thumbs down as if pouring water from a jug.
- 04
Lower. Lower the dumbbells under control, taking about two to three seconds, back to just in front of your thighs.
- 05
Repeat without resting. Start the next rep before the dumbbells settle against your legs, so the shoulders stay working through the set.
Cues to say in your head
- Lead with your elbows
- Shoulders away from ears
- Push the dumbbells wide
- Stop at shoulder height
- Slow on the way down
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Swinging the weight up with your body
Stand still and use a lighter pair. If you need a hip kick or a lean back to start the rep, the dumbbells are too heavy.
Shrugging as the arms rise
Keep your shoulders down and think about pushing the dumbbells out wide, not up. A shrug moves the work into your upper traps.
Letting the hands lead instead of the elbows
Keep the small elbow bend and lead with the elbow, so your hands finish level with or just below it. Hands rising well above the elbows usually means the elbows are bending or the thumbs are rolling up.
Going far above shoulder height
Stop at about shoulder height. Above that the upper traps take more of the work; going overhead on purpose, with much lighter weights, is the Lu raise.
Dropping the weight on the way down
Lower it in two to three seconds. Letting it fall skips half the work and makes the next rep a swing.
Bending the elbows more as the set gets hard
Keep the same small bend from first rep to last. Bending more shortens the lever and turns the raise into a partial upright row.
Stay safe
Lateral raises are light, so the main risk is going too heavy and swinging. Lower the dumbbells under control when you cannot finish a rep with good form, and do not throw them to the floor. If you feel a pinch or sharp pain at the top of the shoulder, lower the height of the raise, bring your arms a little further forward, or stop for the day. See a physical therapist or doctor if pain persists or you feel weakness or clicking that does not go away.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle | 3 to 4 | 10 to 20 | 55–72% 1RM | 1 to 2 min |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 | 20 to 30 | 40–55% 1RM | 45 to 90 sec |
| Technique | 2 to 3 | 12 to 15 | 40–55% 1RM | 1 min |
Plan your next session
Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.
Estimated 1RM 216 lb
Endurance sets
86–119lb
2 to 3 sets of 20 to 30 reps, 45 to 90 sec rest. Light pump work, good as a finisher at the end of a shoulder or upper body day.
Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.
Questions
Dumbbell Lateral Raise questions
What muscles do lateral raises work?
Mainly the side delts, the middle head of the shoulder. The front delts and upper traps help, and your core works to keep your torso still.
How heavy should lateral raises be?
Light enough to do 10 to 20 controlled reps without swinging or shrugging. For most people that is much lighter than their pressing dumbbells, and it is normal to progress in very small jumps.
Are cable lateral raises better than dumbbell lateral raises?
Neither is clearly better; both train the side delts well. The cable keeps more tension near the bottom of the rep and works one arm at a time, while dumbbells need no setup and let you train both sides together, so many people use both.
Is the machine lateral raise as good as dumbbells?
Yes, for building the side delts it is a good option. The pads fix the path and make cheating hard, which helps you train close to failure, but machines vary, so set the seat so your shoulders line up with the machine's pivot.
What is a Lu raise?
A Lu raise is a very light lateral raise, done with straight arms and thumbs pointing up, that keeps going past shoulder height until your arms are overhead. It is named after Olympic weightlifter Lu Xiaojun, who popularized it, and is usually done with small plates or the lightest dumbbells.
How many sets of lateral raises should I do?
Three to four sets of 10 to 20 reps, two or three times a week, works for most people. Because the weight is light and recovery is quick, the side delts usually handle frequent training well.
Train in Protocol
Log your dumbbell lateral raise by voice. Protocol tracks the rest.
Your last session shows up before every set, warm-ups and plates are worked out for you, and your coach sees every lift next to your sleep and recovery.