- Lead with your elbows and raise to about shoulder height.
- Keep a slight bend in your elbows and your shoulders down, away from your ears.
- Light weights and 12 to 20 controlled reps beat heavy swinging.
- Cable raises keep tension on through the whole range.
- Level
- Beginner
- Trains
- Lateral deltoid, Upper traps, Rotator cuff
- Kit
- Dumbbells, Cable machine or resistance band (optional)
What the lateral raise trains and why it is worth doing
Lateral raises target the lateral (middle) deltoid, the part of the shoulder that lifts your arm out to the side and gives your upper body its width. Your upper traps and rotator cuff help. Pressing exercises like the overhead press work the front of the shoulder far more than the side, so direct raises fill a gap.
Balanced shoulder strength also helps with overhead work and everyday jobs such as lifting a case onto a luggage rack. Paired with rear-shoulder work like the face pull, it makes for well-rounded, healthier shoulders.
How to do a lateral raise
- Stand tall with a light dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing in, knees soft.
- Lean your torso very slightly forwards and keep a small bend in your elbows.
- Draw your shoulders down and away from your ears.
- Raise the dumbbells out to the sides, leading with your elbows, until your arms are roughly level with your shoulders.
- Keep your hands level with or slightly below your elbows at the top.
- Lower slowly over 2 to 3 seconds and go straight into the next rep without resting at the bottom.
Common mistakes
- Swinging. Using your hips and back to fling the weights up turns it into a different exercise. Go lighter.
- Shrugging. If your shoulders ride up towards your ears, your traps take over. Keep them down.
- Lifting too heavy. The side delts are small muscles working on a long lever. Most people need much lighter dumbbells than they expect.
- Thumbs turned down. Raising with your thumbs pointing at the floor, like pouring from a jug, can pinch the front of the shoulder for some people. Keep your hands neutral or thumbs slightly up.
- Dropping the weights. Control the lowering; it is half of the work.
Easier and harder versions
To make it easier, use very light dumbbells or a resistance band, do the raise seated to stop any swinging, or train one arm at a time while holding a support with the other hand.
To make it harder:
- Cable lateral raises, which keep tension on at the bottom where dumbbells go slack.
- Lean-away raises, holding a rack with one hand and leaning out to change the resistance curve.
- Slower lowering or a short pause at the top.
- Partial reps or a drop set at the end of your final set.
How to programme the lateral raise
Do 3 to 4 sets of 12 to 20 reps, two or three times a week, finishing each set one or two reps short of failure. They fit at the end of an upper-body or shoulder-focused session, after your main presses, and short rests of 60 to 90 seconds are fine. The guide on how to build muscle explains how accessory work like this adds up.
If you feel pinching at the top of the shoulder, lower the height of the raise slightly and check your thumb position. Persistent pain could point to shoulder impingement or a rotator cuff injury and is worth having assessed.
If your shoulders need attention, the on-site physiotherapy at Lycan Strength starts with a full assessment, and gym members get 20% off treatment.
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Questions
How heavy should lateral raises be?
Light enough to lift with no swinging and control on the way down for 12 to 20 reps. For many people that is far lighter than they use for pressing.
Should I raise above shoulder height?
You can if it feels comfortable, but roughly shoulder height is enough for most people. Above that, the traps take over more of the work.
General guidance for healthy adults. If you have a medical condition, injury or are pregnant, check with a health professional before changing your training or diet.