Shoulders
Bent Over Lateral Raise
The Bent Over Lateral Raise is a strength exercise with dumbbells for your shoulders. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: rear delts 47%, mid traps 13% and rhomboids 11%.
How to do it
- Hold a light dumbbell in each hand and stand with feet hip-width.
- Hinge at the hips until the torso is close to parallel with the floor, back flat, knees soft.
- Let the dumbbells hang under the shoulders, palms facing each other.
- Raise the arms out to the sides with slightly bent elbows until they are level with the back.
- Lower slowly until the dumbbells hang under the shoulders again.
Tips
- Keep the little fingers slightly higher than the thumbs at the top to keep the rear delts working.
- Move the arms out wide rather than back toward the hips.
- Hold the hinge still for the whole set.
Common mistakes
- Standing up a little more with every rep.
- Swinging the weights with a bounce of the torso.
- Squeezing the shoulder blades together so the upper back takes over.
Muscles worked by the Bent Over Lateral Raise
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
Holding a hinge adds back and hamstring work. Opening the arms backward is shoulder horizontal abduction, which the rear delt leads; the mid traps and rhomboids retract the shoulder blades and the infraspinatus assists from deep.
Bent Over Lateral Raise alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
- Bent Over Cable Rear Delt Fly
- Cable Rear Delt Fly
- Cable Rear Delt Fly (Cuff)
- Single Arm Cable Rear Delt Fly
Make it harder
- Bent Over Cable Rear Delt Fly
- Rear Delt Swing
- Cable Rear Delt Fly (Cuff)
- Single Arm Cable Rear Delt Fly
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Bent Over Lateral Raise work?
Mainly the rear delts. The mid traps and rhomboids assist.
Is the Bent Over Lateral Raise good for beginners?
Yes. The Bent Over Lateral Raise is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.
What is a good alternative to the Bent Over Lateral Raise?
For example the Bent Over Cable Rear Delt Fly, Cable Rear Delt Fly and Cable Rear Delt Fly (Cuff). They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
How do you make the Bent Over Lateral Raise harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Bent Over Cable Rear Delt Fly and Rear Delt Swing.
Sources
- Reinold et al. 2004, JOSPT 34(7):385-394
- Ekstrom et al. 2003, JOSPT 33(5):247-258
Log your sets in Zulta
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