Shoulders
Lateral Raise
The Lateral Raise is a strength exercise with dumbbells for your shoulders. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: side delts 62%, front delts 12% and rear delts 10%.
Also known as: dumbbell lateral raise, side lateral raise, side raise, zijwaarts heffen
How to do it
- Stand with feet hip-width and hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing in.
- Lean very slightly forward and soften the elbows.
- Raise both arms out to the sides until the upper arms are level with the floor.
- Keep the hands no higher than the elbows at the top.
- Lower the dumbbells slowly back to your sides.
Tips
- Think about pushing the dumbbells out to the walls, not up to the ceiling.
- Raise the arms slightly in front of the body, where the shoulder moves most freely.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the weights up with the hips and knees.
- Shrugging the shoulders up to the ears.
- Letting the dumbbells drop quickly on the way down.
Muscles worked by the 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.
Raising the arm out to the side is shoulder abduction, led by the lateral delt; front and rear heads assist, the upper traps help rotate the shoulder blade near the top, and the supraspinatus starts the movement from deep.
Lateral Raise alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
Make it harder
- Cable Lateral Raise (No Attachment)
- Double Cable Lateral Raise
- Seated Cable Lateral Raise
- Behind the Back Cable Lateral Raise
Similar exercises
- Kettlebell Lateral Raise
- Incline Side Lying Lateral Raise
- Landmine Lateral Raise
- Lean In Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Lateral Raise work?
Mainly the side delts. The front delts and rear delts assist.
Is the Lateral Raise good for beginners?
Yes. The 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 Lateral Raise?
For example the Band Lateral Raise, Cable Lateral Raise and Cable Lateral Raise (Cuff). They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
How do you make the Lateral Raise harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Cable Lateral Raise (No Attachment) and Double Cable Lateral Raise.
Sources
- Coratella et al. 2020, IJERPH 17(17):6015 (lateral raise variations and front raise)
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