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Shoulders

Lu Raise

The Lu Raise is a strength exercise with dumbbells for your shoulders. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: side delts 47%, upper traps 13% and front delts 11%.

Level: IntermediateEquipment: DumbbellSingle-joint (isolation)

How to do it

  1. Stand with feet hip-width and hold a light dumbbell or plate in each hand at your sides, thumbs pointing forward.
  2. Keep the arms straight and the torso upright.
  3. Raise the arms out to the sides past shoulder height, turning the thumbs up and back.
  4. Continue until the arms are fully overhead with the hands above the head.
  5. Lower slowly along the same path back to your sides.

Tips

  • Go very light: the long straight arms make this hard even with small weights.
  • Let the shoulder blades rotate up as the arms pass shoulder height.

Common mistakes

  • Bending the elbows to make the lift easier.
  • Arching the lower back to get the arms overhead.
  • Stopping at shoulder height.

Muscles worked by the Lu Raise

  • Side delts Primary47%
  • Upper traps Secondary13%
  • Front delts Secondary11%
  • Rear delts Secondary9%
  • Rotator cuff Stabilizer8%
  • Serratus anterior Minor6%
  • Lower traps Minor6%

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.

Above shoulder height the scapular rotators take a big share. 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.

Lu Raise alternatives

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Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Lu Raise work?

Mainly the side delts. The upper traps, front delts and rear delts assist.

Is the Lu Raise good for beginners?

The Lu Raise is rated intermediate. If you are new, learn the Dumbbell Y Raise first and build up from there.

What is a good alternative to the Lu Raise?

For example the Overhead Lateral Raise, Standing Y Raise and Cable Y Raise. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.

Sources

  • Coratella et al. 2020, IJERPH 17(17):6015 (lateral raise variations and front raise)

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