Shoulders
Single Arm Dumbbell Lateral Raise
The Single Arm Dumbbell Lateral Raise is a strength exercise with dumbbells for your shoulders. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: side delts 60%, front delts 11% and rear delts 9%.
How to do it
- Stand beside a rack or upright and hold it with your free hand.
- Hold a dumbbell in the other hand at your side, feet hip-width, knees soft.
- Lean slightly away from the support so the working arm hangs a little away from the body.
- Raise the dumbbell out to the side until the upper arm is level with the floor.
- Lower slowly to the start and finish all reps before switching sides.
Tips
- The small lean away gives tension at the bottom of the raise.
- Keep the hips square and the torso steady so the side of the trunk holds you still.
- Lift with the elbow, not the wrist.
Common mistakes
- Pulling on the support to jerk the weight up.
- Twisting the torso toward the working side.
- Shrugging the shoulder at the top.
Muscles worked by the Single Arm Dumbbell 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.
One side at a time. 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.
Single Arm Dumbbell Lateral Raise alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
Make it harder
- Egyptian Lateral Raise
- Cable Lateral Raise (No Attachment)
- Double Cable Lateral Raise
- Seated Cable Lateral Raise
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Single Arm Dumbbell Lateral Raise work?
Mainly the side delts. The front delts and rear delts assist.
Is the Single Arm Dumbbell Lateral Raise good for beginners?
Yes. The Single Arm Dumbbell 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 Single Arm Dumbbell Lateral Raise?
For example the Egyptian Lateral Raise, Single Arm Machine Lateral Raise and Band Lateral Raise. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
How do you make the Single Arm Dumbbell Lateral Raise harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Egyptian Lateral Raise and Cable Lateral Raise (No Attachment).
Sources
- Coratella et al. 2020, IJERPH 17(17):6015 (lateral raise variations and front raise)
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