Dumbbell Lateral Raise
The best exercise for wider-looking shoulders, and the one most people do too heavy.
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3 sets of 6–15 reps, 1–2 min rest, guided
Muscles worked
How to do the dumbbell lateral raise
- 1Stand holding light dumbbells at your sides, palms facing in.
- 2With a slight bend in the elbows, raise the arms out to the sides.
- 3Stop when your hands reach shoulder height.
- 4Lower slowly over two to three seconds.
When to pick it: Pick it for side-delt growth; light weights and 12–20 reps work better than heavy ones.
Form cues
- Push the dumbbells out, not up
- Lead with the elbows
- Shoulders stay down
Common mistakes
- Swinging heavy weights with the hips
- Shrugging the traps up
- Raising above shoulder height
Stop if something hurts, and check with a doctor before starting if you have a health condition, are pregnant or are recovering from an injury. Terms
Sets and reps
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–5 | 3–6 | 2–3 min |
| Muscle size | 3–4 | 6–15 | 1–2 min |
| Endurance | 2–3 | 15–25 | 30–60 s |
Finish each set with one or two good reps left in the tank. When you hit the top of the rep range on every set, add weight next time. Get a full 4–12 week program →
Equipment taken? Swap it for
These train the same muscles with different equipment.
