Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Raising light dumbbells out to the sides — the classic shoulder-width builder for the lateral delts.

Setup

Stand tall, a light dumbbell in each hand at your sides, slight bend in the elbows, shoulders down away from the ears.

How to do it

1. Raise the arms out to the sides to shoulder height — no higher.
2. Lead with the elbows, hands like pouring a jug slightly at the top.
3. Pause a beat at the top, then lower twice as slowly as you lifted.
4. Keep the traps quiet — the shoulders stay down the whole set.

Common mistakes

• Swinging the weights up with momentum from the hips.
• Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears as the arms rise.
• Going too heavy — this is a light-weight, strict movement.

Scale it

Easier: Lighter dumbbells, or raise one arm at a time.

Harder: A 2-second hold at shoulder height, or slow eccentric every rep.

Pairs well with