Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Raising light dumbbells out to the sides — the classic shoulder-width builder for the lateral delts.
Also called: lateral raise, side raise, lateral raises, deltoid raise, deltoid raises
Illustrations: Exercise data by RepDB (repdb.co)
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 the Dumbbell Lateral Raise
- Raise the arms out to the sides to shoulder height — no higher.
- Lead with the elbows, hands like pouring a jug slightly at the top.
- Pause a beat at the top, then lower twice as slowly as you lifted.
- Keep the traps quiet — the shoulders stay down the whole set.
Dumbbell Lateral Raise muscles worked
The Dumbbell Lateral Raise works the shoulders.
Common Dumbbell Lateral Raise 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
Around the World
Circling a light weight around the head or body — shoulder mobility and control through a full circle of positions.
Band External Rotation
Rotating the forearm outward against band resistance — a rotator cuff exercise that builds shoulder stability.
Bench Press
Pressing a barbell or dumbbells from the chest lying on a bench — the standard heavy upper-body push.
Cable Chest Press
Pressing against constant cable tension — keeps the chest loaded through the full range, easy on the shoulder since the angle is adjustable.