Exercises› Shoulders› Lateral Raise

Lateral Raise: Correct Form & Muscles Worked

Shoulders primary Dumbbells Beginner Isolation · Push

The lateral raise is the go-to isolation exercise for building wider shoulders. Raising dumbbells out to the sides targets the lateral (side) deltoid — the muscle responsible for shoulder width. Simple movement, but subtle technique makes a huge difference.

Front Back
Shouldersprimary
Trapssecondary

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Lateral Raise Video Tutorial

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How to Do the Lateral Raise

  1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing your body. Slight bend in the elbows.
  2. Lean very slightly forward from the hips — just 5-10 degrees. This helps keep tension on the lateral delt rather than the front delt.
  3. Raise both arms out to the sides simultaneously, leading with the elbows, not the hands. Imagine pouring water from two pitchers — pinky side slightly higher than thumb side at the top.
  4. Raise until your arms are parallel to the floor (forming a T shape). Don't go higher — above parallel shifts work to the traps.
  5. Hold briefly at the top, then lower under control back to the starting position. Don't let gravity do the work — the negative is half the exercise.

Lateral Raise Mistakes to Avoid

Using too much weight and swinging — the lateral delt is a small muscle. If you're heaving and using momentum, go lighter. Most people lateral raise with 5-15kg dumbbells.
Raising arms too high — above parallel recruits the traps and takes tension off the lateral delt. Stop at shoulder height.
Leading with the thumbs up — this shifts emphasis to the front delt. Keep the pinky side slightly elevated (like pouring water) to target the side delt.
Shrugging the traps — engaging the traps to assist the lift. Consciously keep your traps down and relaxed. Think about pushing the dumbbells away from you, not up.

Lateral Raise Muscles Worked

The lateral raise primarily isolates the lateral (medial) head of the deltoid — the part of the shoulder responsible for width. The upper trapezius assists if the weight goes above shoulder height.

Lateral Raise Alternatives

Cable Lateral RaiseWant constant tension through the full range — cables maintain resistance at the bottom where dumbbells go slack
Machine Lateral RaiseWant to eliminate momentum and stabilization — the machine isolates the lateral delt perfectly
Overhead PressWant a compound movement that hits all delt heads — the OHP is the heavy compound, lateral raises are the isolation finisher
Face PullWant to target rear delts for balanced shoulder development — pair with lateral raises for full shoulder coverage
↑ Harder variation
Cable Lateral Raise
↓ Easier variation
Machine Lateral Raise

Lateral Raise Programming

Strength
3 × 8-10
sets × reps
Rest 60 sec
Hypertrophy
3 × 12-15
sets × reps
Rest 45 sec
Endurance
3 × 15-20
sets × reps
Rest 30 sec

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Lateral Raise FAQ

How heavy should I go on lateral raises?
Light. The lateral deltoid is a small muscle. Most experienced lifters use 8-15kg. If you can't do 12 controlled reps without swinging, the weight is too heavy. Ego check this exercise — nobody cares what you lateral raise.
Are lateral raises necessary?
If you want wider shoulders, yes. The overhead press builds overall shoulder mass but doesn't maximally target the lateral head. Lateral raises are the only way to directly and fully stimulate shoulder width.
How many sets of lateral raises per week?
The lateral delts recover quickly and respond well to high volume. 10-20 sets per week is common for those prioritizing shoulder width. Spread across 3-4 sessions.
Standing or seated lateral raises?
Standing is standard and allows a slight body lean. Seated eliminates all momentum and cheating. Use standing as your default, seated when you want to be extra strict.

Related Shoulders Exercises

Cable Lateral Raise
Shoulders · Cable · Beginner
Overhead Press
Shoulders · Barbell · Intermediate
Face Pull
Rear Delts · Cable · Beginner
Arnold Press
Shoulders · Dumbbell · Intermediate
Front Raise
Shoulders · Dumbbell · Beginner
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Shoulders · Dumbbell · Beginner
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