Exercises

Dumbbell lateral raise

Raise the dumbbells out to the sides to emphasize the lateral part of the deltoid.

Standing dumbbell lateral raise with both arms just below shoulder height.

Dumbbells · Standing

Source: ACE · Lateral Raise

Step by step

  1. Stand tall with a light dumbbell in each hand, feet about hip-width apart and knees soft.
  2. Brace your torso, keep your neck long and hold your elbows slightly bent.
  3. Raise your elbows and dumbbells out and slightly forward until your upper arms reach shoulder height.
  4. Lower both weights slowly without swinging your torso.

Common mistakes

  • Swinging the weights or lifting the shoulders toward the ears.
  • Turning the thumbs sharply downward or raising far above shoulder height.

Anatomy and technique: the references below. Region boundaries and movement diagrams are schematic. Exercise images are AI-generated illustrations.