It’s no question that having shapely shoulders can transform your physique. But whether you’re chasing a broad ‘triangle’ top half, or looking to add some extra LBs to your overhead lifts, lateral raises will give you defined shoulders whilst improving strength, health and stability.
In this article we’ll break down what lateral raises are, how to do them, as well as common mistakes you’ll want to steer clear of.
One word of warning: Don’t underestimate the power of this small but mighty exercise! Trust us, if you master the technique and perform it right, you’ll be feeling the burn in your shoulders pretty quickly!
What Are Lateral Raises?
Lateral raises are a shoulder isolation exercise that involves moving the arms laterally away from the midline (abduction). [1] Unlike compound exercises, isolation movements target a single muscle group, allowing it to be worked close to failure to maximize gains.
What Muscles Do Lateral Raises Work?
Lateral raises target the lateral fibers of the deltoid muscles, which are the primary muscles that make up the shoulder.
These include:
Lateral deltoids (or medial delts)
Anterior deltoids (or front delts)
Posterior deltoids (or rear delts)
Whilst many exercises target the front and rear delts, lateral raise are one of the few exercises that primarily target the lateral (medial) delts, the part of the shoulder most critical for creating the iconic v-shaped top half. [2]
In addition to the muscles of the shoulder, lateral raises can activate a host of muscles in the upper back (including the traps, rhomboids, levator scapulae and serratus anterior), as well as firing up your core, making them an excellent exercise to add to your back and shoulder workout.
How To Do Lateral Raises
The most common way to perform lateral raises is by using dumbbells - raising both arms simultaneously or one at a time.
How To Do Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Stand upright, with your hands by your side in neutral grip (palms facing one another), holding the dumbbells. Keep your shoulders back, chest up and engage your core.
Lift the dumbbells up, away from the midline of the body, keeping a slight bend in the elbow, until they are parallel with the floor, making a ‘T’ shape.
Slowly lower back to the start position, and repeat.
Common Mistakes: What To Avoid When Doing Lateral Raises
If you are looking to perfect your lateral raise form, avoid these common mistakes:
Resist the urge to ‘swing’ your body. Instead, focus on keeping your core engaged, and a strong, upright torso throughout the movement.
Don’t rush! Control the movement to increase time under tension and provide additional muscle growth stimulus. [3] Try raising the dumbbells for 3 seconds, pausing for 1 second at the top, and then lowering for 3 seconds.
Never lead the movement with your hands – this removes tension from the deltoids. Instead, lead with the elbows, ensuring they are always slightly higher than your hands during the exercise.
Don’t lift the dumbbells too high – Lifting your arms higher than your shoulder will take the focus away from your deltoids, engaging the traps instead. Focus on bringing your arms parallel with your shoulders, but no higher.
The Best Dumbbell Lateral Raise Variations
There are a couple of notable variations of dumbbell lateral raises to add variety to your shoulder workout.
Seated Lateral Raise
Performing lateral raises whilst seated stabilizes the core, ensuring your body does not use momentum to ‘swing’ the dumbbells up. This makes it a great variation for beginners.
How To Do Seated Lateral Raises
Select a light to moderate pair of dumbbells.
Sit on the bench in a upright position. Hands should be holding the dumbbells in neutral grip, feet firmly planted into the ground, shoulder width apart.
Raise the dumbbells up, away from the midline, to around shoulder height, just as you would in a regular standing lateral raise.
Pause, and then slowly lower dumbbells back to starting position.
Cable Lateral Raise
Cable lateral raises are usually performed using one arm at a time, in a crossbody motion. Ronei S Pinto et al found that unilateral movements promote greater muscle stimulation, making single arm cable lateral raises a great progression to promote enhanced muscle growth. [4]
How To Do Cable Lateral Raises
Position the cable at the lowest point possible and attach the single handle attachement.
Stand side on to the cable, placing one hand on the tower to stabilize yourself, whilst the opposite hand takes hold of the handle, holding it in neutral grip.
Raise the arm holding the cable upward, in a crossbody motion, with a slight bend at the elbow, until the arm is parallel with the floor.
Pause and then slowly lower arm back to starting position.
How Many Lateral Raises Should I Do?
Ultimately, the rep range will depend on your personal goal:
Strength: 3 to 5 sets of 2 to 6 reps
Hypertrophy (muscle growth): 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps
Endurance: 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 20 reps
Tailor your sets and reps to the goal you are trying to achieve.
Should I Go Heavy Or Light On Lateral Raises?
In general, the fewer reps you perform, the heavier the weight should be. However, as a shoulder isolation exercise that utilizes fewer muscles, when doing lateral raises you’ll likely find you feel the burn pretty quickly! Go light on these, particularly if you’re a beginner!
If you’re a more experienced gym-goer, feel free to go slightly heavier, making sure to maintain proper form throughout your rep ranges. If your form starts to slip during the last few reps, consider reducing the weight you are using.
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You now know how to use lateral raises to effectively target the lateral delts. However, it's important to note that to achieve well-rounded shoulders, you need to target the anterior and posterior deltoid muscles, as well as the upper back and chest muscles. [2]
Try a mix of compound exercises, such as an overhead press, and other isolation exercises, such as frontal raises, and you’ll be building shoulder size and strength in no time.
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WRITTEN BY: Alex Kirkup-Lee
Alex is an inhouse Content Writer for Gymshark’s Health & Conditioning categories. A qualified Personal Trainer, CrossFit Level 1 and Functional Fitness Coach, Alex is experienced in training clients from a range of sporting backgrounds. With a passion for functional training, her favorite workout is anything that includes deadlifts, rowing, or wallballs.
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References:
Lam JH, Bordoni B. (2023) ‘Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Arm Abductor Muscles’, StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.
Coratella, G. et al. (2020) ‘An electromyographic analysis of lateral raise variations and frontal raise in competitive bodybuilders’, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(17). doi:10.3390/ijerph17176015.
Burd, N.A. et al. (2012) ‘Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub‐fractional synthetic responses in men', The Journal of Physiology, 590(2). doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200.
Ronei S Pinto. et al. (2011) ‘Evaluation of bilateral deficit in isometric contractions of the knee extensors’, Revista Brasileira de Cineantropometria e Desempenho Humano, 14(2):202-211. DOI:10.5007/1980-0037.2012v14n2p202.
