Dumbbell Lateral Raise
The lateral raise is the single best isolation exercise for building wider-looking shoulders by directly targeting the side deltoids.
Equipment
Dumbbells
Difficulty
beginner
Sets & reps
3 sets · 12-15 reps
Muscles worked
Side delts
An isolation movement that lifts the arms out to the sides, directly targeting the side deltoids for shoulder width.
How to do it
- Stand holding a light dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
- With a slight bend in your elbows, raise your arms out to the sides.
- Lift until your arms are roughly parallel with the floor, leading with your elbows.
- Pause briefly at the top, then lower under control.
- Avoid using momentum or swinging your torso to lift the weight.
Coaching tips
- Go lighter than you think — this exercise is easy to cheat with momentum, which defeats the purpose.
- A slight forward tilt of the torso can help target the side delt more directly.
- Control the lowering phase; it's just as important as the lift.
Common mistakes
- Using too much weight and swinging the torso to lift it.
- Raising the arms above shoulder height, which shifts tension onto the traps.
Frequently asked questions
Why do my traps take over during lateral raises?
That usually means the weight is too heavy or you're raising your arms too high. Lighten the load and stop the raise around shoulder height.
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