How to do it
- Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, a slight bend in the elbows.
- Lean very slightly forward.
- Raise the arms out to the sides, leading with the elbows, until they reach shoulder height.
- Lower slowly, taking 2-3 seconds.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the body to heave the weight up.
- Shrugging the shoulders to the ears.
- Raising far above shoulder height.
- Going too heavy to control the lowering.
Breathing and tempo
Breathe out as you lift and in as you lower. Lift in about 1-2 seconds, pause briefly where the muscle is shortest, and lower in 2-3 seconds.
Make it harder or easier
Harder: Heavier dumbbells, or the lean-away lateral raise.
Easier: Lighter dumbbells, or one arm at a time.
Sets and reps
Beginners: 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps, stopping 2-3 reps short of failure.
Building muscle: 3-4 sets of 10-20 reps, stopping 0-2 reps short of failure.
Safety
- Light weights work well here; heavy swinging only stresses the shoulder.
Swaps
Full gym: Cable lateral raise, Lean-away lateral raise, Wide-grip upright row
Dumbbells and a bench: Lean-away lateral raise, Wide-grip upright row