Dumbbell Lateral Raise: Form Guide, Muscles and Mistakes
Load card
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Muscle group
- Shoulders
- Main muscles
- lateral deltoid
- Also working
- upper trapezius, supraspinatus
- Mechanics
- Isolation
- Pattern
- Shoulder abduction
- Level
- Beginner
The dumbbell lateral raise is a beginner friendly isolation exercise that focuses on shoulder abduction. Also called a dumbbell side raise, it requires only a pair of dumbbells and enough space to extend your arms.
This movement heavily targets the lateral deltoid to build shoulder strength. The upper trapezius and supraspinatus also work as supporting muscles to assist in lifting the weights away from your body.
How to do it
Stand tall holding a dumbbell in each hand with your arms resting by your sides and your palms facing your legs. Keep your feet shoulder width apart and maintain a slight bend in your knees.
- Brace your core and maintain a neutral spine.
- Keep a slight bend in your elbows as you lift the dumbbells out to your sides.
- Continue raising the weights until your arms are parallel to the floor.
- Pause briefly at the top of the movement.
- Lower the dumbbells back to your sides in a slow and controlled manner.
Sets, reps and load
Start with 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions. Rest for 60 to 90 seconds between each set to allow your shoulders to recover.
Choose a light dumbbell that allows you to complete your target repetitions with perfect form and no swinging.
Common mistakes
- Using momentum. Stop swinging your torso to heave the weight up. Keep your body rigid and rely only on your shoulder muscles to lift the dumbbells.
- Shrugging at the top. Keep your shoulders pulled down and away from your ears. If you cannot stop shrugging, the weight is too heavy.
- Bending the elbows too much. Maintain only a slight bend in the elbow joint. Turning the movement into a row shifts the work away from the lateral deltoid.
- Lifting above parallel. Stop when your elbows reach shoulder height. Going higher places unnecessary stress on the shoulder joint and shifts the focus to the upper trapezius.
Make it easier or harder
Easier
- Seated dumbbell lateral raise
- Resistance band lateral raise
Harder
- Cable lateral raise
- Leaning single arm dumbbell lateral raise
Swaps and related shoulders exercises
Same muscle group with different equipment:
- Resistance Band Lateral Raise Resistance band
- Band External Rotation Resistance band
- Band Face Pull Resistance band
- Resistance Band Overhead Press Resistance band
More dumbbell options:
- Dumbbell Front Raise Shoulder flexion
- Dumbbell Reverse Fly Horizontal abduction
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press Vertical push
- Dumbbell Shrug Scapular elevation
Browse all dumbbell exercises or every shoulders exercise.
When to see a doctor or physio
- Sharp or stabbing pain in the shoulder joint during the lift.
- A pinching sensation at the top of the movement.
- Numbness or tingling traveling down your arm.
This page is general training information, not medical advice. If you are new to strength training, managing a health condition, pregnant or coming back from an injury, check with a doctor or physio first.
How this page was made. Exercise data (equipment, muscles, mechanics, level) compiled by the Unite Journal Crew as a general anatomy guide, cross-checked against the public-domain free-exercise-db list. Text drafted with AI assistance and edited by the crew; see our house rules. Last checked October 2026.