Dumbbell Lateral Raise
A bilateral shoulder raise that moves two dumbbells out to the sides.
This page is a working draft. A coach has not reviewed it, so read it as a starting point, not as checked instruction.
- Pattern
- Shoulder raise
- Modality
- Strength
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Mechanic
- Unknown
- Force
- Unknown
- Laterality
- Bilateral
- Impact
- Low
- Trains where
- Gym
- At home
- No
How to do it
Set up
- Stand tall or sit upright with a dumbbell in each hand.
- Keep a soft elbow bend and hold the weights beside your thighs.
Do the rep
- Raise both arms out to the sides to about shoulder height.
- Lower the dumbbells slowly to the start.
What counts as a rep
A rep counts when both dumbbells reach shoulder height and return beside the thighs without a shrug.
One rep raises both dumbbells to shoulder height without shrugging, then ends when both weights return beside the thighs.
Breathing
Exhale as the arms rise; inhale as the dumbbells lower.
Cues
- Lead with the elbows.
- Keep the torso still.
- Lower slowly.
Common mistakes
Shrugging
What you seeThe shoulders move toward the ears as the weights rise.
FixUse less load and keep the neck long.
Keeping the shoulders down avoids replacing the raise with a shrug.
Swinging the weights
What you seeThe torso rocks to create momentum.
FixPause at the start and raise with a steady tempo.
A steady lift keeps the dumbbells controlled through the shoulder range.
Stop the set if
- Stop if you feel sharp pain.
- Stop if you must shrug or swing the weights to reach shoulder height.
- End the set when you cannot meet the stated range under control.
General educational content, not individual coaching or medical advice.
Train it in Allena
Allena plans your week around the days you can train, logs every set, and coaches your form from the camera.
Get the app