Pushing: chest, shoulders and triceps

Lateral raise

Muscles worked: Side shoulders

How to do it

1. Set up. Stand tall with a light dumbbell in each hand. Keep a small bend in your elbows and relax your neck.
2. Move. Raise your arms out to the sides, up to about shoulder height or your comfortable range. Avoid shrugging or swinging your body.
3. Finish. Pause briefly, then lower the weights under control. Reset your shoulders before the next repetition.

Form cues

• Stand tall with a light dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
• Keep a soft bend in your elbows.
• Raise your arms out to the sides, leading with your elbows, to about shoulder height.
• Pause briefly, then lower slowly.
• Keep your shoulders down, away from your ears.

Muscles worked

Lateral raises work the side (middle) part of your shoulder, with your upper traps helping.

Sets and reps for lateral raises

Two or three sets of 12 to 15 reps suits most people, with about a minute of rest between sets. Because the side of your shoulder is a small muscle, a light weight lifted slowly works better than a heavy one swung up. When every rep feels smooth, add a couple of reps before you add weight.

Easier and harder versions

Easier

• Lighter dumbbells or water bottles.
• One arm at a time.
• Seated, so you can’t swing.

Harder

• A slow 3-second lowering.
• A cable lateral raise.
• A pause at the top.

Common mistakes

• Weights so heavy that you swing them up.
• Shrugging.
• Lifting far above shoulder height.
• Dropping the weights on the way down.

Where it appears in the member plans

Lateral raises are in Beginner Reset (2 sets of 12), Fat-Loss Foundations and Strength Builder (3 sets of 12 to 15), and the 12-Week Home Plan: Dumbbells or Band.

Lateral raise questions