Strength training
Lateral Raises: Proper Form, Weight and Mistakes to Avoid
Published October 20, 2026
A lateral raise is lifting dumbbells (or a cable handle) out to your sides until your arms are about parallel to the floor; it is the most direct exercise for the side deltoid, the muscle that makes your shoulders look wider. Go light, move with control, and do plenty of sets of 12-20 reps instead of swinging heavy weights.
Proper form
- Stand with feet hip-width, slight forward lean (10-15°).
- Dumbbells at your sides, elbows slightly bent and locked at that angle.
- Raise your elbows out to the side, as if pushing the walls apart.
- Stop at shoulder height; hands no higher than elbows.
- Lower in 2-3 seconds without resting the weights on your thighs.
How heavy?
| Level | Dumbbell (each hand) | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 5-10 lb (2-5 kg) | 12-20 |
| Intermediate | 12-20 lb (5-9 kg) | 10-15 |
| Advanced | 20-35 lb (9-16 kg) | 8-15 |
If you need a hip swing to start the rep, it is too heavy. Light loads taken close to failure build as much muscle as heavy loads (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), and lateral raises are the perfect place to use that.
Variations
| Variation | Why use it |
|---|---|
| Standing dumbbell | The classic |
| Seated dumbbell | Kills momentum |
| Single-arm cable (low pulley) | Constant tension, especially at the bottom |
| Lean-away cable or dumbbell | More stretch at the bottom |
| Band lateral raise | Home training |
| Machine | Simple, stable |
6 mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Swinging the torso | Sit down or stand against a wall |
| Shrugging | Keep shoulders down, neck long |
| Hands above elbows | Lead with the elbows |
| Arms fully straight | Soft, fixed elbow bend |
| Going way above shoulder height | Stop at parallel if it pinches |
| 5 heavy reps | 12-20 controlled reps |
How many sets per week?
Higher weekly volume is linked to more muscle growth, with about 10 or more sets per muscle per week a sensible target (Schoenfeld et al., 2017). Because overhead pressing barely hits the side delt, most of that volume should come from raises.
8-week plan (2 shoulder days)
| Weeks | Day A | Day B |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Dumbbell 3 × 15 | Cable 3 × 12/arm |
| 3-4 | 4 × 15 | 3 × 15/arm |
| 5-6 | 4 × 12-15 + 1 drop set | 4 × 12/arm |
| 7 | Deload: 2 × 15 | 2 × 12 |
| 8 | 4 × 15 with heavier dumbbells | 4 × 12/arm |
Pair with a press (overhead press) and rear-delt work (face pulls) for complete shoulders.
Shoulder pain?
Reduce range, switch to cables or bands, turn thumbs slightly up. Pain lasting more than two weeks deserves a visit to a physical therapist.