Shoulders & arms · Shoulder raise
Dumbbell lateral raise
Check the setup, practice a controlled repetition, then use your program’s sets, reps and rest.
Return to My Training →
- Equipment
- Light dumbbells
- Muscles worked
- Lateral shoulders
- Movement
- Shoulder raise
How to perform
- Stand tall with soft elbows.
- Raise arms slightly forward of your sides to a comfortable height around shoulder level.
- Lower with control.
- Use a load that does not require swinging.
Three cues to remember
- Keep a soft elbow bend.
- Raise slightly forward of your sides.
- Stop near shoulder height without swinging.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the trunk.
- Shrugging.
- Lifting above a comfortable range.
Slow the movement and reduce load or range if your position changes. Stop for pain rather than forcing the repetition.
Make it easier
Use lighter weights or a smaller range.
Progress when ready
Add repetitions before a small weight increase.
Practice with a light load. Diagrams show general positions, not an assessment of your form. Use the written setup and equipment instructions; get qualified coaching for unfamiliar lifts.
Find it in your program
Exercise guides explain the movement. Your training program sets the workload; an alternative replaces a movement rather than adding another one.
Instructional references
Original Physiforge instructions and diagrams use established movement principles. General references are not endorsements or individualized coaching.
ACE exercise library ↗