Movement Demo – Lateral Raises

Rogue athlete Arielle Loewen demonstrates proper form for lateral raises in this quick and simple movement demo from Rogue HQ.

The lateral raise is a shoulder strengthening exercise that focuses on the lateral deltoid (middle of the shoulder), where you lift dumbbells (or other weights) out to the side until arms are roughly parallel to the floor. This exercise will help target shoulder strength and the stabilizers that support pressing, pulling, and overhead work.

Benefits

Great for shoulder development, helping build the side deltoids.
Used to help improve shoulders joint health by strengthening the small stabilizers that assist in pressing and overhead work.
Great accessory movement to assist gymnastic and olympic lifting and assist with injury prevention by targeting the smaller muscles of the shoulder.
This is a low-skill movement that almost anyone can perform.

Set Up

Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides, palms facing inward (neutral grip).
Stand tall, feet hip-width apart, core braced.

Execution

With a slight bend in the elbows, raise arms out to the sides.
Stop when arms are parallel to the floor (T-shape) or just above.
Keep palms facing the floor.
Lower weights slowly under control back to sides.
Avoid swinging or using momentum.

Regressions

Reduce the range of motion by lifting the dumbbells half way.
Decrease the load, use light dumbbells or fractional plates.
Seated instead of standing can help stabilize the torso.

Progressions

Increase the load
Add a tempo to the raising and lowering of the weights to increase time under tension and control.
Example; 3–4s up/down for time under tension.
Use plate or band lateral raise, adds a different stimulus through the range lifted.
Cable Lateral Raise will provide a constant tension through full ROM.
Increase the range of motion to a “Y” Raise raising the arms higher into a Y-shape, and further still to overhead.

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