Lying Lateral Raises

Lateral raises are most commonly done from a seated or standing position, but lying lateral raises are also effective at strengthening and developing the shoulders. The lying lateral raise is an isolation exercise, which means it features movement at a single joint. The exercise is performed using one arm at a time and a dumbbell.

  1. Exercise Technique

    • You can perform lying lateral raises on the floor or a flat bench. Lie on your side with both legs stacked atop each other, while holding a dumbbell in the hand of your top arm. Hold your arm out straight in front of you so that it’s perpendicular with your body. Your palm faces the floor. Keeping your elbow straight but not locked, lift up your arm until it’s vertical and pointed toward the ceiling; control it while moving back down to the starting position. Avoid letting your hand or the weight touch the floor before going into the next repetition.

    Muscles

    • Multiple muscles in the shoulder and upper back are involved in coordinating the lying lateral raise. The lateral deltoid, which is the major muscle in your shoulder, takes on most of the work in pulling your arm up vertically. The back of your deltoid and your supraspinatus assist in lifting up your arm. Your trapezius and serratus anterior work to elevate your scapula and rotate it upward as your arm is raised.

    Front-Lying Variation

    • You can better isolate the back of your deltoids by performing the front-lying lateral raise exercise. Instead of lying on your side, position yourself on your stomach on a flat bench and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Both arms should hang off the sides of the bench with your palms facing each other. Keeping your elbows mostly straight, but not locked, lift both arms up and out to your sides until your upper arms are level to your body and then control them back down.

    Training

    • Incorporate the lying lateral raise exercise into your shoulder workouts. Complete two to three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions on each arm. Use a weighted dumbbell that makes completing each set challenging, but avoid using a weight that’s too heavy and that causes you to rock or shift your body in an attempt to use momentum. If you prefer, a kettlebell can also be used as the weighted implement in lying lateral raise.