Lateral Raise
Dumbbell lateral raises for the side deltoids. It works mainly the lateral deltoid, with help from the front deltoid and trapezius.
Flawless ranks it by lifetime volume: Gold, the third of eight ranks, starts at 25,000 kg.
How to do Lateral Raise
- Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, elbows slightly bent, palms facing your body.
- Raise the dumbbells out to the sides, leading with the elbows, until your upper arms are level with your shoulders.
- Stop at shoulder height. Above it the traps take over from the side delts, so higher is not better.
- Lower slowly over 2–3 seconds and keep a little tension at the bottom instead of resting the weights on your thighs.
These are the same steps you see in the exercise guide in the Flawless app.
Muscles worked
| Role | Muscle | Anatomical name |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Lateral deltoid | Deltoideus medialis |
| Secondary | Front deltoid | Deltoideus anterior |
| Secondary | Trapezius | Trapezius |
Muscle data from StrengthLog.
Why do it
- Side delts — the width of the shoulder
- The most visible change per unit of effort
- Works with very light weight
How Flawless ranks Lateral Raise
| Rank | Total volume |
|---|---|
| Bronze | start |
| Silver | 5,000 kg |
| Gold | 25,000 kg |
| Platinum | 50,000 kg |
| Diamond | 100,000 kg |
| Obsidian | 150,000 kg |
| Painite | 250,000 kg |
| Antimatter | 1,000,000 kg |
Flawless ranks Lateral Raise by lifetime volume: the weight × reps of every set you have logged, added up. The ladder is the same for everyone, because it measures work done rather than strength relative to bodyweight. The rank updates after every workout.
Similar exercises
Questions
What muscles does Lateral Raise work?
It works mainly the lateral deltoid, with help from the front deltoid and trapezius.
How do you do Lateral Raise?
Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, elbows slightly bent, palms facing your body. Raise the dumbbells out to the sides, leading with the elbows, until your upper arms are level with your shoulders. Stop at shoulder height. Above it the traps take over from the side delts, so higher is not better. Lower slowly over 2–3 seconds and keep a little tension at the bottom instead of resting the weights on your thighs.
How does Flawless rank Lateral Raise?
By lifetime volume: the weight × reps of every set you have logged, added up. Gold starts at 25,000 kg and Diamond at 100,000 kg, the same for everyone.
Try it free
Free on Google Play and the App Store. The whole log is free; PRO is optional.