Lateral raises are a great shoulder-building exercise when a suitable weight is chosen
This post reveals dumbbell lateral raise weight standards to benchmark your performance
A respectable dumbbell lateral raise for the average male beginner is around 7% of body weight for a single repetition (both dumbbells combined)
Intermediates and advanced lifters should be able to lift around 37% and 60% (respectively) for 1 rep
The weight standards in this post will help you determine what is a respectable weight to be lifting based on your gender, body weight, and training experience
These lateral raise strength standards are based on my 5-year weight training experience
You may also be interested in my other post for the best dumbbell exercises for skinny guys to build muscle
How To Use These Weight StandardsBeginner Lateral Raise Weight StandardsIntermediate Lateral Raise Weight StandardsAdvanced Lateral Raise Weight StandardsHow Good Is Your Lateral Raise Vs Others?5 Reasons Why The Dumbbell Lateral Raise Is HardOther Weight Standards For Lateral Raise MusclesConclusion
How To Use These Weight Standards
Beginners have practiced the lateral raise for 1-12 months
Intermediates have practiced the lateral raise for 12-36 months
Advanced lifters have practiced the lateral raise for 4 years or more
1-rep max (1RM)- this is the maximum amount of weight you can lift for a single repetition
6-10 working reps- this is generally considered to be the ideal rep range for building muscle
Average lateral raise weight standards are revealed for common body weights
Male lateral raise standards are given
Females can use a 60% conversion (multiply the weight standard by 060)
4) Reading the charts:
Weight standards are given as lbs on the top and kg on the bottom
If you’re doing the lateral raise with dumbbells at or above the weight standard for your given training level, body weight, and gender, then you are lifting a respectable amount of weight
Beginner Lateral Raise Weight Standards
Here’s how much weight you should be lifting on the lateral raise with dumbells as a beginner:
Generally speaking, beginners should be able to lateral raise with dumbbells that weigh 5 to 10% of their body weight (both dumbbells combined) for a single repetition (1-rep max)
Intermediate Lateral Raise Weight Standards
Here’s how much weight you should be lifting on the lateral raise as an intermediate:
Generally speaking, intermediates should be able to lateral raise with dumbbells that weigh 35 to 40% of their body weight (both dumbbells combined) for a single repetition
Advanced Lateral Raise Weight Standards
Here’s how much weight you should be lifting on the lateral raise as an advanced lifter:
Generally speaking, advanced lifters should be able to lateral raise with dumbbells that weigh 50 to 70% (both dumbbells combined) of their body weight for a single repetition
How Good Is Your Lateral Raise Vs Others?
Here’s the average percentage of people who can do the dumbbell lateral raise a fraction of their own body weight:
Lateral Raise 1RM Weight (as a fraction of body weight)% Of People Who Can Do It010x96%020×84%030×67%040×49%050×33%060×21%070×13%080×7%090×4%100×2%Weights are for 2 dumbbells combined
To calculate your lateral raise as a fraction of your own body weight, simply divide the weight of your 1RM by your body weight
For example: if you weigh 150lbs and your 1RM is 100lbs, then you’re lifting 066x your body weight (50lbs ÷ 100lbs)
The above chart indicates:
This represents the lower quartile of lifters and is a respectable weight for beginners to achieve
This represents the median quartile of lifters and is a respectable weight for intermediates to achieve
25% of people can lateral raise with dumbbells 055x their body weight for 1 rep
25% of people can lateral raise with dumbbells 055x their body weight for 1 rep
25% of people can lateral raise with dumbbells 055x their body weight for 1 rep
This represents the upper quartile of lifters and is a respectable weight for advanced lifters
5 Reasons Why The Dumbbell Lateral Raise Is Hard
The lateral deltoids (primary target muscles in the lateral raise) are some of the most difficult muscles to build
Here are 5 common reasons why you may find it difficult to do the lateral raise using dumbbells, and why your strength standards are below average
These solutions can help to improve your lateral raise
Prevent internal rotation by holding the dumbbells slightly to the front to lift more weight on the lateral raise
For a better idea of what this looks like, you can hold your arm out towards the side (parallel to the ground) and rotate it towards the floor
The same discomfort occurs when you do the lateral raise with your arms too far out to your side, making the exercise difficult to perform and reducing your overall strength
Avoid the common mistake of performing the lateral raise with the dumbbells held to your side and traveling directly outwards (like a crucifix)
Instead, the dumbbells should be held slightly to your front, with your arms slightly bent at the elbows, and travel at a slight angle from your frontal plane
You can check out my other post for more details on how to choose the ideal dumbbell weight for arm and shoulder exercises
To maximize shoulder strength- perform the lateral raise with a full ROM and avoid partial reps
Range of motion (ROM) describes how far your dumbbells travel between their lowest and highest points in the exercise
Partial reps have a place for training strength in specific portions of the movement
But full reps are ideal if you are a beginner looking to build overall strength in the lateral raise and improve your weight standards
Perform the dumbbell lateral raise with a full ROM
A good cue to know when to stop the upward phase of the lateral raise is when your arms reach parallel to the ground (avoid going past this point)
To do this effectively, it helps break the conventional muscle-building rule of lifting heavy for low reps, and instead reduce dumbbell weight and work in a higher rep range of 10 to 15 reps per set
Switch to a seated dumbbell lateral raise to prevent cheat reps and to increase deltoid strength\
Another common form mistake made by beginners is to use body momentum to help you “swing” the dumbbells up
Cheating usually happens by using leg drive and opening the hips to create an upward rocking force that helps you to lift the dumbbell
Experienced lifters can use cheat reps to facilitate strength gains
But when newbies do it incorrectly, it can result in severely reduced deltoid activation from the lateral raise
As a beginner, avoid cheat reps if your goal is to increase deltoid strength from the lateral raise
The best way to do this is to simply perform the exercise seated on a weight bench
If you’re training at home, then an affordable midrange bench like this folding Flybird weight bench does the job
Performing the lateral raise with strict form should allow you to see the first signs of strength gain within a few weeks
The ideal lateral raise dumbbell weight should challenge you for 10-15 reps
Choosing the correct dumbbell weight matters a lot in the lateral raise
This is a small exercise targeting a very specific muscle- the lateral delts
As such, it’s not a good idea to load too heavy in a low rep range (as is usually recommended for bigger compound lifts like the shoulder press)
But it’s not good to lift dumbbells that are too light either
This is one of the stimuli required for muscle growth ad strength gains
As a beginner, start by doing the lateral raise using a manageable dumbbell weight that challenges you for the recommended 10 to 15 reps per set
When your current workload starts to become easy, you can apply progressive overload adding weight to your dumbbells in small increments
Increasing weight by 1-2lb increments is sufficient to build a stronger lateral raise
Now you can rinse, repeat, and work towards building your lateral raise to the strength standards given in this post!
5) Not performing a variety of shoulder exercises
Lateral raises utilize all 3 deltoid heads to different degrees
The shoulders comprise three deltoid heads- anterior (front), lateral (middle), and posterior (rear)
The problem with only performing lateral raises is that the exercise mainly works your lateral delts
But your anterior and posterior delts play a vital role in stabilizing the movement and allowing you to perform the lateral raise more effectively
Thus, weakness in the anterior and posterior delts can make the lateral raise more difficult and lead to strength standards that are below average
Train all three delts for balanced shoulder strength development
The lateral raise should be performed alongside other shoulder exercises as part of a balanced workout program:
Shoulder ExerciseDeltoid Heads WorkedShoulder pressAnterior, lateral, posteriorReverse flyPosteriorFront raiseAnteriorIncline bench pressAnteriorPull-upPosteriorRowPosterior
It’s a ready-to-go 3-day workout program that builds full-body muscle, including the shoulders!
Other Weight Standards For Lateral Raise Muscles
The dumbbell lateral raise is an isolation-type movement that primarily works the lateral delts in the shoulders
Here are weight standards for other exercises that hit similar muscles:
Shoulder press with dumbbells– vertical compound pushing exercise that works all 3 deltoid muscles
Reverse dumbbell fly– an isolation-type movement that focuses tension on the posterior deltoids
Incline dumbbell press– a compound chest movement that not only works the pecs, but also the anterior deltoids
Pull-ups– vertical compound pulling exercise that works all back muscles including the posterior deltoids
Dumbbell rows– horizontal pulling exercise that works all back muscles including the posterior deltoids
These dumbbell lateral raise weight standards help you to determine whether or not you are lifting a respectable amount of weight for your capabilities
Beginners should be able to do 1 rep using around 7% of their body weight (both dumbbells combined)
Intermediates should be able to lift approximately 37% of their body weight, and advanced lifters around 60%
If you’re lifting at or exceeding these strength standards, then you’re doing a good and respectable job
I’ve also shared common problems and solutions to a lateral raise strength that is below average
Fortunately, the lateral raise can be a very effective way to build the shoulders without attacking the joints
Beyond joint-friendly training, if you want to look great but haven’t added lateral raises into your workouts, two words should convince you otherwise: boulder shoulders
You can bench and overhead press all you want, but you still won’t see a set of broad, round, fully developed shoulders in the mirror
The lateral deltoid is underdeveloped in many lifters due to the lack of direct stimulation from many compound exercises
Add lateral raises to your program, and you’ll close the gap in developing well-rounded shoulders
How to Do the Dumbbell Lateral Raise
The lateral raise seems simple enough
Grab hold of some dumbbells, raise them out to the side, lower them down, and repeat
Stand up straight with your arms at your sides and a dumbbell in each hand
Lean forward slightly and allow the weights to touch each other in front of your thighs
It also elicits a greater range of motion for the shoulder to move through, compared to keeping the weights at your sides
Step 2 — Raise to Shoulder-Level
Credit: Benoit Daoust / Shutterstock
Credit: Benoit Daoust / Shutterstock
Maintain a neutral grip (palms facing your body) and keep your elbows in a softly bent position
Initiate the raise by driving out and up through your elbows until your upper arm is parallel to the floor
As the weights come up, your hands should naturally rotate to point your palms towards the ground
Focus on moving your elbows to lift the weight, not leading with your hands
Keeping your arms in this alignment will better serve shoulder health while maintaining tension on the muscle
Credit: Motortion Films / Shutterstock
Maintain tightness through your core and lower body as you lower the weights along the same path
The dumbbells should end up in the starting position touching each other in front of your thighs
Lateral Raise Mistakes to Avoid
Lateral Raise Mistakes to Avoid
While the lateral raise may seem easy enough to perform, there are some important mistakes that must be avoided to prevent any unnecessary risk of injury
Lifting the Dumbbells Above Your Head
While lifting with a large range of motion can sometimes provide greater benefits in building muscle, in this case more is not better
Credit: Prostock-studio / Shutterstock
Lifting your arms too high (bringing the upper arms well-above shoulder-level) can place you at risk of an impingement in the shoulder, which is one of the most common causes of shoulder pain
As you raise the dumbbells upwards, think about the barbell
Once your upper arm “touches” the bar, lower the weights down
Lifting Too Much Weight
A lot of gym-goers can be seen using a weight that is so heavy it forces them to use momentum to complete the lateral raise
Credit: Jasminko Ibrakovic / Shutterstock
This form of “cheating” will allow you to move more weight, but it also means that you lose a lot of the tension being placed on the target muscle
This goes against the objective of the exercise, which is to maximally recruit and stimulate the lateral deltoid
Use a weight that you can lift with control for at least six reps
In order to increase the activation of the lateral delt, many lifters dramatically rotate their wrists during each rep, tipping their thumbs towards the floor and their pinkies towards the ceiling (imagine pouring a glass of juice)
Credit: Vladimir Sukhachev / Shutterstock
At first, this sounds like a great technique to implement into your training due to the increased muscle activation
Avoid it: Ensure that your palms, not your thumbs, are pointed towards the ground in the top position of each rep
Benefits of the Lateral Raise
Benefits of the Lateral Raise
The benefits of the lateral raise are largely aligned with strengthening the shoulder and improving muscle development through isolating the side shoulder (lateral deltoid) muscle
Credit: Sjale / Shutterstock
Shoulder Strength
The shoulder muscle is most commonly trained with various types of overhead pressing
However, directly training the lateral deltoid head with lateral raises, similar to directly training the front and rear heads of the shoulder, carryover to improved pressing strength
The lateral deltoid is a muscle that is not effectively or efficiently stimulated in many compound exercises, which can leave them lagging and under-developed
The lateral raise can specifically isolate this muscle allowing you to build a more balanced and aesthetic upper body
Muscles Worked by the Lateral Raise
Muscles Worked by the Lateral Raise
The shoulder joint has a very high degree of freedom, which means the shoulder muscle can perform a variety of functions
The shoulders are anatomically split into three heads — the anterior (front), the lateral (side), and the posterior (rear)
Credit: Improvisor / Shutterstock
The lateral raise trains all three heads of the deltoids, but the movement is most effective at isolating the lateral head, hence the name of the exercise itself
Lateral Deltoids
The lateral delts are most visible in the center part of the shoulder muscle
They connect your upper arm to the acromion process on top of your shoulder blade
This head of the shoulder assists in moving your arm out to the side and away from your body, which is the exact movement performed during the lateral raise
They connect your upper arm to your shoulder blade
While they primarily work to bring your arm in front of your body, they are recruited during lateral raises
Your posterior, or rear, delts are on the back section of the shoulder muscles
They attach your upper arm to a different section of your shoulder blade
The rear delts function to move your arms behind your body and help control your scapulae (shoulder blades)
The posterior delts are significantly recruited during lateral raises, particularly while your torso is slightly bent forward during the exercise
It isn’t, and shouldn’t be, a primary mover during the lateral raise, but it’s recruited as the weight is moved during the exercise
When lateral raises are performed incorrectly (swinging the upper body or shrugging the shoulders up), the traps can “take over” and reduce deltoid activation
Who Should Do the Lateral Raise
Who Should Do the Lateral Raise
Who Should Do the Lateral Raise
The lateral raise is a good shoulder strengthening exercise and a great choice for lifters who want to maximize their lateral head muscle development
The lateral raise supports overall pressing strength by helping to build the shoulders, which are required for all variations of the bench press and overhead presses
Strength athletes looking to move significant weight in any press will build shoulder strength and overall joint health by incorporating the lateral raise
Training for Muscle
The lateral raise is one of the few exercises to target and specifically emphasize the side delt directly
When performed correctly, you can overload this section of your shoulder without relying on an excessive amount of weight, making it ideal for any lifters looking to increase shoulder size with minimal joint strain
How to Program the Lateral Raise
How to Program the Lateral Raise
To prioritize muscle growth in the side delts, the dumbbell lateral raise should be programmed earlier in the session to capitalize on energy and focus
However, the exercise can also be effective when used to completely exhaust the muscle fibers towards the end of your workout
To build a well-developed set of shoulders, a classic bodybuilding approach working for three to four sets in the six to 12 rep range will increase training volume for the side delts, which is beneficial for building muscle
Low Weight, High Repetition
Working for two to three sets in the 13 to 20 rep range (or higher) will deliver the best results when using lighter weights, but it is important to ensure you are not just going through the motions when reps get incredibly high
High-rep sets with lighter weight can increase total training volume even further
These types of “burnout sets” are ideal at the back end of your workouts to fully exhaust the muscle fibers of the side delt
Lateral Raise Variations
Lateral Raise Variations
While the lateral raise will forever be a time-tested movement, there are also a few variations that can be rotated into your workouts for additional lateral delt development
Machine Lateral Raise
The machine lateral raise can make it more comfortable for lifters to target the side delt
The main benefit is the weight being placed on your forearms or upper arms instead of being held in your hands
How To Use Side Lateral Raise MachineWatch this video on YouTube
The machine also makes it more difficult to swing the weight into position, requiring more muscle activation
Seated Lateral Raise
The seated lateral raise makes it next-to-impossible to move your torso without noticing, which ensures the tension is maintained on the side delt and reinforces strict form
Lean-Away Cable Lateral Raise
This cable variation places the muscle under a significant amount of tension throughout its entire range of motion and allows for a more constant resistance curve
The basic dumbbell exercise relies on gravity to provide resistance, which is minimal in the lower portion of the movement
The lean away approach also changes the arm angle so that less emphasis is placed on the rotator cuff, and a greater emphasis is placed on the lateral delt
Lateral Raise Alternatives
Lateral Raise Alternatives
The lateral raise is a great exercise that targets the side delt
However, there are a few alternatives that you can rotate into your programming for variety and more diverse muscle activation
Single-Arm Dumbbell Upright Row
This unusual but highly effective movement allows for greater freedom at the shoulder joint than the more traditional barbell upright row, which has a reputation for excessive joint stress
One Arm Dumbbell Upright RowWatch this video on YouTube
The single dumbbell also allows the shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints to move and adjust for the exact range of motion that feels most comfortable and least stressful on the joints
This exercise may be the most effective compound movement for lateral delt development due to the significant shoulder abduction (upwards and outwards) component
To minimize the trapezius being recruited, initiate the movement by pulling the rope handle apart and out towards your shoulders, rather than straight up towards your chin
How heavy should I perform lateral raises?
You want a weight that is challenging for the intended rep range, but not so heavy that it forces you to cheat the weight up
Remember that the goal of the exercise is to stimulate the side deltoid, not to move the most weight
How many times per week can I do lateral raises?
Throwing in some lateral raises twice per week is going to be more effective than once per week for maximizing growth
Because the lateral raise doesn’t contribute significantly to overall training stress (compared to a bigger exercise like deadlift), it can be plugged into many other workouts without drastically affecting recovery
Characteristics of Shoulder Impingement in the Recreational Weight-Training Population
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Resistance Training Volume Enhances Muscle Hypertrophy but Not Strength in Trained Men Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 51(1), 94–103
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