Dumbbell Single Arm Leaning Lateral Raise

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand sideways next to a power rack or sturdy pole, holding a dumbbell in your outer hand with a neutral grip.
2. Place your feet close to the base of the rack and grab the rack with your inner hand at shoulder height.
3. Lean your body away from the rack until your inner arm is fully extended, creating a diagonal line from your head to your feet.
4. Let the dumbbell hang straight down toward the floor, slightly away from your thigh to keep tension on the muscle.

How to do it

1. Exhale as you raise the dumbbell out to the side in a wide arc, keeping a slight bend in your elbow until your arm is parallel with the floor.
2. Lead the movement with your elbow and keep your palm facing the ground throughout the ascent.
3. Inhale as you slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position using a controlled 2-3 second tempo.
4. Complete all repetitions on one side before switching to the other arm.

Form checklist

• Keep your torso fixed and avoid using momentum or 'swinging' your body to lift the weight.
• Maintain a slight bend in the elbow to protect the joint and focus tension on the deltoid.
• Ensure your shoulder stays down and away from your ear to avoid excessive upper trap involvement.
• Move the arm slightly forward of the torso (in the scapular plane) rather than directly out to the side.

Pro tips

• Think about 'pushing' the dumbbell away toward the wall rather than just lifting it up to maximize lateral deltoid recruitment.
• At the top of the movement, slightly tilt the dumbbell as if pouring water from a pitcher to emphasize the side head of the shoulder.
• Maintain a constant lean; do not pull yourself back toward the rack as the weight gets heavy.

Make it harder

• Add a 1-2 second pause at the peak of the contraction to eliminate momentum.
• Implement a slow 4-second eccentric phase to increase time under tension in the lengthened position.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the dumbbell single arm leaning lateral raise work?

The dumbbell single arm leaning lateral raise primarily targets the deltoids, and also works the rotator cuff and trapezius as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the dumbbell single arm leaning lateral raise?

The dumbbell single arm leaning lateral raise uses dumbbell.

Is the dumbbell single arm leaning lateral raise good for beginners?

The dumbbell single arm leaning lateral raise is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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