Dumbbell Standing Prone Lateral Raise

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Set an incline bench to a 45 to 60-degree angle and stand facing the backrest.
2. Lean your chest firmly against the pad with your feet planted securely on the floor for stability.
3. Grasp the dumbbells with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) and let your arms hang straight down.
4. Maintain a slight bend in your elbows and keep your head in a neutral position.

How to do it

1. Exhale as you raise the dumbbells out to your sides in a wide arc, leading the movement with your elbows.
2. Continue the lift until your arms are parallel to the floor or just below shoulder height.
3. Inhale as you slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position using a controlled 2-second eccentric phase.
4. Avoid letting the dumbbells touch at the bottom to maintain constant tension on the deltoids.

Form checklist

• Keep your chest in constant contact with the bench to prevent torso swinging.
• Depress your shoulder blades to avoid excessive shrugging or trapezius dominance.
• Maintain a consistent slight bend in the elbows throughout the entire set.
• Ensure your wrists remain straight and do not curl the weights upward.

Pro tips

• Focus on pushing the weights 'out' toward the side walls rather than 'up' to maximize lateral delt recruitment.
• At the top of the movement, slightly tilt the dumbbells as if pouring water from a pitcher to emphasize the medial deltoid head.

Make it harder

• Incorporate a 2-second isometric hold at the peak of the contraction for every rep.
• Perform slow eccentrics, taking 4 seconds to lower the weights from the top position.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the dumbbell standing prone lateral raise work?

The dumbbell standing prone lateral raise primarily targets the deltoids, and also works the serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the dumbbell standing prone lateral raise?

The dumbbell standing prone lateral raise uses dumbbell.

Is the dumbbell standing prone lateral raise good for beginners?

The dumbbell standing prone 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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