Side-Lying Dumbbell Lateral Raise
The side-lying dumbbell lateral raise trains the shoulder while the torso stays supported on its side.
SHOULDERS · PUSH
How it is executed
- Lie on your side on an incline bench, holding a dumbbell in your top hand with your arm resting across your body.
- Keep a slight bend in your elbow and your core engaged to stay stable on the bench.
- Raise the dumbbell out and up until your arm is roughly parallel to the floor, leading with your elbow.
- Lower it slowly back across your body; the side-lying angle keeps constant tension on the lateral delt through the bottom of the range.
Common mistakes
- Rolling the torso backward: maintain side support.
- Shrugging the shoulder: reduce weight.
- Using momentum at the start: begin slowly.
Frequently asked questions
- How does it differ from standing?
- Arm orientation relative to gravity changes, shifting where lifting is hardest. Use less weight while learning.
- Must you lift all the way to vertical?
- Not necessarily. Near vertical the dumbbell aligns more closely over the shoulder, reducing its moment arm.
- Does the elbow stay straight?
- Keep a slight stable bend. Bending and straightening the elbow changes the distance from dumbbell to shoulder.
Sources and editorial approach
The explanation, variations and FAQs are Kaizer’s editorial synthesis. ACSM’s 2026 guidance provides general context on progression and resistance training in healthy adults; it does not independently validate the technique of each variation.
No individual professional review is recorded for this page.
Variations and substitutions
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Glossary and calculators
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