What is lateral elevation, how is it done? Which muscle works?

The Lateral Raise is a shoulder exercise that targets the deltoid muscle in your upper body. It strengthens the shoulder muscles.

lateral elevation, It is one of the terms that comes to those who are interested in sports and want to improve their body, and it is a topic that we have compiled for you in detail as a name that expresses the training movements that work the shoulder area.


What is a Lateral Raise? How is the lateral movement performed? You can find answers to various questions such as:


What is Dumbbell Lateral Raise?


dumbbell lateral raise, With its Turkish expression, the shoulder opening movement is one of the basic shoulder exercises practiced by people who want to develop, expand and strengthen their shoulders.



This move can be done sitting or standing. Usually their shoulders who want to expand and strengthen It is an extremely effective bodybuilding move that he prefers.


What Does Lateral Elevation Do?


lateral movement, basically it is perfect for developing and strengthening the shoulders. Especially those who are interested in bodybuilding often practice this movement. The lateral raise is one of the best fitness moves that develops and strengthens the middle shoulder.


Which muscles does the lateral raise work?


lateral raise, It is one of the shoulder exercises, targeting the lateral part of the deltoid muscle. aims to strengthen This strengthens your shoulder muscles and can help make your shoulder area look wider and stronger.


Lateral Raise works on muscle groups and regions;


  • Anterior deltoid (front shoulder muscles),
  • Lateral deltoid (lateral shoulder muscles),
  • Serratus anterior (combination of lower pectoral and abdominal muscle),
  • Pectoralis op
  • They are trapezius muscles.

How to perform the correct lateral movement?


Hold a dumbbell of the correct weight in each hand. You can start with 5 or 7.5 kg. If it is your first experience, choose lower weights, for example 1-2 kilos is the way to go. Although it may seem light, we can say that it will be quite challenging for you. You will definitely experience the pump feeling. Next, stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and raise and lower your arms so that they are parallel to your body. Now inhale and exhale, start raising your arms to shoulder level for 1.5 – 2 seconds. That’s all.


lateral movement


  • When applying the sideways movement, the correct weight must first be selected. Wrong choice of weight can cause injuries.
  • Another important point is that the movement must be performed in proper form. Unless done in the right form, the desired efficiency will not be extracted from the movement.
  • Arms should not be held too straight, elbows should be slightly bent. This makes your shoulder muscles feel better and also protects your elbow joints.
  • Keeping the elbows straight puts more weight on the elbows than necessary.
  • The arms should be kept perpendicular to the floor and the elbows should be kept close to the torso.
  • The palms should face your torso and face the floor when you lift them.
  • Your feet should be shoulder width apart.
  • Keeping your arms straight and your torso stable, the weights should be lifted until they reach shoulder height by breathing.
  • The wrists should not be driven while lifting weights. In the lateral movement, the area between the shoulder and the elbow should be lifted.
  • In the side-to-side movement, the sides of your arms should point upwards.
  • You should feel the contraction for a second and the weights should lower to the starting position as you inhale.
  • You can perform the lateral raise in two ways, sitting or standing.

You can see how to do the correct Lateral Raise by watching the video here:



Considerations When Performing Dumbbell Lateral


  • The first point that you should pay attention to before doing lateral barbell exercises It’s the right weight choice. Wrong and excessive weight selection can cause unwanted injuries and trigger the activation of unwanted areas outside the target of the movement, resulting in injuries and injuries, especially in the waist area.
  • Lateral movement of the dumbbell, It is definitely a move that must be done in proper form. Otherwise, the desired efficiency of the movement will never be achieved. Dumbbell lateral exercises are one of the most misunderstood moves. Therefore, the correct form is an important point.
  • The arms should not be held too straight, the elbows should be slightly bent. This makes you feel more of your shoulder muscles and also protects your elbow joints. When the arms are held straight, more tension and strain is placed on the arms.
  • In the lateral movement, attention should be paid to lifting the area between the shoulder and elbow as the weights are lifted. Do not use force from the wrists.

How many sets of lateral raises should be done?


The number of sets and reps in the Lateral Raise movement can vary depending on your personal goals, training program and level of training.


Generally, however, three or even four times a week is recommended. 3-4 sets of 10-12, 12-15 or 20+ reps. If you want wider and bigger shoulders, you can do 5-6 pump sets with 5kg or 7.5kg weights by pushing a little harder. Do not work with extra heavy weights, as the shoulders are fragile and can be injured. Inhale as you raise your arms and inhale as you lower them. Reach into the wall in front of you as you raise your arms to target your muscles deeper.


What are the benefits of lateral movement?


The Lateral Raise move has many benefits. These can be:


  • Development of shoulder muscles: You can develop and expand the shoulder muscles by affecting the anterior shoulder and side shoulder muscles with the lateral raise, that is, the shoulder opening movement.
  • Developing the shoulder heads: Since the lateral raises are affected by the deltoid muscle groups, developing or splitting the shoulder blades is a very effective shoulder move.
  • Serratus Anterior Muscle Development: The serratus anterior muscle, known as the boxer muscle, is a very difficult muscle group to develop. The serratus anterior muscle, which is located between the lower chest and abdominal muscles, can be developed with the lateral movement.
  • Increases shoulder stability: Increases the stability of the shoulder area. This helps make the shoulders stronger and more stable and reduces the risk of injury.
  • Improves Posture: It also works the muscles in the upper part of the back. This improves your posture and can help reduce back pain.
  • Functional benefits: By supporting the strengthening of the shoulder muscles, it can help you perform better in everyday life and other sports.

In addition to these benefits, the Lateral Raise move is an easy exercise and can be practiced by athletes of all skill levels.


What can be done as an alternative to barbell lateral movement?


Alternatives to Dumbbel Lateral Raise;


  • Standing Side Raise,
  • Seated Side Raise,
  • dumbbell side lateral raise,
  • sideways side raise,
  • Lateral elevations can be listed as .

What are the mistakes made?




Common mistakes when performing the Lateral Raise include:


  • Using the wrong weight: The weight used in the Lateral Raise move should be light enough to ensure you can perform the move correctly. Otherwise, you may perform the movement incorrectly and cause shoulder injuries.
  • Accelerate movement: The lateral movement must be performed slowly and in a controlled manner. Speeding up the movement does not put sufficient strain on the muscles and can increase the risk of injury.
  • Lifting your shoulders: Avoid shrugging your shoulders as you perform the movement. Bringing your shoulders closer to your ears can cause shoulder injuries.
  • Lock Elbows: Your elbows should not be fully locked during the movement. This can put too much pressure on the joints, increasing the risk of injury.
  • Arching your back as you do the move: Be careful not to arch your back during the movement. Proper posture can help prevent shoulder injuries.
  • Accelerate when returning to the starting position: After you are done with the movement, avoid lowering the weights quickly. This can put too much pressure on the joints, increasing the risk of injury.

To correctly perform the Lateral Raise movement, it is necessary to perform the movement slowly and in a controlled manner, use the correct weight, do not lock the elbows and make sure that your back does not arch. Unburdening is extremely important.


In summary


In the article, We have discussed in detail how to perform the lateral movement. And we talked about common mistakes. In summary, the Lateral Raise Movement, exercise targets the shoulder muscles and helps the shoulders look wider, stronger and more attractive. It also helps prevent shoulder injuries by increasing the stability of the shoulder area. The correct and regular application of the lateral movement movements will ensure high efficiency and will give the person the physical and mental strength, appearance and development that he or she dreams of.

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