How to Do Lateral Dumbbell Raises:
- Stand tall, a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, your palms facing in. Position your feet roughly hip-distance apart. Check your posture—roll your shoulders back, engage your core, and look straight ahead.
- Raise your arms simultaneously just a couple inches out to each side and pause. This momentary pause should help ensure you disengage your trapezius muscle from the movement, targeting the deltoids as intended.
- Lift the dumbbells up and out to each side, keeping your arms almost completely straight, stopping when your elbows reach shoulder-height, and your body is forming a “T” shape. Breathe in as you lift the dumbbells.
- Pause and hold for a second at the top of the movement.
- Lower the weights slowly (take about twice as long to lower the weights as you took to lift them), bringing your arms back to your sides. Breathe out as you lower the dumbbells.
