The Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise is a dynamic isolation exercise that focuses on developing the shoulder muscles. Proper form and execution is important to avoid injuries.
The workout is more of an easy intermediate exercise, which is great for muscle mass increase and symmetry.
HOW TO DO SEATED DUMBBELL LATERAL RAISE PROPERLY
For any assistance or arm injuries, talk to your trainer/gym instructor. Make sure to use weights that best match your muscle strength to avoid injuries and improper execution.
How to do it:
- Grab two dumbbells with the same weight and hold each on one hand.
- Brace your core and seat up straight on a workout bench with your feet shoulder width apart on the edge.
- Hold the dumbbells at your sides with palms facing in and create a few inches of distance between your sides and the dumbbells. This is your starting position.
- Inhale as you raise the dumbbells up to your shoulder height. Maintain a slight elbow bend as you raise the dumbbells.
- Hold the position for a count of two then slowly lower the dumbbells back to your starting point as you exhale.
- Make sure to keep your back straight and elbows slightly bent throughout the motion.
- Do 3 sets of 8-10 reps.
WHAT MUSCLES DO SEATED DUMBBELL LATERAL RAISE WORK
DELTOID MUSCLES
The deltoid muscles have 3 parts or heads namely Anterior (front) deltoid, Lateral (middle) deltoid and the Posterior (rear) deltoid. Among the 3, the lateral deltoid is the target muscle for this workout because it is the muscles that helps your arms do the lateral raise.
All the shoulder (deltoid) muscles get to be worked on effectively by the workout, which with consistency get to develop and strengthen.
For bulk and well-defined shoulders, Seated Dumbbell Lateral raise is a great start.
TRAPEZIUS
Responsible for spine stabilization and posture, the trapezius muscle helps with shoulder and arm movements.
Being a synergists muscle in this workout, the muscle assists in maintaining an upright posture and stabilize the spine when raising your arms with the dumbbells.
ABDOMINL MUSCLES
The core definitely has a part to play when raising the dumbbells since it provides support and balance. By bracing or contracting your trunk muscles, it helps you get balance and stability while doing the lateral movement.
SEATED DUMBBELL LATERAL RAISE BENEFITS
SHOULDER MUSCLES DEVELOPMNENT AND STRENGTHENING
Shoulder muscle build up and strengthening is what this workout is for and it is pretty obvious this is a must have workout in your workout plan.
Strong shoulders provide safety and protection to your shoulder joints from dislocation and injuries when advancing to more weights and challenging workouts.
Stronger shoulder muscles results to seamless incorporation of numerous upper body workouts due to increases muscle endurance and strength.
POSTURE REINFORCEMENT
Almost every workout advocates for a straight back when working out which helps to reinforce and improve your posture.
Maintaining a straight posture when working out helps keep a neutral spine and relieve back tension and pain.
INCREASE ARM FLEXIBILITY
The arm muscles may not be the target for this workout but with their involvement in the lateral raise, the arm muscles get to stretch and contract, which increases arm flexibility and mobility.
This way, you can relieve muscle tension and have flexible joints.
ALTERNATIVES TO SEATED DUMBBELL LATERAL RAISE
SHOULDER PRESS
Shoulder press is a great alternative for Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise since it similarly works on shoulder growth.
How to do it:
- Grab two dumbbells each on one hand and stand with feet shoulder width apart.
- Bend at the elbows and lift the dumbbells to be by your shoulders side with palms facing forward. This is your starting position.
- Exhale as you press the dumbbells above your head. Maintain slightly bent elbows as you press upwards.
- Hold the position for two counts and then inhale as you lower the dumbbells back to your starting position.
- Do 2 sets of 8-10 reps.
PIKE PUSHUPS
Pike push up shifts the focus from the common chest muscles to shoulder muscles.
The technique is not like the classic pushups that target the chest muscles; it focuses on developing the shoulder muscles, which makes it a good weightless alternative.
How to do it:
- Start by kneeling down and place your hands directly below your shoulders. This is your starting position.
- Push your hips up in the air so that your body makes a triangular shape with the floor. Your head should be in between your hands as you face your knees.
- Slowly bend at the elbows until your forehead is close to the ground and your elbows are bending at a 45 degrees angle. Like a high pushup.
- Stretch your arms back to the triangular position and then back to your starting position.
- Do the technique in a smooth seamless motion so that you can maintain a good breathing pattern throughout the workout.
- Do 2 sets of 6-8 reps.
SEATED DUMBBELL LATERAL RAISE MISTAKES TO AVOID
CURVES/ROUNDED BACK
Rounding your back hurts your spine and can lead to never-ending backaches. Having a straight back helps position the spine in a good position to withstand the tension and reinforce a good posture.
SWINGING MOVEMENT
The weights may take a toll on your muscles and find yourself swinging to relieve the tension. This shifts your focus from the primary muscles to others.
The focus for this workout is the deltoid muscles so maintain a proper form and technique to achieve the main goal of shoulder muscle build up.
OVERBENDING AT THE ELBOWS
Bending the elbows will shift the technique from lateral raise to fly technique that works on different muscles.
Keep a slight elbow bend to work on the deltoid muscles effectively.
CONCLUSION
Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise is a great isolation workout for the shoulder muscles as it helps build shoulder muscle mass and strength.
Strengthening the shoulder muscles helps protect the shoulder joint from most injuries acquired from challenging working outs or activities.
The workout is very convenient since you can do it at the comfort of your home.
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