How to Do Bent Over Lateral Raises: Form and Benefits
Master the bent over lateral raise with our step-by-step guide. Learn proper form to isolate your rear delts and build stronger, more defined shoulders.
How to Perform
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart holding a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip.
- Hinge at the hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor, maintaining a slight bend in your knees and a flat back.
- Let the weights hang directly beneath your shoulders with your elbows slightly flared and not locked out.
- Raise the dumbbells out to your sides in a wide arc by leading with your elbows until they are level with your shoulders.
- Pause for a brief second at the peak of the movement to maximize muscle contraction.
- Lower the weights slowly back to the starting position under full control avoiding any swinging momentum.
Common Mistakes
- Using excessive momentum or swinging the torso to lift the weight
- Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears which shifts load to the upper traps
- Arching or rounding the lower back instead of maintaining a neutral spine
- Tucking the elbows too close to the body during the ascent
Muscles Worked
Primary movers
- Rear Delts
Stabilizers
- Trapezius
- Rhomboids
- Lateral Delts
Related Guides
- Arm Raises (T/Y/I) — Shoulders
- Arnold Press — Shoulders
- Australian pull-ups — Shoulders
Rear Delts · Shoulders