Exercise description of the dumbbell lateral raise.  Learn about the dumbbell lateral raise with videos, pictures, and other information.  Also learn how the dumbbell lateral raise can increase your sports skills.

Primary muscles worked:   Medial Deltoid

Synergist Muscles:   Posterior Deltoid, Anterior Deltoid

Mechanics:  Isolation 

Equipment:  A pair of dumbbells

How to perform the exercise:  To perform the dumbbell lateral raise, the athlete must first grab a pair of dumbbells and stand with proper posture, allowing the palms to face the body. Next, the athlete will raise the arms up from the sides so that they are parallel to the floor. Once the arms are parallel, the athlete may return the dumbbells back to the starting position.

Spotting the exercise:  To spot the athlete during the dumbbell lateral raise, the spotter may either stand in front of, or behind the athlete. When the athlete begins to struggle, the spotter should push up on the wrists to assist the athlete through the rep. The spotter should also watch the athlete's form, and make sure the athlete does not lean or use momentum to lift the weight.

Sport specific application: The dumbbell lateral raise can be seen almost as a backhand in tennis, the movement patterns are very similiar. Also, the dumbbell lateral raise is an excellent isolation exercise for building shoulder strength; however, stabilization strength of the shoulder is also very important, and a well balanced program will include more exerises than just the dumbbell lateral raise to fully prepare the shoulder for sports.