Lateral raise form: height and even arms
Lateral raises go wrong in two ways: swinging the weights up past your shoulders, or one arm trailing the other. GymSensei watches both arms from the front.
How to do it
- Stand tall with light dumbbells at your sides.
- Keep a slight bend in your elbows and raise your arms out to the sides.
- Stop when your arms are level with your shoulders.
- Lower slowly. The way down matters as much as the way up.
What counts as a full rep
It measures the angle between each arm and your side: about 30° with your arms down, and a rep counts at 80°, just short of shoulder height.
What the camera calls out
You hear a short cue mid-set when something's off. After the set, the report card gives you one line on whichever fault came up most.
“Stop at shoulder height”
Either arm goes past 110° from your side, well above your shoulders.
After the set: Your arms went above your shoulders. Stop when they're level, and keep it light.
“Keep both arms even”
One arm is more than 25° behind the other once the rep is under way.
After the set: One arm lagged behind. Move both together, slower if you need to.
“Lift to shoulder height”
You turn back partway through the rep. The half rep isn't counted.
After the set: Some reps stopped short. Only full reps count, so go as deep as you can control.
“Lower all the way down”
You start the next rep before finishing the last one.
After the set: You started some reps before finishing the last one. Finish each rep all the way.
“Slow down a little”
A rep takes less than a second. It still counts, but it's flagged as rushed.
After the set: Some reps were rushed. Take about 2 seconds on the way down.
Setting up your phone
Face the phone, about 2 m away, with the phone at chest height so both arms fit.
Start with your arms by your sides. Only full reps count.
Muscles worked
Mostly your shoulders.
Exercises this check works on
A tip from the coach
Go lighter than you think. Most people manage about half of what they press, and the side of the shoulder grows best from slow, strict reps.
Other exercises
Updated . General fitness and nutrition guidance, not medical advice.
Check your lateral raise on your next set
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