How many sets and reps of the seated dumbbell lateral raise should a beginner do?

Two to three sets of 12 to 15 reps is a good starting point, since sitting removes the ability to cheat with the hips and makes strict form the limiting factor. Add weight in small jumps only once every rep reaches shoulder height without a wrist drop at the top.

What can you do instead of the seated dumbbell lateral raise without a bench?

A standing dumbbell or band lateral raise trains the same middle delt, though you will need to consciously keep the torso still since a bench is no longer doing that for you.

What is the seated dumbbell lateral raise good for, and when should you stand instead?

Removing the ability to bounce the weight with the hips makes it a good choice when your standing raises have gotten sloppy or when you want a strict, high-rep finisher for the middle delt. It limits you to lighter loads than a standing raise allows, since there is no hip drive to help, so it is not the best pick on a day when the goal is to push the heaviest clean lateral raise you can manage.

Beginner

Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Sitting down anchors your torso so you cannot bounce the weight up with a knee dip or a shrug of the hips, which forces the middle delt to do the lifting. That makes it a favorite for high-rep, strict sets where clean form matters more than load. Use it when your standing raises have gotten sloppy or as a late-session finisher for the shoulders.

Equipment: Bench, Dumbbell
Body part: Shoulder
Type: Strength
Browse by muscle: Deltoid Middle
Browse by movement: Shoulder Raise

How to do it

1
Sit on the end of a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your thighs.
2
Sit tall with your chest up and let the dumbbells hang just outside your legs.
3
Brace your abs and raise both arms out to the sides with a soft bend in the elbows.
4
Stop when your upper arms reach shoulder height and your wrists are level with your elbows.
5
Lower under control back to the start without letting the weights crash into your legs.

Tips

Lead with your elbows, not your hands, so the delt does the work instead of the traps.
A slight forward lean of the torso is optional; sitting upright keeps tension purely on the side delt.
Resist the urge to swing; if you have to rock, the weight is too heavy.

Variations

Common mistakes

The wrists drop below the elbows at the top, angling the dumbbells forward as if pouring water, which shifts effort toward the front delt.
Leaning back from the hips without a backrest to catch you quietly turns the raise into a way to rest the lower back instead of isolating the shoulder.
The dumbbells crash into the thighs at the bottom of each rep because the lowering phase gets rushed, losing the tension the stretched position is there to provide.
Once the shoulders start to burn, the reps get shorter and stop well below shoulder height, cutting the top portion of the range short.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of the seated dumbbell lateral raise should a beginner do?: Two to three sets of 12 to 15 reps is a good starting point, since sitting removes the ability to cheat with the hips and makes strict form the limiting factor. Add weight in small jumps only once every rep reaches shoulder height without a wrist drop at the top.
What can you do instead of the seated dumbbell lateral raise without a bench?: A standing dumbbell or band lateral raise trains the same middle delt, though you will need to consciously keep the torso still since a bench is no longer doing that for you.
What is the seated dumbbell lateral raise good for, and when should you stand instead?: Removing the ability to bounce the weight with the hips makes it a good choice when your standing raises have gotten sloppy or when you want a strict, high-rep finisher for the middle delt. It limits you to lighter loads than a standing raise allows, since there is no hip drive to help, so it is not the best pick on a day when the goal is to push the heaviest clean lateral raise you can manage.

Related exercises

Other movements among FitRay's 2,000+ exercises that load the same target muscle — same equipment and level first.

All Shoulder exercises