# Lateral Raise

The side-delt isolation — raise light dumbbells out to the sides until
the arms are level with the shoulders.

- **Category:** Main circuit
- **Type:** Free-weight lateral raise (dumbbells)
- **Targets:** Side delts
- **Prescription:** 3 × 12–15, light
- **Defaults:** 3 × 12 weighted

## Setup

Stand tall with light dumbbells at your sides, a slight fixed bend in
the elbows, shoulders relaxed down.

## Execution

1. Raise both arms out to the sides, leading with the elbows.
2. Stop at shoulder height — arms level, pinkies no higher than thumbs.
3. Lower slowly back to the sides.

## Cues

- Pour-the-jug: elbows stay just above the hands.
- Shoulders stay down away from the ears — no shrugging.
- The weights float up; the trunk never sways.

## Common Mistakes

- Going too heavy and swinging the weights up.
- Shrugging the traps into the raise.
- Raising past shoulder height.

## Progression

More reps before more weight; slow negatives and pauses at the top beat
bigger dumbbells here.