How to Perfect Your Bent Over Lateral Raise Form

Let’s
be
real
for
a
second:
getting
into
a
workout
routine
can
be
tough,
especially
when
it
feels
like
there
are
a
million
exercises
to
learn.
If
you’re
like
me,
you’ve
probably
seen
people
at
the
gym
doing
bent
over
lateral
raises
and
wondered,
“Am
I
doing
that
right?”.

This
exercise,
while
highly
effective
for
building
strong,
toned
shoulders,
can
be
a
bit
tricky
to
master.
And
that’s
exactly
why
we’re
here.
Think
of
this
as
a
friendly
guide,
just
like
a
chat
with
your
best
friend
who’s
really
into
fitness.
By
the
time
you
finish
reading,
you’ll
feel
ready
to
nail
this
move
with
confidence
and
perfect
form.

Follow
These
Steps

To
really
nail
your
bent
over
lateral
raise
form,
you
need
to
understand
how
it
works.
It’s
not
just
about
throwing
weights
around
–
it’s
about
controlled,
focused
movements
that
hit
the
right
muscles.

Step
1:
Get
into
Position

Before
you
even
think
about
lifting
those
dumbbells,
you
need
to
set
yourself
up
correctly:

1. 
   Stand
   with
   your
   feet
   shoulder-width
   apart. This
   is
   your
   base
   of
   support,
   so
   make
   sure
   you
   feel
   stable.
2. 
   Hold
   a
   dumbbell
   in
   each
   hand. Start
   with
   a
   lighter
   weight
   than
   you
   think
   you
   might
   need.
   Form
   is
   everything
   here,
   and
   going
   too
   heavy
   too
   soon
   will
   compromise
   your
   ability
   to
   perform
   the
   exercise
   correctly.
3. 
   Hinge
   at
   your
   hips,
   not
   your
   waist. This
   is
   key.
   Bend
   your
   knees
   slightly,
   and
   push
   your
   hips
   back
   as
   you
   lower
   your
   torso
   until
   it’s
   almost
   parallel
   to
   the
   floor.
   Your
   back
   should
   be
   flat,
   not
   rounded,
   and
   your
   core
   engaged
   to
   support
   your
   lower
   back.
4. 
   Let
   your
   arms
   hang
   straight
   down
   from
   your
   shoulders. Your
   palms
   should
   be
   facing
   each
   other.
   This
   is
   your
   starting
   position.

Step
2
–
The
Raise

@hayleymadiganfitness

Try
Bent
Arm
Lateral
Raises
instead
💪🏼

#weighttrainingforwomen

#lateralraise

#upperbody

♬
Hot
–
Stepz
&
Ivorian
Doll

Now
that
you’re
in
the
right
position,
it’s
time
to
start
the
movement.

1. 
   Engage
   your
   rear
   deltoids. As
   you
   lift
   the
   weights,
   think
   about
   pulling
   your
   shoulder
   blades
   together
   and
   down.
   This
   will
   help
   ensure
   that
   the
   movement
   is
   coming
   from
   your
   shoulders
   and
   not
   your
   traps
   or
   lower
   back.
2. 
   Lift
   your
   arms
   to
   the
   side. Keep
   a
   slight
   bend
   in
   your
   elbows
   as
   you
   raise
   the
   dumbbells
   out
   to
   the
   sides,
   in
   line
   with
   your
   shoulders.
   Your
   hands
   should
   be
   moving
   in
   a
   wide
   arc,
   and
   your
   arms
   should
   stay
   perpendicular
   to
   your
   torso
   throughout
   the
   movement.
3. 
   Stop
   at
   shoulder
   height. There’s
   no
   need
   to
   lift
   the
   weights
   higher
   than
   your
   shoulders.
   Going
   too
   high
   shifts
   the
   work
   away
   from
   your
   rear
   deltoids
   and
   can
   strain
   your
   neck
   and
   traps.

Step
3:
The
Lowering
Phase

Lowering
the
weights
is
just
as
important
as
lifting
them.
This
is
where
you
can
really
focus
on
controlling
the
movement.

1. 
   Lower
   the
   weights
   slowly
   and
   with
   control. Don’t
   just
   let
   gravity
   do
   the
   work.
   Take
   your
   time
   lowering
   the
   dumbbells
   back
   to
   the
   starting
   position,
   keeping
   tension
   in
   your
   muscles
   the
   entire
   time.
2. 
   Keep
   your
   core
   tight. As
   you
   lower
   the
   weights,
   make
   sure
   your
   core
   is
   engaged,
   and
   your
   back
   stays
   flat.
   This
   will
   protect
   your
   lower
   back
   and
   help
   you
   maintain
   good
   form.
3. 
   Repeat
   for
   the
   desired
   number
   of
   reps. A
   good
   starting
   point
   is
   10-12
   reps
   for
   3
   sets,
   but
   listen
   to
   your
   body
   and
   adjust
   as
   needed.

Don’t
Overlook
the
Following
Mistakes

Here
are
some
common
mistakes
and
how
you
can
avoid
them.

Using
Too
Much
Weight

It
can
be
tempting
to
grab
the
heaviest
dumbbells
on
the
rack,
but
this
exercise
is
all
about
control,
not
brute
strength.
Using
too
much
weight
often
leads
to
swinging
or
using
momentum,
which
takes
the
focus
away
from
the
rear
deltoids
and
can
strain
your
lower
back.

Start
light.
Seriously,
there’s
no
shame
in
using
5-pound
dumbbells
if
that’s
what
allows
you
to
maintain
perfect
form.
As
you
get
stronger,
you
can
gradually
increase
the
weight.

Not
Engaging
the
Core

Your
core
plays
a
crucial
role
in
stabilizing
your
body
during
the
bent
over
lateral
raise.
If
you’re
not
engaging
your
core,
you’re
putting
unnecessary
strain
on
your
lower
back,
which
can
lead
to
injury.

Before
you
start
the
exercise,
take
a
moment
to
engage
your
core.
Imagine
pulling
your
belly
button
in
toward
your
spine.
This
simple
step
can
make
a
big
difference
in
protecting
your
lower
back.

Rounding
the
Back

A
rounded
back
is
a
recipe
for
disaster
when
it
comes
to
any
exercise,
and
the
bent
over
lateral
raise
is
no
exception.
This
mistake
often
happens
when
people
don’t
hinge
at
the
hips
correctly
or
try
to
lift
too
much
weight.

Focus
on
your
hip
hinge.
Push
your
hips
back
and
keep
your
back
flat.
If
you’re
unsure
about
your
form,
practice
in
front
of
a
mirror
or
ask
a
trainer
for
feedback.

Lifting
the
Weights
Too
High

When
you
lift
the
weights
higher
than
shoulder
level,
you
shift
the
focus
away
from
your
rear
deltoids
and
onto
your
traps.
This
not
only
makes
the
exercise
less
effective
but
can
also
lead
to
neck
and
shoulder
strain.

Concentrate
on
lifting
the
weights
only
to
shoulder
height.
If
you
find
it
challenging
to
stop
at
the
right
point,
try
doing
the
exercise
in
front
of
a
mirror
or
with
a
partner
who
can
give
you
feedback.

Letting
Momentum
Take
Over

If
you’re
swinging
the
weights
or
using
momentum
to
lift
them,
you’re
missing
out
on
the
benefits
of
the
exercise.
This
often
happens
when
you’re
using
too
much
weight
or
rushing
through
the
reps.

Slow
down.
Focus
on
a
controlled,
steady
movement,
both
on
the
way
up
and
on
the
way
down.
Remember,
it’s
better
to
do
fewer
reps
with
perfect
form
than
more
reps
with
poor
form.

If
You
Want
to
Challenge
Yourself…

Once
you’ve
nailed
the
basic
form
of
the
bent
over
lateral
raise,
you
might
be
ready
to
mix
things
up
with
some
advanced
variations.
These
variations
can
add
new
challenges
to
your
routine.

1.
Single-Arm
Bent
Over
Lateral
Raise

This
variation
is
a
great
way
to
focus
on
each
side
individually,
helping
to
correct
any
imbalances
between
your
left
and
right
rear
deltoids.

2.
Bent
Over
Cable
Lateral
Raise

Using
cables
instead
of
dumbbells
can
provide
constant
tension
throughout
the
entire
range
of
motion,
which
can
be
more
challenging
for
your
muscles.

3.
Seated
Bent
Over
Lateral
Raise

The
seated
variation
eliminates
the
possibility
of
using
momentum
from
your
legs,
making
it
a
bit
more
challenging.

4.
Bent
Over
Y-Raise

The
Y-raise
is
a
variation
that
involves
lifting
the
weights
in
a
Y-shape,
which
targets
the
rear
deltoids
and
also
engages
the
traps
and
rotator
cuff
muscles.

Wrapping
It
Up

We
can
all
agree
that
sometimes
the
gym
can
feel
like
a
chore,
especially
when
you’re
working
on
perfecting
form
rather
than
just
lifting
heavy.
But
sticking
with
it
is
crucial
for
seeing
progress. 
With
the
tips
and
techniques
outlined
in
this
guide,
you’re
well
on
your
way
to
perfecting
your
bent
over
lateral
raise
and
getting
the
most
out
of
this
powerful
exercise.