The Worst Lateral Raise Mistakes You're Probably Making (and How To Fix Them)

This series will zoom in on one exercise at a time and point out common errors and how you can fix them. At the end of the day, nothing is dogma, and your technique should be the one that gives you the highest stimulus at the lowest cost of fatigue. To make sure you're getting the best of both worlds, check out our SFR video: bit.ly/3GWcfa7
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[@JMUDoc]

"The negative is half the rep" is something my first trainer told me when I first started twenty years ago. Solid gold advice.

[@brainhakker7133]

I was the first person to Preach the Importance of Eccentric and controlling it ..... So , YOU'RE WELCOME !!

[@YyNRCyY]

@@brainhakker7133 oh wow thanks Brian Hakker for being the first person to have this thought, you're a GENIUS.. WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT YOU!!!!!!

[@deedumeday518]

@@brainhakker7133 thanks brain hakker

[@djsonicc]

all about that Time Under Tension

[@Jafmanz]

Im actually inclined to believe it is more than half the rep.

[@hermanortez982]

I used to do side laterals with 35 lb dumbbells with shit form like an idiot. I decided to drop the weight way down to 10lbs with strict form, working my way back up to the 25's after MONTHS. The end result is that my side delts have made significant gains. They used to be flat and non-existent but people have noticed the improvement. Took about a year for serious change.

[@Zanderjordantorres]

Hell yeah brother

[@Succer]

I had to drop it to 7.5 lbs. I think I have a mobility issue.

[@notacyborg1717]

We've all been there brother. Congrats on the reminder and success

[@Jk-zv6tz]

"People in the gym" 😂😂 500 for things that never happened

[@hermanortez982]

@@Jk-zv6tz ???

[@ql1couk]

"Dont run away from the stimulus, run towards it!" Words to live by

[@user-xy8wt8il6o]

Don't avoid soul burn avoid soul weakness the way of perfection

[@mx_nana_banana]

the phrase is say to myself when doing certain exercises is “chase the tension”

[@WolfCoaching]

TIMESTAMPS 0:10 Intro - why do we do lateral raises? 1:50 Mistake #1 - Not enough range of motion 2:56 Mistake #2 - Too much range of motion 4:02 Mistake #3 - No standardized/consistent range of motion 5:30 Mistake #4 - No eccentric control 6:50 Mistake #5 - Thumbs drifting up 7:38 Mistake #6 - Using body English 9:03 Mistake #7 - Being too strict 10:14 Mistake #8 - Elbows either too flexed or too extended 11:50 Mistake #9 - Grip becoming the limiting factor 13:13 Mistake #10 - Poor stimulus 14:53 Mistake #11 - Going too heavy 16:43 Outro

[@sircumsalot_____2779]

Thank you. The layout of these videos feels all over the place and so hard to follow

[@yakiniku171]

Thanks. Help me very well.

[@issameharchane3009]

thanks

[@THEDRAWINGSTUDIO1]

Timespam homies are the reason why we should have faith in humanity.

[@gmotwmirl]

Bruh you know the name of the intro song?

[@Killerkraft975]

I never did much volume before on side delts, and now after doing 15+ reps while decreasing the weight, i really do feel the delt fatigue and I can’t stress enough how important high reps are.

[@Luke-ty2cj]

what about lateral raise machine?

[@schmui]

​@@Luke-ty2cj They exist.

[@Drenmii]

Been doing standing lateral raises forever. After I tried it sitting, I felt my side delts for the first time. And boy did I feel it.

[@bestlobjagamer348]

same bruh, changed from standing to sitting lateral raise + lowered weight a little. i use slight momentum to ascend but i control weight when decending, my side delts are burning

[@mg2jj]

Nobody curses so nicely and calmly as Dr. Mike. Calls out the BS while also informing. 👍

[@deathhockey19]

Regarding thumbs up, I find that I have to. The internal Rotation caused from pinkys up causing my left shoulder to hurt and click. But thumbs up (externally rotated shoulder) doesn't hurt at all. So I compensate by leaning forward 20 odd degrees till I feel my side delta take over.

[@curtissmolen4411]

Jeff Cavaliere has a good video about that.

[@jasonabercrombie7869]

I don’t know why everyone doesn’t do that. Slight external rotation might shift the focus to your front delts, but it also opens your shoulder joint up so that the head of your humerus isn’t crushing all the tendons above it into the acromion process. By bending forward a bit you change the angle of pull to put the focus back on your middle delts even with the slight external rotation. There is ZERO downside. It’s safer, and you’re perfectly isolating the muscle your after. Granted, not everyone will develop shoulder problems from doing standard lateral raises, or upright rows. However, just because some people do them with no pain now doesn’t mean they won’t feel horrible after years of doing them. If you can accomplish the same thing in a safer way with no extra effort at all... why wouldn’t you?

[@flameshock11]

I have proximal biceps tendinitis and I highly recommend this, virtually no pain, and I can actually feel my medial delts contract even more...thanks Jeff Cavaliere

[@DCJayhawk57]

@@jasonabercrombie7869 Agree completely. To me, you just want the muscle you're working to be facing to the ceiling. I have also found that leaning forward allows you to stay in the scapular plane more easily. I use this same principle when doing barbell shrugs. It's amazing how a little forward lean allows you to squeeze the traps and rotate the scapula.

[@ruzhyophoenix4370]

I'm glad someone else said that as I was gonna say the same. Internal rotation+elevation, no thanka

[@ant7891]

It's validating that Dr. Mike mentions it's hard to get side delts sore. I struggled with this a lot until I started doing drop sets at the end of the exercise.

[@Eizengoldt]

What is a drop set

[@anshpatel1163]

​@@Eizengoldt When after failure,you lower the weight and continue the set. For example you did lateral raise with 10kg for 5 reps and are not able to do more, you drop the weight to say 7.5 and continue

[@dimanaboytcheva7078]

Two videos with Dr Mike in one day! Must be a miracle! Thanks for RP for providing us with this quality content!

[@Bit2brain]

Mike gives the best explanations for proper technique. Extremely specific without going into the weeds and killing interest. These series of technique videos are definitely some of the best on YT.

[@chrisolevich7538]

First time iv’e scene this series. After lifting for so many years much of this is lot of common sense, but I love how u pick apart these exercises. Always something new to learn or incorporate. Look forward to watching the rest of your videos! Thankyou!

[@krishnapatel3877]

“Your hips are not your side delts”. Damn, if only I knew 5 years ago.

[@grasshopper3918]

me too :-)

[@KimikoMaui]

Lolllll best statement

[@QooQooHK]

this is probably the best lateral raise video I've ever watched.

[@nickcustodi592]

Mike is an amazing person for doing this type of video series.

[@Hosenanzugtasche]

Jeff Cavaliere: inaudible screeching

[@willmoffat2979]

Catbus Driver ahahahahhaha fax, not too much internal rotation but it’s def not external rotation colour me disappointed

[@kimjongun2536]

@@willmoffat2979 tbf most people who internally rotate when doing them keep their elbow stupidly higher than their wrist instead of putting their pinky slightly up

[@davidec.4021]

He might learn something

[@brca89851]

Yeah always thought the was strange

[@dalebowry9152]

Yeah. That pinky up instruction is the antithesis of what Jeff Cavaliere would've instructed. Internal rotation of the gleno-humeral joint.

[@gustavolealgomes5448]

Please, do Stiff Legged Deadlift !!

[@williamsheppard2026]

Brother GG yes! I think it’d be awesome to do it alongside good mornings as a general hip hinge technique video.

[@SirKenshinHimura]

Single Leg DL...never feels like I'm doing them right 😭

[@frodothehobo9938]

you do a deadlift...with stiffer legs. typically in a normal deadlift you would bend your knees until they are flush with your elbows with the bar over your mid foot, in a stiff leg deadlift you only bend your knees to the extent that is nessecary to get your hands on the bar without rounding your lower back. the thing with these kinds of variations like stiff leg deadlift/close grip bench press is that words like stiff/close are relative. how flexible your hamstrings are will determine to what level of knee bend you need. how much low back/thoracic flexion can you tolerate will also determine that. dan green is well known for doing very stiff leg beltless deadlifts off a 3.5 inch deficit which sounds amazing but i'm sure he works for many years building up that tolerance and hamstring flexibility and didn't get to those overnight.

[@Mufflnz]

Please keep these coming Mike, have learned a lot. Many Thanks.

[@BSBBandFitness]

man you're the absolute best at providing information. I agree with literally everything you have ever said.

[@gascon861]

I love the extremely informative and useful content, the way you talk, the jokes, everything! Best bodybuilding video channel ever! 👏👏👏

[@blitzjazz4107]

This was reaaally helpful. Praise RP!

[@RubenFRS]

Cable row would be nice, I see soooo many variations in the gym, people who lean forward to stretch the lats and come back with the rowing motion, some people have a much more strict torso position, some pull low, some pull high. I usually advise to just "do what feels right for you, gives you a pump and makes you sore and stick to it" but I'd love to hear your take on it!

[@rudyrich9817]

There is not one way to skin the cat

[@thegreatestmantoevrwlkthep9986]

rudy rich but there is a better than the others way

[@Cegros]

Your method is the “right” way. You seem to realize that there’s no universally “perfect form” for everybody. We all require slight tweaks to exercises :)

[@ffrob2001]

Thank you so much for these videos!!! They are great for making sure I have not lost focus and getting me back into where I need to be

[@TailoredTechnique]

Such amazing info brother! Thanks!

[@SuperVOVANCHO]

great info and forma, the questions about side delts is closed for good

[@motorizedlifting2534]

Love the channel brother! Excellent advice on every video I've watched, possibly the best on youtube.

[@mattehansen646]

keep em coming mike!! This is great!!

[@user-bv7jc]

Thank you so much. Can't believe these videos are free...

[@rektagon1547]

not only is this great advice but Dr Mike's delivery is impeccable. Idk how many takes they're doing, but based on the sit down style videos I"m convinced this man is nailing these monologues in one take, perfectly executed.

[@thereallehasa]

Thanks for the great content Mike. Been following for years and really appreciate this series. The bread and butter lunge pls pls pls fix that for us

[@darrunn]

Absolutely brilliant content here Mike I'm very grateful! I'd love to see a barbell row tutorial that's something that I'm not really sure that I'm doing right.

[@joaogabrielonofre7297]

What got me into the channel and made me a subscriber was, apart from all the knowledge that Mike has, he seems like a genuine nice guy =)

[@RoryDavidWatts]

Excellent video. Next: barbell rows, lat pulldowns or face pulls. I almost never feel like i'm doing this correctly.

[@TheChaavezz]

Jeff cavalier has great videos on face pulls as well, if you want to check him out.

[@turritobowl]

This video was great! Please do more like this, specially for quads.

[@Henry-yi4rg]

Excellent content. Good advice

[@Langey_Fitness]

Perfect video for literally anyone looking to learn how to lift. Yes, amazing tips for lateral raise, but every bit of this is golden advice.

[@mattiaderobertis1069]

We really appreciate these videos, thank you

[@xCHICAGOTPx]

Can’t believe this was put out for free - real valuable information (that you would think would be common sense for most folks) I’d love to see calves or lats covered next! Go through the whole body!

[@dennis12345674]

great series coach 💯

[@ihaulscrap]

very informative, thx.

[@damienbyt]

You have amazing videos on this channel, thank you!!!

[@kingdavey87]

This video is magnificent, thanks for the great info!

[@victorognev6263]

Cable face pulls next please!

[@ahmedam77]

Very helpful! Thanks a lot

[@M530H]

Awesome video. Please keep them coming. My suggestion would be inclined dumbbell press. My right elbow hurts after performing these and I've been trying to make adjustments to correct this. My left side gets the correct stimulus in the upper chest which is what I'm targeting. I have done these unilaterally with lighter weight and still having a hard time figuring out what I'm doing wrong.

[@lordmeragun]

I'm glad I saw this because ive been keeping those traps in timeout during my lateral raises.

[@TheGuySmiling]

You crack me up. I really appreciate your sense of humor as much or more than your valuable lessons! : )

[@DEFYfitness]

Love your content. Would love to see a breakdown of the upright row.

[@gianlonewolf9234]

Both Mike and Jeff are right. just different takes on it.But yes i developed big delts when i dont mind my traps. And i also fixed my shoulder pain when i dont engage my traps. so i combine their takes and i fix both hehehe. Thanks Mike MD. You are my idol!

[@EmmaStevensStrengthHut]

Love your content Mike. My hero 💪🏻

[@rothotborski]

I'm really suffering hard from Trapeziooverhypertrophia and I'm so glad that Dr. Mike doesn't mind...

[@jeremyleinen6812]

Really enjoy mike's commentary. Really brainy guy but super down to earth and really funny. It's especially entertaining when he and menno henselmans are going back and forth- they're both on the same level intellectually but polar opposites in terms of delivery.

[@johnmckeron3663]

Great tip on shoulder lateral raises DR mike

[@timthetallman6651]

Hi Mike, great video! Definitely gonna be making sure I'm sticking to these points to get the most out of this movement. I am curious as to your thoughts in regards to people talking about potential shoulder impingement from "Pinkies up" during this exercise. Obviously the goal here is hypertrophy but for some one who is also quite focused with lengevitiy could it be possibly a good idea to have the thumbs slightly higher or is it really not an issue at all? Any research into this topic would be greatly appreciated if anyone has anything, I haven't been able to find much on either side of the fence.

[@chibbyylol]

Athlean-X has a video on this I believe but the gist of it is to lean forward then have your thumbs facing up. Doing this has the force now perpendicular to your medial delt rather your anterior delt if you were to stand upright

[@chenlu666]

Just go thumb slightly up while tilting forward just a tiny bit.

[@gregoryburne5251]

Learnt a lot. Cheers .

[@Omenoffate14]

This is golden thank you

[@greenpighunter6930]

Thanks Mike

[@jeremypalmerinFinland]

I am a fairly skinny runner and I have no business here in general, but I watched to learn and I did learn. Thank you for the information and good video. Even runners need some upper body strength.

[@brettdanis4142]

I love your videos, content and delivery are always spot on. A few questions about lateral raises. 1. Does doing them seatted make any difference? Especially in regards to cheating. 2. are you better off to do them on cables to better match the strength/ resistance curves? 3. what path should your hands take? At the bottom of the movement should they be at your sides or in front of you?

[@larrywilliams8063]

Preface by saying I am not a trainer... 1. Seated reps will eliminate nearly all of your body movement influence. However, this is not always a good thing. Minor body movements are natural and can be beneficial to your training. As he mentioned in the video, you know (feel) when you are cheating the movement. 2. I think this is personal preference. Bands, cables, dumbbells; whatever works best for the health of your shoulder. I had a pretty severe shoulder injury and the mechanics of using cables hurts my joint. Maybe it's psychological, but dumbbells do not cause any discomfort. 3. Just in front of your hip works best for me, as long as the weight maintains tension. Keep your delts engaged, if you cannot, then shorten your range of motion on the bottom.

[@Jmd886]

Hip Hinge, using a Static hip hinge to anchor yourself in place for the lateral raise. 1. Eliminates the possibility to use lumbar or lower back to help move the weight. 2. The first part of the lateral raise from the standing position has very little deltoid engagement. The hip hinge eliminates unnecessary Rom that doesn’t provide muscle stimulus on the Deltoid. 3. Makes it easier to access all heads of the deltoid through the ROM in one easy movement vs doing lateral and front raises. 4. Muscle activation of the deltoids is more natural as the weight is “swinging” the whole time, even after failure. (Not interrupted by other muscles engagement past failure)

[@user-pl7cr4fk9u]

Great tips I always stress control of weight in both motions thank you for teaching proper techniques.

[@Toys4Life]

Love the no nonsense style!

[@synistargg2502]

I cant believe ive veen working out for over a year now and just discovered this channel. Woooow so much to learn from here. Looks like my yt watch list is full for the next 5yrs 😂

[@voyer1999]

Another great video

[@KimikoMaui]

I naturally like 30 reps with 10lbs dropped to 5 half way through. Some friends thought my weight was too light and i did too many reps. It's the only way I feel the burn and hit a stimulus point..plus I tore my shoulder cuffs and it's not worth the ego gains. On top of that I do alot of handstands because they feel amazing and I want to save my shoulders for the fun stuff. I cut down my front raises or push and I increase rear delts by a small bit to help stabilize my handstands. So glad to no I was listening to the right sensations and made the right choice.

[@adrikkrakhim1]

This was great!

[@kartiksingh8605]

Maaaaaaaan needed this video

[@marc2638]

I now watch 4 KZbin channels that offer great great advice. 👍 love this channel

[@chronometa]

Now I don't have to sift through all the KZbin BS for good content about form.

[@ronrobichaud5386]

H

[@lunamamans7326]

What is your profile picture? It looks really cool.

[@Enmanuel_V6]

Perfect. thanks

[@marioparra9337]

Awesome video!!

[@genericviking8176]

I would love too see an episode on OHP form. Sorry if its already been done.

[@moikanos11]

finally the soon to be goto channel for everything hypertrophy related

[@UshiroJime]

Thanks! It helps a lot

[@justinsbeaver9010]

Hey Mike I got an exercisse I'd love to see : All of them! Thanks.

[@TheMrFaacu]

solid advices.

[@karinamoreno1412]

Loved everything

[@keroloskamal8138]

Thanks

[@pogchamp1038]

Thank you

[@JoesFitness101]

Great vid...I'm glad I bought a lateral raise machine. But sometimes I need dumbbells and a good lesson on technique. Thanks....😊

[@atozbodyfitness6311]

good video and explanation. It's important people realize they need to think about moving up and away so that they can activate their delts more. also keeping their traps disengaged while doing it as well. as you bring up your arms to also stick your chest ur as well so that you can allow the delts to activate better.

[@wayneking9693]

Incredible advice

[@davidhoskins6799]

Pure gold.....

[@TigerShark316]

Yes. Versa grips are amazing!! Best gear investment ever!

[@garymurfee4290]

This is great

[@coreycheng9926]

thank you

[@Staroy]

6:21 50 light year as a measure of time, you truly are Science idd

[@yoelmorales208]

What a amazing video

[@edmundkempersdartboard173]

Hope Joey got a belly rub and treat after this.

[@willjvallejos]

I love the “pinky’s up, thumbs down” example. It really helps getting the mind muscle connection 👎🏼🔥

[@lhoffmom]

Stuck at home - would love to see some squat, deadlift, flye, press variations using only dumbbells.

[@Wolf_Templar]

Thanks doc.

[@joshverish4419]

Hey Dr. Mike. Great video. A light years are a unit of distance though, not time.

[@Wheysted82]

Love your videos i would love to see the proper upright rows exercise thanks

[@bennygilligan]

I would love to see the upright row done with proper form please, thanks for the great videos

[@SEAKPhotog]

Thanks for this! I'm bending my elbows too much. Gonna have to adjust next time I'm doing side delts. Good to know. 👍🏻

[@zacharybloom5871]

Been wanting to try Versa Grips for a while. Heard good things. I have figure 8 straps from Pioneer and they're amazing.👍

[@steveorevo]

Love my versa grips. Using them for decades.

[@Kezzabezza1987]

Would love to see a video about the correct way to do an OHP. I can’t seem to get a comfortable position for my shoulders. They just love to click and clack and I have tried different hand positions too. Any help would be awesome. P.s. I have been using Dumbbells instead but don’t want to miss out on any benefits I may get from OHP

[@felldin]

I found some on the ohp that worked for me. About grip width. When the bar is at its lowest position your forearms should be parallel to the floor. Lift the bar straight up moving your head back and out of the way and once the bar is passed your head, poke it through your arms. Most importantly, shoulders back and down at all times. Can't remember the name of the guy who made that video though.

[@spideylover4105]

Tbh you're better off with DB's.

[@jessemorrison7420]

8:00 😂😂 I'm dead

[@jjking8577]

The zoom in all perfect