Setup
Sit upright in the lateral raise machine with your back against the pad and adjust the seat so the pivot point aligns with your shoulder joint. Place your forearms against the pads with elbows slightly bent and grip the handles lightly.
How to do it
- Drive your elbows up and out to the sides until your upper arms are parallel to the floor
- Lead the movement with your elbows, not your hands
- Pause briefly at the top when your arms form a T-shape with your torso
- Lower with control, resisting the weight on the way down
- Keep your torso still against the backrest throughout the entire movement
Watch out for
- ✗Leaning back or using momentum to swing the weight up instead of isolating the side delts
- ✗Raising the arms too high above shoulder level, which shifts tension away from the side delts
- ✗Dropping the weight quickly on the lowering phase instead of maintaining tension