One-Arm Incline Lateral Raise

One-Arm Incline Lateral Raise is a beginner-level isolation in the strength category that primarily works the shoulders. It is performed with dumbbells.

How to do it

1. 1Lie down sideways on an incline bench press with a dumbbell in the hand. Make sure the shoulder is pressing against the incline bench and the arm is lying across your body with the palm around your navel.
2. 2Hold a dumbbell in your uppermost arm while keeping it extended in front of you parallel to the floor. This is your starting position.
3. 3While keeping the dumbbell parallel to the floor at all times, perform a lateral raise. Your arm should travel straight up until it is pointing at the ceiling. Tip: Exhale as you perform this movement. Hold the dumbbell in the position and feel the contraction in the shoulders for a second.
4. 4While inhaling lower the weight across your body back into the starting position.
5. 5Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
6. 6Switch arms and repeat the movement.

Muscles worked

Primary muscles in filled badges, secondary in grey. Tap for more exercises per muscle.

Tips and common mistakes

• •Focus on the muscle contraction and control the eccentric (lowering) phase.
• •Add load only once you complete all reps with good form — progressive overload.
• •Press through the full range and avoid snapping the joints into lockout.
• •Prioritize full range of motion over heavy weight with partial reps.

Sets and reps

For hypertrophy: 3–4 sets × 8–12 reps with 1–2 reps in reserve (RPE 7–9) and 1–2 minutes rest. For strength: 3–5 × 4–6 with longer rest.