At a glance
- Main muscle
- Shoulders
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Rep range in Mitta
- 12 to 20 reps
- Skill level
- Beginner
- How tiring
- Low
- One side at a time
- Yes
- Weight step in Mitta
- 1 kg
How to do it
- Hold a post and lean sideways away from it.
- Raise your arm slightly in front of your body to shoulder height.
- Lower slowly until your arm hangs by your leg.
Pick a weight you can lift for 12 to 20 reps with good form, and stop each set with a few reps left in the tank. Do the same number of reps on both sides, starting with your weaker side.
Why rating B
Leaning away adds tension at the bottom, but cable vs dumbbell gave the same growth at equal range, so that advantage is unproven.1
Mitta rates every exercise from S to C, based on research where it exists and on how the exercise loads the muscle. When Mitta builds your plan it picks from S, A and B exercises and prefers ones that load the muscle at long length. C exercises are never picked automatically, but you can still choose them yourself.
Alternatives
These train the same muscle. Use one if you lack the equipment, if this exercise does not feel right, or for some variety.
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise · Dumbbell · rating A
- Cable Lateral Raise · Cable · rating A
- Side-Lying Lateral Raise · Dumbbell · rating A
Keep learning
- What is progressive overload, and how do you do it?
- How many sets per muscle per week?
- What is RIR, and how do you estimate it?
- One-rep max calculator: your max from any hard set of the lean-away dumbbell lateral raise.
Let Mitta set the weight.
Mitta plans the lean-away dumbbell lateral raise with a weight and rep target for every set, worked out from your last sessions.
Questions about the
lean-away dumbbell lateral raise
What muscles does the lean-away dumbbell lateral raise work?
The lean-away dumbbell lateral raise mainly trains your shoulders.
How many reps of the lean-away dumbbell lateral raise should I do?
Mitta plans the lean-away dumbbell lateral raise at 12 to 20 reps per set. Most sets should end with only a few reps left in the tank.
What can I do instead of the lean-away dumbbell lateral raise?
Good alternatives that train the same muscle are the dumbbell lateral raise, cable lateral raise and side-lying lateral raise.
Is the lean-away dumbbell lateral raise good for beginners?
Yes. It is easy to learn, so it suits people who are new to lifting.
Why does the lean-away dumbbell lateral raise have rating B?
Leaning away adds tension at the bottom, but cable vs dumbbell gave the same growth at equal range, so that advantage is unproven.
Sources
- Larsen et al. 2025, Front Physiol (cable vs dumbbell lateral raise bij gelijke ROM: gelijke zijdeltgroei) doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2025.1611468