Side-Lying Lateral Raise

A step-by-step form guide from the Ægir Iron exercise library: how to do the lift, what to watch for, and the muscles it trains.

HOW TO PERFORM

The Setup: Lie on your side on a floor mat or an incline bench. If using a bench, rest your torso against the pad, bend your bottom leg for stability, and let your top working arm hang down across your body.
The Starting Position: Hold a light dumbbell in your top hand. Position the weight near your front thigh or hip, keeping a very slight bend in your elbow.
The Execution: Squeeze your side deltoid to lift the weight up in a wide arc towards the ceiling. Keep your arm aligned with your torso.
The Top Position: Raise the arm until it is perpendicular to the floor (pointing straight up) or slightly before it loses tension. Pause briefly at the peak.
The Eccentric Lowering: Slowly lower the dumbbell back down under strict control to fully stretch the deltoid. Do not let the weight slam down or completely rest on your hip between reps.

Go far lighter than feels sensible. The side delt is a small muscle with terrible leverage here, and anything you have to swing up is being lifted by the traps.
Leading with the elbows and keeping the little finger slightly high is what keeps the work on the side delt instead of the front.

Log it in Ægir Iron to track your PRs and estimated 1RM, and to see the sets each muscle gets every week. Free for individual lifters.