Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise
The dumbbell lying one-arm rear lateral raise has you lie on your side on a flat bench and raise a dumbbell up and back, working the rear deltoid on one shoulder at a time. Lying on your side removes any chance of using your torso to help swing the weight, so the back of the shoulder has to do the lifting alone. It's a useful move for anyone whose shoulders round forward from a lot of pressing and pulling in front of the body, since the rear delt is easy to neglect otherwise.
Why it works
The rear deltoid sits on the back of the shoulder and pulls the arm out and behind the body, a direction most gym exercises rarely train directly. Lying on your side pins your torso against the bench, which takes away the option of rocking or twisting to help the dumbbell up, the way a standing bent-over version can allow. With the cheat removed and only one arm working, the rear delt on that side has to generate the entire raise by itself, which makes it easier to actually feel the muscle working instead of the trap or lat sneaking in to take over.
Set up
- Lie on your side on a flat bench with your head supported and your bottom arm bracing you for balance.
- Hold a light dumbbell in your top hand, letting your arm hang down in front of your chest.
- Bend your top knee slightly forward or brace your feet against the bench for a stable base.
How to do it
- Keeping a slight, fixed bend in your elbow, raise the dumbbell up and back in an arc.
- Lift until your arm reaches roughly shoulder height, or until you feel your shoulder blade start to pull toward your spine.
- Pause briefly at the top of the movement.
- Lower the dumbbell back down slowly along the same path.
- Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other shoulder.
Form cues
- Raise up and back, not straight up.
- Keep a slight, fixed bend in the elbow.
- Lead with your elbow, not your hand.
- Keep your torso pinned to the bench.
Breathing: Exhale as you raise the dumbbell up and back, inhale as you lower it back down.
Common mistakes
Rolling the torso backward to help swing the dumbbell up.
Fix: Brace your bottom arm and hips against the bench and keep your torso still through the entire rep.
Using a weight so heavy that the movement turns into a short, jerky pull instead of a controlled raise.
Fix: Lighten the dumbbell until you can raise it smoothly through the full range without any jerking.
Straightening or locking out the elbow completely during the raise.
Fix: Keep a small, constant bend in your elbow throughout, similar to holding a curved shape rather than a straight rod.
How to program it
- This trains a small, often underworked muscle, so it recovers quickly and can be done two or three times a week without much soreness.
- 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps per side with a light dumbbell is enough to build real rear-delt strength over time.
- It pairs naturally with front-of-shoulder or chest pressing work in the same session, since it balances out all the forward-facing pushing most programs are already heavy on.
- If your shoulder blade isn't moving and only your arm is, drop the weight further before adding more reps.
Safety notes
- Use a light dumbbell for this movement; the rear delt is small and doesn't need heavy loading to respond.
- Keep the raise below the point where your shoulder starts to hike up toward your ear.
Exercise profile
- Force
- Pull
- Mechanics
- Isolation
- Category
- Strength
Frequently asked questions
How many sets of dumbbell lying one-arm rear lateral raises should I do?
2 to 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps per side with a light dumbbell is a good starting point. This is accessory work, so it doesn't need heavy loads or high volume to be effective.
What can I use instead if I don't have a flat bench?
A cable rear delt fly trains the same back-of-the-shoulder pattern from a cable station, with the added benefit of constant tension through the whole range.
Why can't I feel this exercise in my rear delt?
Most people either use too much weight or let the torso roll to help the arm up. Lighten the dumbbell, keep your torso pinned to the bench, and focus on pulling your shoulder blade toward your spine as you raise.
Is the rear lateral raise worth doing if I already do rows?
Rows hit the rear delt to some degree, but as a secondary muscle rather than the main target. A dedicated rear raise isolates it more directly, which helps if your shoulders tend to round forward.