How to do it
- Stand on one end of a band and hold the other in the opposite hand, arm hanging across your body.
- With a slight elbow bend, raise the arm out to the side until the hand reaches shoulder height.
- Lower slowly against the band, resisting all the way to the bottom.
Cues that matter
- Bands get harder as you raise, which suits this lift perfectly — do not rush the top.
- Lead with the elbow, keeping the little finger slightly higher than the thumb.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the torso to start the rep.
- Raising above shoulder height and handing the work to the traps.
Muscles worked
Primary
- Shoulders
- Side delt
Also works
- Traps
Sets and reps
What to do with it depends on what you are training for. These are the ranges MuscleMap uses when it puts Band Lateral Raise in a session, with 75 seconds between sets.
- Strength
- 6–8 reps
- Build muscle
- 10–15 reps
- Endurance
- 15–25 reps
Same muscle, different kit
Movements that train the same part of the shoulders with different equipment — for a day the resistance band is taken, or a gym that does not have one.