Dumbbell Chest Supported Lateral Raises exercise animation (Male)

Dumbbell Chest Supported Lateral Raises

Target muscle
Deltoid Posterior
Synergist muscles
Deltoid Lateral, Serratus Anterior, Trapezius Middle Fibers
Equipment
Dumbbell
Body part
Shoulders
Type
Strength

The dumbbell chest supported lateral raise is a shoulder isolation exercise performed lying chest-down on an incline bench, which primarily targets the rear deltoid (posterior deltoid). The lateral deltoid, serratus anterior, and middle trapezius assist the movement. Bracing your chest against the bench removes momentum and body english, so the rear delts do the work in a strict, controlled range.

How to do the Dumbbell Chest Supported Lateral Raises

  1. 1Set an incline bench to roughly 30–45° and grab a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. 2Lie face-down with your chest and stomach supported against the pad, feet planted for balance.
  3. 3Let your arms hang straight down from your shoulders, palms facing each other, with a slight bend in your elbows.
  4. 4Without shrugging, raise the dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc until your upper arms are roughly level with your torso.
  5. 5Squeeze your rear delts and middle traps at the top, keeping your elbows slightly higher than your wrists.
  6. 6Lower the dumbbells under control back to the start, resisting gravity the whole way down.
  7. 7Complete your reps, then set the dumbbells down and stand up carefully.

Form tips

  • Lead the movement with your elbows, not your hands, to keep tension on the rear delts instead of the front shoulders.
  • Keep your neck relaxed and your chin lightly resting or floating just off the pad to avoid straining your neck.
  • Use a lighter weight than you would for standing raises — chest support strips away momentum, so strict form is the point.
  • Pause briefly at the top of each rep and lower slowly to maximize time under tension.

Common mistakes

  • Swinging or jerking the dumbbells up, which shifts the work to momentum and defeats the purpose of bracing against the bench.
  • Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears, which overloads the upper traps instead of the rear delts.
  • Going too heavy, which forces the elbows to bend and turns the lift into a rowing motion.
  • Raising the arms straight forward instead of out to the sides, which targets the front delts rather than the rear delts.

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the dumbbell chest supported lateral raise work?

It primarily works the rear (posterior) deltoid, with the lateral deltoid, serratus anterior, and middle trapezius assisting as synergists.

Why do it chest-supported instead of standing?

Lying chest-down on an incline bench braces your torso and eliminates momentum and body swing, so the rear delts work through a strict range with no cheating.

How heavy should I go?

Lighter than you think. Because there's no momentum to help, use a weight you can control for 12–20 reps with a clean, full range of motion.

Where should I feel this exercise?

You should feel it in the back of your shoulders (rear delts) and across your upper back. If you mostly feel your traps or front delts, lower the weight and lead with your elbows.

How many sets and reps should I do?

For this isolation movement, 3–4 sets of 12–20 reps works well. Higher reps with strict form suit the rear delts better than heavy low-rep sets.

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