Egyptian Lateral Raise
The leaning dumbbell lateral raise is the dumbbell version of the Egyptian lateral raise: a one-arm shoulder isolation exercise in which you hold a fixed upright, lean away from it and raise a dumbbell out to your side. It works the side of the shoulder (lateral deltoid), and the lean moves the hardest part of the lift nearer the bottom of the movement than an upright raise.
Also called: Egyptian Lateral Raises, Egyptian Raise, Egyptian Side Raise, Lean-Away Lateral Raise · Equipment: strength · Pattern: push
Step by step
- Stand side-on to a sturdy upright such as a rack post, holding a dumbbell in the hand furthest from it.
- Grip the upright with your near hand at about chest height. Set your feet close to its base and lean away until your holding arm is straight and your body is about 15–30° from vertical.
- Let the dumbbell hang below your shoulder with a slight bend in your elbow.
- Raise your arm out to the side, leading with your elbow and keeping your palm facing the floor, until your upper arm is level with your shoulder.
- Pause briefly at shoulder height with your shoulder held down away from your ear.
- Bring the dumbbell back down under control, taking about 2 seconds.
- Keep your lean and torso still throughout. Complete the reps on one side, then change sides.
- Lean away, holding arm straight
- Lead with your elbow
- Raise to shoulder height
- Shoulder down away from your ear
- Torso still, only the arm moves
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Lateral deltoid | Prime mover | C |
| Supraspinatus | Secondary | C |
| Anterior deltoid | Secondary | C |
| Trapezius: upper | Secondary | D |
| Rotator cuff | Stabiliser | D |
| Posterior deltoid | Stabiliser | D |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Swinging the dumbbell up
Fix: Hold your lean still and raise at a steady pace.
Losing the lean mid-set
Fix: Keep your holding arm straight and your body at the same angle.
Shrugging as the arm rises
Fix: Keep your shoulder down away from your ear as you raise.
Hand rising above the elbow
Fix: Lead with your elbow and keep your hand level with or below it.
Dropping the dumbbell back down
Fix: Take about 2 seconds to bring the dumbbell back down.
What the research says
Muscle growthRehab & prehabGeneral fitnessEndurance
- Implement — A study comparing dumbbell and cable lateral raises found equivalent side-delt growth over 8 weeks when range of motion was matched. There is no direct research on the leaning dumbbell raise.
- Load and reps — Research finds muscle growth is similar across a wide range of loads when sets are taken close to failure. Lateral raises are commonly done for 10–20 reps.
- Volume — Research links more weekly sets for a muscle to more growth, with diminishing returns.
- Tempo — Studies find similar muscle growth across rep durations of about 0.5–8 seconds, so a controlled 2-second return sits within the researched range.
Log the egyptian lateral raise in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.