Plate Lateral Raise
The plate lateral raise is a shoulder isolation exercise in which you hold a weight plate in each hand by its rim and raise both arms out to your sides to shoulder height. It works the side of the shoulders (lateral deltoid), and gripping the plates also works the hands and forearms.
Also called: Weight Plate Lateral Raise, Plate Side Raise, Plate Pinch Lateral Raise · Equipment: plate · Pattern: push
Step by step
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a plate in each hand by the top of its rim, plates vertical and hanging at your sides.
- Brace your trunk, stand tall and keep a slight bend in your elbows.
- Raise both arms out to your sides, leading with your elbows, until your hands reach about shoulder height.
- Keep the plates vertical and your hands no higher than your elbows at the top.
- Pause for a moment, then bring the plates back down to your sides under control, taking about 2 seconds.
- Keep your torso still for the whole set, so only your arms move.
- After the last rep, set the plates down on the floor by bending your knees.
- Lead with your elbows
- Raise to shoulder height
- Plates vertical, grip firm
- Slow on the way down
- Arms move, body still
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Lateral deltoid: lateral | Prime mover | B |
| Anterior deltoid: anterior | Secondary | C |
| Trapezius: upper | Secondary | C |
| Forearm flexors | Stabiliser | D |
| Rotator cuff | Stabiliser | D |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Swinging the plates up
Fix: Use lighter plates, brace your trunk and keep your torso still.
Shrugging as the arms rise
Fix: Keep your shoulders down away from your ears as you raise.
Hands rising above the elbows
Fix: Lead with your elbows and keep your hands level with or below them.
Plates swinging or tilting
Fix: Grip the rim firmly and raise at a steady pace with the plates vertical.
Dropping the plates back down
Fix: Take about 2 seconds to bring the plates back to your sides.
What the research says
Muscle growthGeneral 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 plate raises, which load the same movement.
- 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.
Swap it mid-workout
- Lu Raise
- Cable Lateral Raise
- Cable Y-Raise
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise
- Lateral Raise Machine
- Leaning Cable Lateral Raise
With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.
Log the plate 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.