Shoulders · Band

Lateral Raise (Band)

Capped delts with constant band tension.

Lateral Raise (Band) exercise demonstration
ShouldersBand

How to do it

  1. Stand on the middle of a band, holding an end in each hand at your sides.
  2. Raise your arms out to the sides up to shoulder height.
  3. Pause briefly with elbows slightly bent.
  4. Lower slowly, resisting the band on the way down.

The one cue that matters

Lead with your elbows and keep wrists neutral, don't shrug the traps up.

Muscles worked

Standing on a band and raising your arms out to the sides puts the side delts under a resistance that climbs as your arms rise, so the hardest moment lands exactly at shoulder height where the delts are working their hardest anyway. There's no swinging a load through the easy bottom range, the band keeps you honest from the first inch. It's the shoulder-width builder you can do anywhere, and the slow, resisted lowering is where a lot of the growth stimulus lives.

FAQ

Are band lateral raises as good as dumbbell lateral raises?

They load the movement differently. Dumbbells are hardest at the top and easy at the bottom, the band builds tension progressively and never lets the delts fully relax. Plenty of people alternate both, and if you train at home the band version covers you completely.

Why do I feel band lateral raises in my traps?

You're shrugging as you lift. Keep your shoulders pulled down away from your ears and stop the raise at shoulder height, going higher hands the work to the traps.

How do I make band lateral raises harder?

Widen your stance on the band or choke down on it to shorten the working length, both crank the tension. A slower lowering phase also adds plenty without changing bands.

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