Lateral Raise - With Bands

What it is

This isolation exercise targets your lateral deltoid muscles, which are the side portions of your shoulders. You perform this movement by lifting your arms out to the sides against the resistance of bands. It's excellent for developing broader, more defined shoulders.

Technique tips

• Keep a slight bend in your elbows throughout the movement.
• Lift your arms until they are just above shoulder height.
• As you lift, imagine pouring water from a pitcher with your hands.
• Maintain a stationary torso, avoiding any swinging.
• Exhale as you lift the resistance bands, inhale as you lower them.
• Control the descent, lowering the bands slowly.

How to track your progress

Log the weight and reps of each set. Straddly turns every set into an estimated one-rep max, so a heavier single and a strong set of eight both count as progress, and it flags a personal record the moment you beat your best.