Lateral raises for wider shoulders: complete guide for bodybuilders and men's physique.

Dumbbell lateral raises are one of the most effective exercises for targeting the deltoid muscles, especially the lateral (side) head of the shoulder. But there’s one often-overlooked detail that can significantly impact your results: the starting position of the dumbbells.

How to do lateral raises correctly.

Lateral raises involve lifting dumbbells out to the sides of your body, with a slight bend in your elbows, until they reach shoulder height. It’s a classic shoulder exercise, used for both muscle growth (hypertrophy) and definition.

There are two common ways to start the movement:

• With the dumbbells in front of your thighs.

• With the dumbbells at your sides.

This brings us to an important question:

What's the best starting position for lateral raises?

A common question in shoulder training.

Many people report feeling stronger when they start with the dumbbells in front, but they feel more activation in the side delts when starting from the sides.

To better understand the difference, a group of experienced bodybuilders was asked to test their 10-rep max (10RM) using both variations of the exercise.

Study Results:

• Starting in front of the thighs: average of 19 kg (total of both dumbbells).

• Starting at the sides: average of 15.4 kg,

That’s a difference of over 3 kg, or about 20% more weight lifted when starting from the front.

Why can you lift more weight from the front?

Starting lateral raises with dumbbells in front of the thighs engages more muscles, including:

• Front deltoids.

• Trapezius.

• Initial momentum or inertia.

This momentum reduces the load placed on the side delts, allowing you to lift heavier weights more easily.

What happens when you start from the sides?

When the dumbbells begin at your sides:

• Momentum is reduced.

• The lateral deltoid does almost all the work.

• Front deltoid and supraspinatus activation is minimized.

In short, the side delts are fully activated from the very start, which explains why you feel them working more, even though you can’t lift as much weight.

Which version is better for shoulder growth?

Both techniques have their advantages, depending on your training goals:

Variation	Main Benefit	Best For
Dumbbells in front	Lift more weight	Strength and general hypertrophy
Dumbbells at sides	Better side deltoid isolation	Definition and focused muscle activation

Final recommendation for deltoid training.

To achieve full side deltoid development and well-rounded shoulder strength:

👉 Include both variations in your weekly routine.
👉 Combine heavy loads (front position) with more controlled reps (side position).
👉 Always maintain strict form to avoid injury and maximize muscle engagement.