Band Lateral Raise from Behind: how to do it right
In short: Side delt isolation in a lateral raise, arm positioned slightly behind the body, with a band that loads the shoulder hard in the lengthened position.
How to do it, step by step
- 1Fix the band to the floor or on the opposite side, take it so the hand passes behind your hip, torso upright.
- 2Arm almost straight, elbow slightly bent and fixed, shoulder down and away from the ear.
- 3Raise the arm to the side keeping it a bit behind, up to about shoulder height.
- 4Lower braking for 2 to 3 seconds, let the band pull the arm forward and down with no bounce.
- 5Look for the stretch at the bottom without breaking posture, then restart with no jerk.
The mistake to avoid
Don't shrug your shoulder as you raise: keep the tension on the side of your delt.
Other common mistakes
- Bouncing at the bottom to restart the raise: you lose the stretch tension, instead brake the return for 2 to 3 seconds.
- Shrugging the shoulder and pulling with the trap: keep the shoulder down and think of pushing the elbow outward.
- Taking a band that's too stiff and blocks the range at the bottom: pick a resistance that lets you reach the full stretch.
- Bending the elbow hard like a curl: lock a slight, constant elbow angle.
Muscles worked
- Main:
- Side delts
The side (middle) delt is the prime mover: it abducts the shoulder in the frontal plane. By placing the arm behind the line of the body, you recruit more of the rear fibers of the side delt and a bit of the rear delt. The supraspinatus starts the first degrees, the trap stabilizes the scapula.
What to replace it with
Same muscle, same part of the movement: these exercises do the same job.
- Cable Lateral Raise Behind the Body ›
- Side-Lying Dumbbell Lateral Raise on Incline Bench ›
- Leaning Lateral Raise ›
- Leaning Cable Lateral Raise ›
Frequently asked questions
How do I do this movement correctly?
Band fixed to the floor or on the opposite side, hand behind your hip, torso upright, arm almost straight with an elbow slightly bent and fixed, shoulder down and away from the ear. You raise the arm to the side keeping it a bit behind, up to about shoulder height. You lower braking for two to three seconds, letting the band pull the arm forward and down, with no bounce.
How high do I raise my arm?
Up to about shoulder height, no higher, keeping the arm a bit behind all the way. At the bottom, you go all the way down to find the stretch, without breaking posture and without relaxing the tension. Don't look for fast reps on this movement, look for the stretch sensation in the low position.
Where should I feel it?
On the side of the shoulder, the side delt, with a burning stretch sensation when the arm comes back down and behind. The arm placed behind the line of the body recruits more of the rear fibers of the side delt and a bit of rear delt. If you feel the trap rising, lower your shoulder and lighten the band.
What tempo for the band laterals?
Controlled rise, then two to three seconds of braked return. On this movement, the magic is in the return: most people let go of the tension at the bottom when that's where the side delt is most lengthened. Accompany the arm backward as if resisting a door closing.
Where do I anchor the band?
On the floor or on the side opposite your working arm, low rather than high. The anchor must let you take the band with your hand passing behind your hip: that placement is what creates the desired stretch of the side delt. If your hand ends up in front of your thigh, your anchor point is badly placed.