Lateral Raise - Basic Water Bottle

Recommendations: 2-3 Sets, 6-10 Reps

Beginner Lateral Delts Anterior Delts Posterior Delts Upper Traps Strength Water Bottle Pull Home

Purpose: This exercise strengthens the side deltoid muscle area.

Benefits: This exercise isolates the lateral delt muscle.

Stand upright with your knees slightly bent. Grasp water bottles at your sides with palms facing inward. Let the bottles hang down in front of your waist. Your elbows should be slightly bent. This is the starting position. Lift the bottles to the side up to about shoulder level. When the bottles reach shoulder level, rotate them slightly inward as if you are pouring water. In other words, rotate your shoulders forward so the front of the bottles is slightly lower than the rear. This will raise your elbows slightly. Keep your elbows slightly bent and ensure that the weights come up in an arc. Exhale during this movement. Lower the bottles slowly to the starting position. Inhale during this movement. Repeat for the required number of repetitions.


The deltoid is a fan-shaped muscle group of 3 heads. The anterior (front) delt raises the arm towards the front and rotates the arm inward. The lateral (side) delt raises the arm to the side. The posterior (rear) delt raises the arm toward the rear and rotates the arm outward.

Step 1

Stand upright, water bottles held at your sides with palms facing inward, hanging beside you, elbows slightly bent.

lateral-raise-basic-water-bottle-step-0

Stand upright with your knees slightly bent. Grasp water bottles at your sides with palms facing inward. Let the bottles hang down in front of your waist. Your elbows should be slightly bent. This is the starting position.

Step 2

Raise the bottles to the side up to shoulder level, rotating the shoulders forward as if pouring water.

lateral-raise-basic-water-bottle-step-1

Lift the bottles to the side up to about shoulder level. When the bottles reach shoulder level, rotate them slightly inward as if you are pouring water. In other words, rotate your shoulders forward so the front of the bottles is slightly lower than the rear. This will raise your elbows slightly. Keep your elbows slightly bent and ensure that the weights come up in an arc. Exhale during this movement.

Step 3

Lower the bottles slowly to the starting position.

lateral-raise-basic-water-bottle-step-2

Lower the bottles slowly to the starting position. Inhale during this movement. Hold water bottles at your sides with palms facing inward. Let the bottles hang down in front of your waist. Your elbows should be slightly bent.