Shoulders intermediate isolation dumbbell

Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise

A intermediate isolation movement that trains the shoulders with a dumbbell.

Force Type

Pull

isolation

Difficulty

Intermediate

isolation

Variations

0

equipment swaps

Muscles

2

primary + secondary

The verdict

Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise has 5-step instructions, more thoroughly documented than most of the 127 shoulders exercises PlainExercise catalogues.

Ranked against the 127 shoulders exercises PlainExercise currently catalogues, not the full exercise-science literature.

Catalog lens

Two ways this record sits in the source corpus

These are placement measures for the documented record, not a score for exercise quality, safety, or suitability.

Instruction steps

#225 of 868

5 numbered source steps; the longest instruction list ranks #1.

Instruction text

#204 of 868

A separate character-length placement prevents step count from standing in for explanatory detail.

How PlainExercise computes exercise placement

Shoulders

Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise is a intermediate isolation movement that trains the Shoulders along with middle back. It requires a dumbbell. There are 0 known variations and 8 peer exercises that target the same primary muscle.

  • 1 of 9 exercises targeting the Shoulders
  • Level: intermediate

PlainExercise cross-links 0 variations and 8 peer exercises sharing the same primary muscle.

What the Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise Data Reveals · DEEP · PULL/ISOLATION

Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise opens on mechanic class: ISOLATION pull work for shoulders with 1 catalogued assistant, joint involvement separates this page from isolation peers.

Among 873 exercises, 5 steps sit in the upper third (≥ 5). Longer step lists usually mean finer setup cues, not a harder movement by themselves.

Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise is classified as a intermediate-level isolation movement with a pull force profile, primarily training the Shoulders with secondary engagement of the middle back. The canonical form requires a dumbbell in the strength category. Within the shoulders cohort, 9 catalogued movements share the primary target; no alternate-equipment variations are catalogued yet.

Context matters: taxonomy (level, mechanic, force, musculature, equipment) does not account for individual biomechanics, joint history, or recovery. Common-mistake framing below is derived from classification fields, not case-specific coaching. Not medical or personal-training advice. Consult a physician or certified trainer before starting, especially with injuries, cardiovascular conditions, recent surgery, or pregnancy.

Exercise profile

Profile attributes for Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise
Attribute Value
Difficultyintermediate
Mechanicisolation
Forcepull
Equipmentdumbbell
Categorystrength
Primary muscleShoulders
Secondary muscles1
Variations available0

Source: Free Exercise DB (CC0); profile derived per exercise record.

Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise catalog footprint

Among 127 exercises whose primary muscle is shoulders, Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise ranks #43 by catalogued variation count (0 listed heres). The upstream file attaches 2 images to this slug. See the step-count ranking for shoulders for peer documentation depth.

Muscles worked

According to the Free Exercise DB classification, Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise trains the shoulders as the prime mover, with 1 muscle assisting. The source classifies muscles as primary or secondary, it does not measure activation, so we show involvement, not percentages.

Prime mover Shoulders
Also worked (1)
middle back
Level: intermediate Mechanic: isolation Force: pull

Source: Free Exercise DB primary/secondary muscle classification. Involvement, not measured activation, actual recruitment varies by load and form.

Intensity context

For reference, here is where common activities sit on the MET intensity scale. Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise does not have a measured MET in the source data, its intensity depends on the load and effort you use. Estimate calories for any activity with the calorie calculator.

MET Intensity Zones, Exercise Intensity Chart Horizontal bar chart showing how six common exercises map to four MET intensity zones: Light (1-3 MET), Moderate (3-6 MET), Vigorous (6-9 MET), and Very Vigorous (9+ MET). Walking at 3.5 MET falls in Moderate; Jump Rope at 12.3 MET reaches Very Vigorous. Light Moderate Vigorous Very Vigorous 0 3 6 9 12 15 MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) Walking 3.5 Cycling 6.8 Jogging 7 Swimming 9.8 Jump Rope 12.3 Light (0-3 MET) Moderate (3-6 MET) Vigorous (6-9 MET) Very Vigorous (9-+ MET)

MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al., 2011). A general reference scale, not a rating of this specific movement.

How to do it

  1. While holding a dumbbell in one hand, lay with your chest down on a slightly inclined (around 15 degrees when measured from the floor) adjustable bench. The other hand can be used to hold to the leg of the bench for stability.
  2. Position the palm of the hand that is holding the dumbbell in a neutral manner (palms facing your torso) as you keep the arm extended with the elbow slightly bent. This will be your starting position.
  3. Now raise the arm with the dumbbell to the side until your elbow is at shoulder height and your arm is roughly parallel to the floor as you exhale. Tip: Maintain your arm perpendicular to the torso while keeping your arm extended throughout the movement. Also, keep the contraction at the top for a second.
  4. Slowly lower the dumbbell to the starting position as you inhale.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise Documentation Depth

Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise carries 5-step instructions (862 characters of Free Exercise DB text) - enough upstream detail to compare documentation depth inside the shoulders cohort, not just the taxonomy badges above. Across 127 catalogued shoulders movements, the average instruction record is 623 characters and 4.2 steps; 82 of those (64.6%) clear the same ≥500-character rich bar used here. This page ranks #19 of 127 by instruction-character length (1.38× the cohort average).

The assistant set lists 1 secondary muscle (middle back). That multi-muscle footprint is part of why a long instruction record matters: sparse Free-Exercise-DB stubs often stop at a one-line cue and never name the assistants, so their pages stay short by construction.

Among the 123 exercises that also use a dumbbell, average instruction length is 790 characters; 46 of those peers are longer than this record. Equipment-matched peers are the honest comparison when you are choosing a substitute implement for the same pattern.

Other well-documented shoulders movements (same ≥500-character bar):

Common mistakes

  • Rushing through reps, controlled tempo (2-3s down, 1-2s up) is what drives muscle tension on Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise, not raw speed.
  • Cutting the range of motion short - moving the shoulders through its full safe range on Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise is what most reliably separates effective reps from wasted ones.
  • Using momentum instead of muscle, isolation movements like Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise reward strict form. If you're swinging the weight, it's too heavy.
  • Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears on pull movements, keep shoulder blades down and back to load the correct muscles.
  • Breathing out of sync with the lift on Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise - brace and inhale during the lowering phase, exhale on the exertion, especially important with a dumbbell where control matters most.

Who this is for

  • People with 6+ months of consistent training who can perform basic compound lifts with good form
  • People who want to train the Shoulders and secondarily middle back
  • People who have access to a dumbbell

Who this is NOT for

  • People hunting equipment swaps, PlainExercise lists 0 catalogued variations for Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise; browse 8 peer shoulders exercises for alternate patterns instead.
  • Anyone with acute pain in the joints or muscles involved, pain is a stop signal, not a soreness signal
  • People with unresolved injuries in the loaded joints, seek clearance from a physical therapist first
  • Anyone with a recent surgery, cardiovascular limitation, or pregnancy complication without physician clearance

Progression path

Once Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise feels comfortable with your current load, progress by (a) adding reps until you can complete 12+ per set, (b) increasing resistance by 2.5-5%, (c) moving to harder variations such as single-limb or longer lever versions, and eventually (d) stepping up to expert-level movements that train the same muscle.

Safety notes · DUMBBELL · PULL/ISOLATION · MID

  • Intermediate PULL/ISOLATION: warm up mobility matching shoulders before Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise with a dumbbell.
  • Sharp or joint pain is a stop signal. Muscle soreness during sets is normal; pain is not.
  • Adjust sets, reps, and rest to recovery; 5 upstream steps are a template, not a prescription.
  • General information only. Consult a physician or certified trainer before starting any new exercise program.

Nationwide exercises with similar documentation depth

Two Free Exercise DB peer sets for Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise, drawn across all muscles (not the shoulders-only related list below). Each metric produces a different neighborhood.

Other exercises that target the Shoulders.

See all Shoulders exercises.

Using the dumbbell lying one-arm rear lateral raise

A intermediate isolation movement for the shoulders - here's how to put it to work.

  • Train the shoulders 2–3 times a week with 48+ hours between hard sets; pair this with other shoulders movements for balanced development. All shoulders exercises
  • Match the load and rep range to your goal, strength, size, or endurance each call for a different scheme. Strength vs hypertrophy
  • As an isolation movement, use it to target the shoulders directly after your compound lifts. Compound vs isolation

Form before load. If a movement causes sharp or joint pain, stop and substitute a safer alternative, this is general information, not medical or training advice.

Source: Free Exercise DB (CC0) open exercise catalogue, 2026.

Exercise composition and corpus terciles computed by PlainExercise from catalogued records; see the methodology page.

Disclaimer: General information only. Consult a physician or certified trainer before starting any new exercise program.

Data as of: July 2026 (last ingest from source)