Prone Lateral Raises
A chest-supported reverse fly on an incline bench, raising two dumbbells out to the sides to load the rear delts.
How to do it
- Set an incline bench and lie chest-down with a dumbbell in each hand.
- Let both arms hang toward the floor with a slight bend in the elbows.
- Use a pronated grip so the palms face behind you at the start.
- Raise both dumbbells out to the sides until the arms are about parallel to the floor.
- Squeeze the rear delts at the top without shrugging the traps to the ears.
- Lower under control and repeat without swinging the torso.
Key technique cue
Lead with the elbows, shoulders away from the ears, no swinging.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Heaving the torso off the pad to swing the dumbbells up.
- ✕ Bending the elbows into a row so the lats take the lift.
- ✕ Using a load so heavy the arms cannot reach a long arc.
- ✕ Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears and handing the work to the upper traps.
Benefits
- ✓ Chest support blocks body english so the rear delts have to lift.
- ✓ Balances pressing-heavy shoulder work with a reverse fly.
- ✓ Light dumbbells and a long lever make a small muscle easy to feel.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 You are here - Prone Lateral Raises
- Dumbbell Lying Reverse Fly
- Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise
- Reverse Pec Deck
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Step 2 -
Step 3
About the exercise
Prone lateral raises are a chest-supported rear-delt fly. You lie face down on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging, then raise the weights out to the sides with a slight elbow bend until the arms are about parallel to the floor. That prone path loads the posterior deltoid, with the middle trapezius and rhomboids helping. The reverse dumbbell fly is the same horizontal-abduction pattern, with a warning not to swing the torso. The bench takes the lower back out of the set, making this strict rear-delt isolation after pressing days.
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