Seated Bent-Over Dumbbell Side Raise

The bent-over side raise is an exercise targeting the posterior head of the deltoid (shoulder muscle). The lateral head and, to a lesser extent, the anterior head also assist in this movement, but are activated less.

Many other muscles assist in moving the elbows and shoulders backward, as well as maintaining the bent-over position. The latissimus dorsi plays a role in moving the elbows backward.

The biceps, triceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis assist in stabilizing the arm. In this seated variation, the core and legs are required to do less stabilizing work than in the standing variation.

Seated bent-over dumbbell side raise execution

1
Begin the exercise by bringing your elbows outward and backward, slightly below shoulder height.
2
Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position in a controlled manner.

Seated bent-over dumbbell side raise

Muscles involved:

Back and shoulder joint:

Deltoid (especially posterior head)
Rotator cuff (subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and teres minor)
Levator scapulae

Arms:

Triceps
Biceps
Forearm muscles

Back:

Latissimus dorsi (the large back muscle)
Trapezius (especially middle fibers)
Rhomboids (diamond-shaped muscles beneath the trapezius)

Seated bent-over dumbbell side raise setup

Sit on a bench with the dumbbells in your hands.
Place your feet hip-width apart or slightly narrower.
Bend forward until your lower abdomen contacts your thighs.
Let your nearly straight arms hang outside your legs with your palms facing each other.
Look at a point diagonally in front of you on the floor so that your head remains in a neutral position relative to your torso.

Seated bent-over dumbbell side raise technique

The bent-over side raises are very similar to the rear delt row. Both exercises target the posterior head of the shoulders. However, with the side raises, the bend in the arms can remain the same. With the rear delt row using a barbell, the arms bend and straighten, causing the biceps to work harder. In addition, the range of motion when using dumbbells is greater (at the beginning of the exercise) than with a barbell.

Prevent this from becoming an exercise for the legs, glutes, and lower back by letting them assist. Therefore, try to ensure that only your arms and shoulders move during this exercise. Also, do not bend farther forward while lowering the weight and then let the glutes and lower back assist in pulling it upward.