Dumbbell Poliquin Lateral Raise

Description

How to Do Dumbbell Poliquin Lateral Raise

1. 1
   Setup

   Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing your thighs.

2. 2
   Setup

   Maintain a slight bend in your elbows throughout the entire movement, keeping the dumbbells naturally at your sides.

3. 3

   Initiate the raise by lifting the dumbbells laterally, leading with your elbows and ensuring your pinky fingers are higher than your thumbs.

4. 4

   Continue raising until your arms are parallel to the floor, forming a T-shape with your body, feeling the contraction in your medial deltoids.

5. 5

   Slowly and with control, lower the dumbbells back to the starting position, resisting gravity throughout the eccentric phase.

Tips

• Focus on leading the movement with your elbows and keeping your pinky finger higher than your thumb to maximize medial deltoid activation and minimize trapezius involvement.
• Control the lowering (eccentric) phase for 2-3 seconds to increase time under tension and promote greater muscle growth.
• Keep your core engaged and avoid shrugging your shoulders; the movement should be isolated to the shoulder joint.
• Use a lighter weight than you might for a standard lateral raise to ensure strict form and optimal muscle targeting.

Common Mistakes

• ×Swinging the weights or using momentum reduces tension on the deltoids; instead, use a controlled, deliberate motion with lighter weight.
• ×Raising the dumbbells too high, past shoulder height, engages the traps more than the deltoids; stop when your arms are parallel to the floor.
• ×Allowing the elbows to straighten or bend excessively during the raise shifts tension away from the medial deltoid; maintain a consistent, slight bend in the elbows.