10 Best Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise Alternatives for Home Gyms

The Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise is done seated with dumbbells. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Seated Side Lateral Raise, the Dumbbell One Arm Lateral Raise With Support and the Single Dumbbell Raise. Four harder versions, among them the One-arm Incline Lateral Raise and the Dumbbell Lying One Arm Deltoid Rear, are listed below as progressions rather than swaps.

Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral RaiseWatch the Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do the Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise

The steps for the Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Delts, with trapezius, triceps · Dumbbell · Intermediate · Isolation

  1. Sit on an incline bench with a dumbbell in one hand, resting it on your thigh.
  2. Lean forward and position your upper arm against the inside of your thigh.
  3. Raise the dumbbell to the side, keeping your arm slightly bent and your palm facing down.
  4. Continue lifting until your arm is parallel to the floor.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.

The 10 Best Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

Each link re-ranks the list below for the kit it names. Pick one to hide the substitutes you cannot set up.

  1. Seated Side Lateral Raise

    1. Seated Side Lateral Raise

    86% match

    Delts · Beginner · Isolation

    Pick this when you want an easier version that still works the delts.

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    1. Pick a couple of dumbbells and sit at the end of a flat bench with your feet firmly on the floor. Hold the dumbbells with your palms facing in and your arms straight down at your sides at arms' length. This will be your starting position.
    2. While maintaining the torso stationary (no swinging), lift the dumbbells to your side with a slight bend on the elbow and the hands slightly tilted forward as if pouring water in a glass. Continue to go up until you arms are parallel to the floor. Exhale as you execute this movement and pause for a second at the top.
    3. Lower the dumbbells back down slowly to the starting position as you inhale.
    4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: raise, the same as the Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise
    • Body position: seated, the same as the Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise
  2. One-arm Incline Lateral Raise

    Progression

    2. One-arm Incline Lateral Raise

    93% match

    Delts · Intermediate · Isolation

    Pick this when you want a harder version that still works the delts.

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    1. Lie down sideways on an incline bench press with a dumbbell in the hand. Make sure the shoulder is pressing against the incline bench and the arm is lying across your body with the palm around your navel.
    2. Hold a dumbbell in your uppermost arm while keeping it extended in front of you parallel to the floor. This is your starting position.
    3. While keeping the dumbbell parallel to the floor at all times, perform a lateral raise. Your arm should travel straight up until it is pointing at the ceiling. Tip: Exhale as you perform this movement. Hold the dumbbell in the position and feel the contraction in the shoulders for a second.
    4. While inhaling lower the weight across your body back into the starting position.
    5. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
    6. Switch arms and repeat the movement.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: raise, the same as the Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise
    • Body position: seated, the same as the Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise

Why You Might Need a Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise Alternative

You may swap the incline one-arm lateral raise due to shoulder impingement, limited equipment, or a need for greater load progression. An incline single-arm variation stresses the lateral deltoid with a specific humeral abduction vector; alternatives change that vector while preserving deltoid activation. If you have rotator cuff pain, choose cable or band lateral raises that allow smoother tension and easier load modulation. If you lack an adjustable bench, select standing or seated variations to maintain scapular control. Cue: maintain scapular retraction and lead with the elbow to keep stress on the lateral head while protecting the AC joint.

Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise FAQ

What muscles does Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise work?

The exercise primarily targets the lateral (middle) deltoid via humeral abduction while the supraspinatus assists at the start of the lift. Maintain a slight elbow bend and lead with the elbow to keep tension on the lateral head and limit anterior deltoid recruitment.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise?

A controlled leaning-away lateral raise with a resistance band or bodyweight-supported side plank reach replicates the abduction vector. Cue: hinge at the waist, keep the elbow slightly bent and raise the arm to shoulder height while stabilizing the scapula to emphasize lateral deltoid activation.

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