10 Best One-arm Side Laterals Alternatives for Limited Equipment

If you can’t do One-arm Side Laterals, use other moves that isolate the lateral deltoid: single-arm cable lateral raises, seated dumbbell laterals, leaning dumbbell laterals, side-lying raises, or a machine lateral. Keep a soft elbow and lift to shoulder height with a controlled eccentric to preserve middle deltoid activation.

Original Exercise: One-arm Side Laterals

One-arm Side Laterals
Primary Muscle
Delts
Equipment
Dumbbell
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Isolation
How to Perform One-arm Side Laterals
  1. Pick a dumbbell and place it in one of your hands. Your non lifting hand should be used to grab something steady such as an incline bench press. Lean towards your lifting arm and away from the hand that is gripping the incline bench as this will allow you to keep your balance.
  2. Stand with a straight torso and have the dumbbell by your side at arm's length with the palm of the hand facing you. This will be your starting position.
  3. While maintaining the torso stationary (no swinging), lift the dumbbell to your side with a slight bend on the elbow and your hand slightly tilted forward as if pouring water in a glass. Continue to go up until you arm is parallel to the floor. Exhale as you execute this movement and pause for a second at the top.
  4. Lower the dumbbell back down slowly to the starting position as you inhale.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
  6. Switch arms and repeat the exercise.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Push
  • Movement type: Isolation

Ranked One-arm Side Laterals Alternatives

Best Match
Dumbbell One Arm Lateral Raise With Support

1. Dumbbell One Arm Lateral Raise With Support

94.4% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in one hand, with your palm facing your body.
  2. Place your other hand on a stable surface, such as a bench or wall, for support.
  3. Keep your back straight and engage your core.
  4. Raise the dumbbell out to the side, keeping your arm straight and your palm facing down.
  5. Continue lifting until your arm is parallel to the ground.
Single Dumbbell Raise

2. Single Dumbbell Raise

94.4% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. With a wide stance, hold a dumbell with both hands, grasping the head of the dumbbell instead of the handle. Your arms should be extended and hanging at the waist. This will be your starting position.
  2. Raise the weight until it is above shoulder level, keeping your arms extended. Your torso and hips should remain stationary throughout the movement.
  3. Return to the starting position and repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Dumbbell One Arm Lateral Raise

3. Dumbbell One Arm Lateral Raise

93.1% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in one hand with your palm facing your body.
  2. Keep your back straight and your core engaged throughout the exercise.
  3. Raise the dumbbell to the side, keeping your arm straight and your palm facing down.
  4. Continue lifting until your arm is parallel to the ground.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
Landmine Lateral Raise

4. Landmine Lateral Raise

92% Match
Delts Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
  2. Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, resting it on the front of your shoulders.
  3. Keeping your core engaged and back straight, lift the barbell up and away from your body, raising it to shoulder height.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Side Lateral Raise

5. Side Lateral Raise

88.2% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Pick a couple of dumbbells and stand with a straight torso and the dumbbells by your side at arms length with the palms of the hand facing you. This will be your starting position.
  2. While maintaining the torso in a stationary position (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.
Side Laterals To Front Raise

6. Side Laterals To Front Raise

87.7% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. In a standing position, hold a pair of dumbbells at your side. This will be your starting position.
  2. Keeping your elbows slightly bent, raise the weights directly in front of you to shoulder height, avoiding any swinging or cheating.
  3. At the top of the exercise move the weights out in front of you, keeping your arms extended.
  4. Lower the weights with a controlled motion.
  5. On the next repetition, raise the weights in front of you to shoulder height before moving the weights laterally to your sides.
Dumbbell Scaption

7. Dumbbell Scaption

86.9% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. This corrective exercise strengthens the muscles that stabilize your shoulder blade. Hold a light weight in each hand, hanging at your sides. Your thumbs should pointing up.
  2. Begin the movement raising your arms out in front of you, about 30 degrees off center. Your arms should be fully extended as you perform the movement.
  3. Continue until your arms are parallel to the ground, and then return to the starting position.
Dumbbell Lying One Arm Deltoid Rear

8. Dumbbell Lying One Arm Deltoid Rear

86.7% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie face down on a flat bench with a dumbbell in one hand, palm facing inwards.
  2. Extend your arm straight down towards the floor, keeping it close to your body.
  3. Raise your arm up and back, squeezing your shoulder blade towards your spine.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arm back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch arms.
Dumbbell Standing Around World

9. Dumbbell Standing Around World

86.3% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Extend your arms straight out to the sides at shoulder height, palms facing down.
  3. Keeping your arms straight, slowly rotate your arms in a circular motion, bringing the dumbbells in front of your body and then overhead.
  4. Continue the circular motion, bringing the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Standing Low-Pulley Deltoid Raise

10. Standing Low-Pulley Deltoid Raise

86% Match
Delts Cable Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Start by standing to the right side of a low pulley row. Use your left hand to come across the body and grab a single handle attached to the low pulley with a pronated grip (palms facing down). Rest your arm in front of you. Your right hand should grab the machine for better support and balance.
  2. Make sure that your back is erect and your feet are shoulder width apart from each other. This is the starting position.
  3. Begin to use the left hand and come across your body out until it is elevated to shoulder height while exhaling.
  4. Feel the contraction at the top for a second and begin to slowly lower the handle back down to the original starting position while inhaling.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Why You Might Need a One-arm Side Laterals Alternative

You might substitute One-arm Side Laterals because of shoulder pain, limited dumbbell availability, or a need for more constant tension. Cables and machines offer steady resistance through the range, while seated or leaning variants reduce torso swing and isolate the lateral head. Rehabilitation or rotator cuff issues often require a narrower range of motion or different loading angles; use a slight forward tilt (30 degrees anterior) and lead with the elbow to reduce impingement and keep the deltoid working rather than the traps.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Choose a substitute based on equipment, pain tolerance, and the movement pattern you need. If you have cables, pick single-arm cable lateral raises to maintain continuous tension; cue: keep the handle at hip level and abduct to shoulder height. If you’re managing pain, select seated or side-lying raises to minimize scapular hitching and emphasize middle deltoid activation. For hypertrophy, aim for 8–20 reps, controlled tempo, and a 1–2 second pause at the top to maximize time under tension.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does One-arm Side Laterals work?

One-arm Side Laterals primarily target the lateral (middle) deltoid through glenohumeral abduction. The anterior and posterior deltoid fibers, supraspinatus, and trapezius assist for stabilization; keep the scapula stable and lead with the elbow to maximize lateral delt activation.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to One-arm Side Laterals?

A side-lying arm raise (lying lateral raise) is a practical bodyweight option: lie on your side and lift the arm to shoulder height with the thumb up, leading with the elbow. It limits load but trains the same abduction pattern; use higher reps and slow eccentrics to increase stimulus.

Can I build muscle without doing One-arm Side Laterals?

Yes. You can develop the lateral delts with other isolation exercises (cable or seated laterals) and compound moves like overhead presses and upright rows. Prioritize progressive overload, proper elbow-leading technique, and sufficient volume to ensure the middle deltoid receives direct stimulus.

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