10 Best Single Dumbbell Raise Alternatives for Home or Gym

If you can’t perform a single dumbbell raise, use cable lateral raises, seated dumbbell lateral raises, banded lateral raises, standing front raises, or bent‑over reverse flies to target the delts. Cue: keep a 10–20° elbow bend, lift in the scapular plane to shoulder height, and avoid shrugging to maximize middle deltoid activation.

Original Exercise: Single Dumbbell Raise

Single Dumbbell Raise
Primary Muscle
Delts
Equipment
Dumbbell
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Isolation
Secondary Muscles: Forearms, Traps
How to Perform Single Dumbbell Raise
  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.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Movement type: Isolation

Ranked Single Dumbbell Raise Alternatives

Best Match
Dumbbell One Arm Lateral Raise With Support

1. Dumbbell One Arm Lateral Raise With Support

99.9% 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.
Dumbbell One Arm Lateral Raise

2. Dumbbell One Arm Lateral Raise

98.7% 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

3. Landmine Lateral Raise

97.6% 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.
One-Arm Side Laterals

4. One-Arm Side Laterals

94.4% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
Dumbbell Scaption

5. Dumbbell Scaption

92.4% 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.
Side Lateral Raise

6. Side Lateral Raise

92.2% 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.
Dumbbell Standing Around World

7. Dumbbell Standing Around World

91.9% 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.
Side Laterals To Front Raise

8. Side Laterals To Front Raise

91.7% 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.
One-Arm Incline Lateral Raise

9. One-Arm Incline Lateral Raise

91.4% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
Dumbbell Lying One Arm Deltoid Rear

10. Dumbbell Lying One Arm Deltoid Rear

89.1% 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.

Why You Might Need a Single Dumbbell Raise Alternative

You may substitute the single dumbbell raise for several reasons: shoulder pain or impingement, no access to appropriate dumbbells, or a need to change stimulus. Alternatives let you manage joint torque by changing the plane, resistance curve, or stabilization demands. For example, cables provide constant tension that keeps the middle deltoid loaded through the full range, while bands reduce peak load at the top. If you feel trap dominance, cue yourself to lead the movement with the elbow and stop at shoulder level to limit upper trapezius activation and protect the rotator cuff.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Select a substitute based on target delt head, equipment, and joint tolerance. Pick cable or banded lateral raises to maintain constant middle deltoid tension; choose seated variations to reduce momentum and increase isolation. If anterior delts need work, use front raises with a neutral wrist and slow eccentric control. Prioritize exercises that allow you to lead with the elbow, maintain scapular retraction, and avoid overhead shrugging to keep the load on the deltoids rather than the traps or spine.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Single Dumbbell Raise work?

The single dumbbell raise primarily targets the middle deltoid, with secondary activation of the anterior deltoid and upper trapezius. The rotator cuff stabilizers fire isometrically to hold the humeral head in the glenoid during the lift.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Single Dumbbell Raise?

A bodyweight-friendly option is the side-lying T to Y progression on the floor: lie on your side and lift the top arm in the scapular plane while squeezing the shoulder blade. Cue: lead with the elbow and keep the thumb slightly up to bias middle deltoid activation without loading the glenohumeral joint.

Can I build muscle without doing Single Dumbbell Raise?

Yes. You can build shoulder muscle with other isolation and compound movements that load the delts, cable lateral raises, seated dumbbell raises, overhead presses, and bent-over reverse flies all work. Focus on progressive overload, strict technique (lead with the elbow, stop at shoulder height), and sufficient volume to stimulate hypertrophy.

More Exercise Alternatives

Find Alternatives for Any Exercise

Use the exercise substitution finder to compare ranked alternatives for your available equipment and training preference.

Try the Exercise Substitution Finder →