Lifted to the sides, your arms are wider than they are tall, so this lateral raise counter wants the phone turned on its side. The wider view lets you stand closer without losing your hands off the edges.
Raise both dumbbells together, or choose one-hand mode and work a single arm at a time. Either way the coach calls each rep aloud, so you can keep your gaze on the far wall.
Phone setup
Turn the phone sideways (landscape) and prop it at chest height. The wide frame lets you stand closer while your outstretched arms still fit.
Face the camera head-on, with your arms hanging at your sides to start.
- Hold the phone upright and the workout screen asks you to rotate it, so set it sideways from the beginning.
Form cues
- Lead with the elbows. Lift as if pulling your elbows out to the sides. The dumbbells follow and your side delts do the work.
- Sweep the arms out. Your upper arm lifting up and away from your side is what the camera measures, so raise it clearly out to the side on every rep.
- Soften the elbows. A slight, steady bend lets you control the weight without locking out your arms.
- Return to your sides. The rep is only complete when your arms are back down, so use the descent.
Common mistakes
- Shrugging with the weights. Raising your shoulders takes the work away from the side delts. Keep them down and away from your ears.
- Standing too far back. Landscape exists so you can stand closer. Fill the frame, but keep both hands inside it at the top.
- Swinging from the hips. Momentum takes the load off your shoulders. Hold your torso still and let your arms do the lifting.
How FitnessBruh counts it
The angle that moves the count is at your shoulder, between your hip, shoulder and elbow. With your arms at your sides it's small, and it opens as you sweep them out.
A rep means leaving your sides, reaching the raised position, and lowering back down. Returning completes it. A half raise that never gets out to the side isn't counted.
Single-arm sets run in one-hand mode, where the coach tells you when to swap sides. Counting begins once the camera has a steady view of your shoulders and hips, with your arms free to swing wide on either side.
FAQ
Why does a lateral raise want my phone sideways?
Lifted arms are wide. In landscape the camera takes in more of the room from left to right, so you can stand closer and your hands still stay in frame at the top of each raise.
Do I have to raise both arms together?
Not necessarily. One-hand mode lets you raise a single arm, with a switch call in between. In two-arm mode the sides are averaged, so lift them together.
How high do my arms need to go?
Out to the side until the upper arm is clearly lifted away from your body. Short raises that hang near your hips never reach the far position and don't count.
