Egyptian Lateral Raise Exercise Guide — How to, Benefits, & Alternatives

The Egyptian lateral raise allows you to raise heavier dumbbells than the standard dumbbell lateral raise. 

The press and lateral raise are indispensable for developing well-rounded and impressive shoulders. While many fitness enthusiasts prioritize pressing movements to target the anterior delts, incorporating the lateral raise is crucial for achieving three-dimensional deltoids. Unlike presses such as the overhead press that primarily engage the front delts, the lateral raise specifically targets the medial delts, promoting comprehensive growth and muscular symmetry (1).

The Egyptian lateral raise is a variation of the regular dumbbell lateral raise. This isolation exercise hits the lateral delts with more weight and time under tension, increasing shoulder mass. It also isolates the delts better than bilateral lateral raises.

So, how do you do the Egyptian lateral raise, and how does it compare to the standard lateral raise? In this exercise guide, we share that information alongside the benefits of doing this variation. We also answer popular questions about this exercise and share some more shoulder-building alternatives to try. 

Techniques and Muscles Worked

The Egyptian lateral raise focuses on hitting your lateral delts while leaning. This routine is an excellent alternative for lifters with difficulty concentrating on their delts during regular lateral raises. It’s a form of unilateral training for the medial delts that focuses on range of motion and heavier loads. 

You need dumbbells and something sturdy to lean on for the Egyptian lateral raise. Keep your negatives slow and do them deliberately for the best results with this exercise. Below is a step-by-step guide on performing the Egyptian lateral raise. 

1. Choose a lightweight dumbbell to ensure you hit a full range of motion when doing this exercise, and hold it in your right hand.
2. Position yourself next to your sturdy support and grab it with your left hand. This can be a squat rack, cable machine, or column. Just make sure it can support your weight.
3. Bring your feet together close to the support and then fully extend the left arm, grabbing to hang out in the opposite direction. 
4. Keeping your spine neutral and your core tight, position your weight-bearing arm perpendicular to the floor. This is your starting position.
5. Raise your right hand with the dumbbell until it is parallel to the floor. Lift your chest and pull back your shoulder blades to keep the focus on your delts.
6. Pause when your arm is parallel, then slowly return it to the starting position to complete your rep.
7. Do for as many reps as you desire, then switch arms and steps 4 to 6.  

Benefits

The Egyptian lateral raise is an exercise that you should add to your next shoulder training routine. It’s an excellent low-weight, high-rep training that engages your delts intensely. Below are more benefits of this exercise. 

Better V-Shape

The Egyptian lateral raise is an effective isolation routine to support the compound exercises you do for your shoulders. It induces muscle hypertrophy in the delts, leading to bigger size. Bigger shoulders make your waist look smaller and trimmer, which gives you the perfect V-shape. 

More Joint-Friendly

Egyptian lateral raises strengthen your delts, which is excellent for your joints. It takes the stress off them, reducing your risk of injuries. The rotator cuff, in particular, benefits from stronger delts and will help keep your shoulders injury-free. 

Fix Muscle & Strength Imbalances

The Egyptian lateral raise is a unilateral exercise. Doing it one arm after another can help you find muscle or strength imbalances between your arms. You can then use this exercise to work on and fix the discrepancy.

Great Mind Muscle Connection

The only way to do the Egyptian lateral raise for results is slowly and with focus. You need to use your mind-muscle connection for this exercise. This study shows how the mind-muscle connection leads to more muscle hypertrophy and growth (2). 

Break Through Delt Plateau

Have your medial delts hit a plateau when doing the regular lateral raise and stopped seeing results? The Egyptian lateral raise allows you to vary your routine, break out of that plateau, and resume growing your shoulders (3). 

Lift Heavier Weight

Compared to the standard lateral raise, the Egyptian lateral raise will allow you to lift heavier loads due to the angle of your torso and stabilize from gripping onto something with your non-lifting arm. Raising heavier weights with your delts will help them grow. 

More Time Under Tension

The angle of this movement allows you to bring the dumbbells through a greater range of motion and, therefore, more time under tension to help stimulate more muscle growth in the medial deltoids.

Egyptian Lateral Raise Alternatives

The Egyptian lateral raise isn’t the only exercise you can use to build your delts. Below are other alternatives that are also effective. 

Incline Dumbbell Lateral Raise

The incline bench dumbbell lateral raise is an effective lying lateral raise variation. Chest-supported lateral raises help remove momentum and force you to use the proper form for this exercise. The bench should be at an incline of 70-80 degrees to hit your side delts, while an incline of 60 will work your posterior delts more. 

Leaning Cable Lateral Raise

People consider leaning cable lateral raises a variation of the Egyptian lateral raise because of the leaning. This routine also keeps constant tension on your muscles throughout the range of motion, which means more time under tension and more growth. You can also focus more on your anterior delts by doing this exercise with the cable behind your back. 

Single Arm Dumbbell Lateral Raise

The single-arm dumbbell lateral raise is an excellent routine for your medial delts. It’s a unilateral routine, also great for fixing muscle imbalances. 

FAQs

What muscles do Egyptian lateral raises work?

Egyptian lateral raises work on your shoulder muscles like other lateral raises, specifically isolating and building your lateral delts.

What are the benefits of Egyptian lateral raises?

Some benefits of the Egyptian lateral raise include building bigger shoulders to improve your V-shape and helping you break through medial deltoid muscle growth plateau. Check the exercise guide above for more benefits.

Is the Egyptian lateral raise more effective than the side lateral raise?

It depends on what your goals are. While this exercise is more effective at isolating your lateral delts, you need both routines for a more balanced shoulder workout. 

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for more exercise guides! 

References

1. Coratella, G., Tornatore, G., Longo, S., Esposito, F., & Cè, E. (2020). An Electromyographic Analysis of Lateral Raise Variations and Frontal Raise in Competitive Bodybuilders. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(17), 6015. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17176015 
2. Halperin, I., & Vigotsky, A. D. (2016). The mind-muscle connection in resistance training: friend or foe?. European journal of applied physiology, 116(4), 863–864. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3341-y 
3. Krzysztofik, M., Wilk, M., Wojdała, G., & Gołaś, A. (2019). Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(24), 4897. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16244897