Liftworthy
ExploreTrainFeed
Liftworthy

Every exercise ranked by research, by lifters and by results. Find what’s S-tier for your goal, then train it.

Rankings
  • All rankings
  • Add an exercise
  • Build a workout
About
  • How scores work
  • The app
  • Your tiers
Legal
  • Privacy
  • Terms & community rules
General training information, not medical advice. If something hurts, stop and see a professional.
  • Explore
  • Train
  • Feed
  • You
Explore/Shoulders/Compare

For side-delt growth

Dumbbell Lateral Raise vs Machine Lateral Raise

For side-delt growth, machine lateral raise rates well ahead on our research criteria: easier to progress, more stretch.

Both are good choices that train the side delts the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.

A
#9
of 27
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Dumbbell
S
#2
of 27
Machine Lateral Raise
Machine
Research score
71
88
Target tension
Excellent
Excellent
Loaded stretch
Fair
Good
Progression
Good
Excellent
Low cost
Excellent
Excellent
See the full shoulders ranking
What these mean
Target tension.
Whether the muscle you’re training is what gives out first, not your grip, balance or other muscles.
Loaded stretch.
How hard the muscle works while stretched. Training it there is linked to more growth.
Progression.
How easily you can keep adding weight in small steps over months and years.
Low cost.
How easy it is on your joints and recovery, and how quickly you can learn it.

The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work

When each one fits

Good reasons to choose dumbbell lateral raise

  • You train at home

Good reasons to choose machine lateral raise

  • You want to keep adding weight in small steps
  • You want more load on the side delts while they’re stretched
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Machine Lateral Raise
You need
Dumbbells
Machine
Skill
Easy to learn
Easy to learn
Type
Isolation
Isolation
Why they rank where they do

Dumbbell Lateral Raise. Works, but tension drops off near the bottom of each rep.

Machine Lateral Raise. Isolates the side delt on a fixed path, and machines add weight in smaller steps than dumbbells.

Questions

Which is better for side-delt growth, dumbbell lateral raise or machine lateral raise?

For side-delt growth, machine lateral raise rates well ahead on our research criteria: easier to progress, more stretch. Both are good choices that train the side delts the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.

Is dumbbell lateral raise or machine lateral raise easier to learn?

About the same: both are easy to learn.

Can you do dumbbell lateral raise or machine lateral raise at home?

Dumbbell lateral raise needs dumbbells, so a home gym covers it. Machine lateral raise needs a machine, so for most people it’s a gym exercise.

Which is easier on the joints, dumbbell lateral raise or machine lateral raise?

About the same: both rate Excellent for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric.

More comparisons

  • Dumbbell Lateral Raise vs Lean-Away Lateral Raise
  • Cable Lateral Raise vs Dumbbell Lateral Raise
  • Cable Lateral Raise vs Machine Lateral Raise
  • Lean-Away Lateral Raise vs Machine Lateral Raise
Dumbbell Lateral RaiseMachine Lateral RaiseAll shoulders exercises