The move that builds capped, round delts.
Lead with your elbows, not your hands, and don't swing the weight up.
The lateral raise is the one move that directly builds the side delts, the muscle that gives shoulders their width and cap. Raising the dumbbells out to your sides puts the load exactly where the side delt pulls, and because nothing else meaningfully assists, light weights done strictly beat heavy weights swung up. It earns a place in almost every programme because pressing alone never fully develops this head of the shoulder.
Lighter than your ego wants. If the dumbbells need a swing or a lean to get moving, they're too heavy, the side delt is a small muscle and strict reps are the entire point.
Shoulder height is the sweet spot, as the steps say. Going much higher shifts the work into your traps, so cap the rep where your arms are level with the floor.
You're shrugging as you lift. Set your shoulders down before each rep, lead the movement with your elbows, and think about pushing the dumbbells away rather than lifting them up.
