ACE Personal Trainer Practice Exam

What is the primary movement associated with a dumbbell lateral raise?

1. Abduction

2. Adduction

3. Elevation

4. Flexion

The correct answer is: Abduction

The primary movement associated with a dumbbell lateral raise is abduction. In this exercise, the individual lifts the dumbbells outward to the side of the body, which involves moving the arms away from the midline. Abduction specifically refers to the action of moving a limb away from the body’s central axis. This movement primarily targets the deltoid muscles, especially the lateral deltoid, which are crucial for shoulder stabilization and development. Understanding the mechanics of the movement is important in recognizing how it contributes to shoulder strength and aesthetics. Abduction is distinct from other movements such as adduction, which involves moving a limb toward the body, or flexion, which refers to decreasing the angle between two body parts, such as raising the arm forward. Elevation generally refers to lifting in an upward direction, but it does not specifically describe the motion of the dumbbell lateral raise in the same way that abduction does. This distinction helps clarify why the correct choice is centered on abduction in the context of this specific exercise.