Lying Around the World
The Lying Around the World is a compound movement that trains the side delts with help from rear delts, upper back, lats, serratus, tibialis and front delts. This guide covers the setup, the execution, the mistakes worth fixing early, and how to program it.
Raising the arms against resistance isolates the side delts — the part of the shoulder that gives it width and that pressing alone will never fully develop. It is a small muscle working through a long lever, so it needs far less weight than people try to use.
Who it is for. Anyone who wants broader shoulders. Program it after pressing, and expect to use lighter weights than your ego suggests.
Muscles worked
The prime mover here is the side delts, with rear delts, upper back, lats, serratus, tibialis and front delts assisting — which is why this movement earns its place as more than a single-muscle exercise.
Front
Back- Side delts100%
- Serratus50%
- Front delts50%
- Rear delts50%
- Latissimus50%
- Middle traps50%
- Tibialis50%
- Lower traps49%
- Rotator cuff29%
How to do it
- Stand or sit tall holding your bodyweight, with a small fixed bend in your elbows.
- Pull your shoulder blades down so you are not shrugging before you begin.
- Start with the load just off your body so there is tension from the first inch.
- Raise your arms smoothly until they reach about shoulder height, leading with the elbows.
- Pause briefly at the top with the side delts fully contracted.
- Lower slowly, resisting all the way down rather than letting the arms drop.
Breathing. Breathe out as you raise, in as you lower.
Form cues that matter
- Lead with the elbows, not the hands.
- Stop at shoulder height — higher brings the traps in.
- Take three seconds to lower every rep.
- Swinging the torso to launch the weight up
- Shrugging the shoulders as the arms rise
Common mistakes
| The mistake | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Swinging the torso to launch the weight up | Halve the load; this is the single most over-weighted exercise in most gyms. |
| Shrugging the shoulders as the arms rise | Keep the blades pulled down and stop the raise at shoulder height. |
| Dropping the weight on the way down | Control the lowering — that is half the stimulus and most people waste it. |
What makes this variation different
The Lying Around the World is a specific version of this movement, and the details in its name change how it should be performed.
- Using only your bodyweight means you can train anywhere, and it keeps the whole body involved in stabilising the movement. Progress comes from leverage, range and reps rather than from adding plates.
- Lying down gives the torso full support, which takes balance out of the movement and lets you focus everything on the working muscle. Keep your back in contact with the surface throughout.
Sets, reps and rest
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3-5 | 10-12 | 45-75 s |
| Muscle growth | 3-4 | 12-20 | 45-75 s |
| Endurance | 2-3 | 20-30 | 45-75 s |
- 8-16Weekly sets
- 2-1-2Tempo
- 45-75 sRest
How to progress
Add reps before you add weight. Stay at the same load until you reach the top of your rep range on every set, then increase the resistance and drop back to the bottom of the range. The Lying Around the World responds better to accumulated quality reps than to heavy jumps.
Variations and alternatives
If you do not have the equipment, or you simply want to rotate the stimulus, these 8 movements train the side delts in a similar way.
- Dumbbell Standing Bent Arm Lateral Raise — Dumbbell
- Cable Lateral Raise — Cable
- Band Front Lateral Raise — Resistance band
- Barbell Front Raise — Barbell
- Barbell Standing Front Raise Over Head — Barbell
- Battling Ropes Side Raise — Bodyweight
- Cable Front Raise — Cable
- Cable One Arm Lateral Raise — Cable
Safety
Key takeaways
- Lead with the elbows, not the hands.
- Stop at shoulder height — higher brings the traps in.
- Work in the 12-20 rep range for muscle growth, leaving a rep or two in reserve on most sets.
- Full range of motion on the Lying Around the World matters more than the weight on it.
- Progress gradually and keep technique identical as the load goes up.
Go deeper
FAQ
What muscles does the Lying Around the World work?
It works the side delts as the prime mover, with rear delts, upper back, lats, serratus, tibialis and front delts assisting. The midsection also works throughout to keep you stable.
How many sets and reps should I do on the Lying Around the World?
Three to four working sets of 12-20 reps suits most people training for muscle growth, leaving one or two reps in reserve. Across all the exercises that train this muscle, 8-16 hard sets a week is a productive range.
Is the Lying Around the World good for beginners?
Yes, provided you start light enough to own the technique. Spend the first few weeks on the movement itself with a load you could do several more reps with, and add weight only once the pattern is automatic.
What can I do instead of the Lying Around the World?
Dumbbell Standing Bent Arm Lateral Raise, Cable Lateral Raise and Band Front Lateral Raise all train the side delts in a similar way, so any of them works as a substitute when the equipment is taken or you want to rotate the stimulus.
What equipment do I need for the Lying Around the World?
This version uses your bodyweight. The pattern matters more than the tool, though — the alternatives above cover the same movement with whatever you have available.
Track your sets, reps and progress on the Lying Around the World — free, with every exercise in the library.