Worried that lateral raises are a little, well, basic? ‘People don’t like to do isolation exercises because ... Lift your left leg, then raise the weight in your right hand up and down ...

Incorporating lateral raises into your workout regimen can contribute to a balanced upper body and improved overall shoulder ...

You'll see some lifters advise to do lateral raises and point your thumbs down at the top of each rep, sometimes known as "empty can" lateral raises. They're doing this to attack their rear delts ...

But do not be fooled. Lateral raises may seem fairly simple ... At the same time, step your left leg behind your right, and squat down so both your knees are at a 90 degree angle.

Then leg raises are a brilliant exercise to add to your lower-body regime. But how many and how frequently do you need to do them to reap the core benefits? Writer Sarah Blakely gave them a go ...