Cable Lateral Raise
Muscles worked
Instructions
- 1Stand in the middle of two low pulleys that are opposite to each other and place a flat bench right behind you (in perpendicular fashion to you; the narrow edge of the bench should be the one behind you). Select the weight to be used on each pulley.
- 2Now sit at the edge of the flat bench behind you with your feet placed in front of your knees.
- 3Bend forward while keeping your back flat and rest your torso on the thighs.
- 4Have someone give you the single handles attached to the pulleys. Grasp the left pulley with the right hand and the right pulley with the left after you select your weight. The pulleys should run under your knees and your arms will be extended with palms facing each other and a slight bend at the elbows. This will be the starting position.
- 5While keeping the arms stationary, raise the upper arms to the sides until they are parallel to the floor and at shoulder height. Exhale during the execution of this movement and hold the contraction for a second.
- 6Slowly lower your arms to the starting position as you inhale.
- 7Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions. Tip: Maintain upper arms perpendicular to torso and a fixed elbow position (10 degree to 30 degree angle) throughout exercise.
About Cable Lateral Raise
The cable lateral raise targets the side head of the deltoid, responsible for shoulder width and the V-taper. Standing side-on, the cable passing in front of or behind the body, you raise the arm out to horizontal, elbow slightly bent, then lower under control. The cable's advantage: it imposes constant tension from the start, where a dumbbell is almost unloaded at the bottom. It is a valuable isolation exercise for visible shoulder shape, and an excellent variation of the dumbbell raise to vary the stimulus.
check_circleBenefits
- check_circleConstant tension on the lateral delt right from the bottom
- check_circleVisually widens the shoulders and improves the frame
- check_circleSmoother resistance curve than the dumbbell version
lightbulbExecution tips
- lightbulbStand side-on with the cable running across the body
- lightbulbLead with the elbow slightly higher than the hand
- lightbulbKeep a slight bend in the elbow throughout
- lightbulbPause briefly at the top before lowering
warningCommon mistakes
- warningShrugging and shifting the effort to the traps
- warningUsing body momentum to swing the weight up
- warningFully locking the arm and stressing the elbow
- warningRaising too far above the horizontal line
helpFrequently asked questions
Cable in front of or behind the body?expand_more
Running it across the front is most common and hits the lateral delt well. Running it behind the back changes the tension angle.
How many reps for cable lateral raises?expand_more
The lateral delt responds well to higher reps, around 12 to 20, using a moderate, controlled load.
Cable or dumbbells for lateral raises?expand_more
The cable keeps constant tension, including at the bottom, which really pumps the delt; dumbbells are more practical and allow heavier sets or drop sets. The two complement each other — many use the cable as a finisher.
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