Cable Lateral Raise Guide: Build Stronger Shoulders
Master the cable lateral raise with our step-by-step guide. Learn proper form, avoid common mistakes, and isolate your side delts for better shoulder width.
How to Perform
- Set the cable pulley to the lowest position and select a light to moderate weight.
- Stand sideways to the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart and grasp the handle with the hand furthest from the pulley.
- Maintain a slight bend in your elbow and keep your chest upright with your shoulders pulled back and down.
- Raise your arm out to the side in a wide arc until your hand is level with your shoulder.
- Pause for a brief second at the top of the movement to maximize peak contraction.
- Lower the handle slowly back to the starting position while resisting the pull of the weight.
- Complete the desired number of repetitions before switching sides to train the opposite shoulder.
Common Mistakes
- Using excessive momentum or swinging the torso to lift the weight.
- Leading the movement with the hand rather than the elbow.
- Shrugging the shoulders upward toward the ears during the concentric phase.
- Lifting the arm too high above shoulder level, which shifts tension to the traps.
Muscles Worked
Primary movers
- Lateral Deltoids
Stabilizers
- Anterior Deltoids
- Trapezius
- Supraspinatus
Related Guides
- Arm Raises (T/Y/I) — Shoulders
- Arnold Press — Shoulders
- Australian pull-ups — Shoulders
Lateral Deltoids · Shoulders