Cable lateral raise: how to do it
Main muscles: Side delts (lateral deltoid). Helpers: Rear delts (posterior deltoid). Below: step-by-step form, common mistakes, a muscle map, reps and rest, and what to swap it for.
Equipment
Cable
Reps
10–15
Rest
75 s
Muscle group
Shoulders
How to do it
- Low pulley behind you, handle in the far hand, torso held still.
- Lead with the elbow out to shoulder level, the hand no higher than the elbow.
- Lower slowly and keep the cable under tension.
Common mistakes
Leaning the torso sideways, shrugging the shoulder to the ear.
Muscles worked
primary·secondary
- Primary
- Side delts (lateral deltoid)
- Secondary
- Rear delts (posterior deltoid)
A secondary muscle gets roughly half the stimulus of a set — that is also how the log’s stats count it.
Alternatives: similar exercises
Seated dumbbell press
Dumbbells · Front delts (anterior deltoid), Side delts (lateral deltoid)
Dumbbell lateral raise
Dumbbells · Side delts (lateral deltoid)
Overhead press
Barbell · Front delts (anterior deltoid), Side delts (lateral deltoid)
Arnold press
Dumbbells · Front delts (anterior deltoid), Side delts (lateral deltoid)
Upright row
Barbell · Side delts (lateral deltoid), Upper traps
Log your sets — the app suggests the next weight
GymAssist tracks the load on each of 40 muscles, paints it on a body map and uses double progression to tell you when to add weight.
Free forever for the first 500