Exercise guide · Shoulders & Traps

Cable Lateral Raise

Cable lateral raises keep tension on the side delts through the full rep. Set the pulley low and stand far enough away for a clean line of pull.

  • Targets: Side delts
  • Equipment: Cable
  • Type: Isolation
Cable Lateral Raise exercise illustration showing the movement position

Step by step

How to do the Cable Lateral Raise

  1. Attach a single handle to the low pulley and select light to moderate weight.
  2. Stand sideways to the machine and grab the handle with the hand farthest from the stack.
  3. Take a small step back so the cable has light tension at the start.
  4. With a slight elbow bend, raise your arm out to the side to shoulder height.
  5. Lower slowly until your hand is at your thigh without resting the stack between reps if possible.

Form cues

  • Cable in front of your body line
  • Elbow leads the movement
  • Stand tall, no leaning
  • Pause at the top

Common mistakes

  • Standing too close and losing tension at the bottom
  • Leaning away from the machine to cheat
  • Shrugging the shoulder every rep
  • Too heavy and short range

Muscles worked

Primary

Side delts

Secondary

None significant

Safety: Keep the cable path clear of your body on the way up and down.

Alternatives

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