Cable Lateral Raise
What Cable Lateral Raise really gives you is overhead strength that holds up, driven by unbroken cable tension.
How to do Cable Lateral Raise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grasp the cable handles with an overhand grip.
- Keep your arms straight and your core engaged.
- Raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Cable Lateral Raise Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
3 sets of 5-6 reps with 2-3 minutes of rest. Move the pin one plate once the last rep feels easy.
Hypertrophy
3 sets of 10-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Step back until the stack never rests at the top.
Endurance
2-3 sets of 15-18 reps with 45-60 seconds of rest. Stretch the return phase before adding weight.
Common Cable Lateral Raise Mistakes
Letting the stack touch down between reps
Stop just short of the stack so tension never resets.
Driving the ribcage forward to fake overhead range
Squeeze the glutes and keep the ribs stacked over the hips.
Easier and Harder Than Cable Lateral Raise
Swap Cable Lateral Raise For
Cable Lateral Raise — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Cable Lateral Raise?
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grasp the cable handles with an overhand grip. Keep your arms straight and your core engaged. Raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor. Use a cable machine and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Cable Lateral Raise work?
The Cable Lateral Raise primarily targets the delts. It is classified as a shoulders exercise and is performed with a cable machine.
How many sets and reps of the Cable Lateral Raise should I do?
For muscle growth: 3 sets of 10-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Step back until the stack never rests at the top. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Cable Lateral Raise good for beginners?
Yes. The Cable Lateral Raise is a beginner-level movement, so it is a reasonable place to start. Keep the load light enough that you can control every rep and stop 2-3 reps short of failure while you learn the pattern.
What can I do instead of the Cable Lateral Raise?
Try the Dumbbell Push Press, Band Front Lateral Raise or the Left Hook. Boxing. Each trains the delts with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
