Cable Behind The Back Cuffed Lateral Raise
Cable Behind The Back Cuffed Lateral Raise Exercise Description
The Cable Behind The Back Cuffed Lateral Raise trains shoulder abduction with steady cable resistance while minimizing grip demand. Stand side-on to a low pulley so the cable tracks behind your hips, then raise the arm out to the side to about shoulder height. The primary mover is the middle (lateral) deltoid, with assistance from the supraspinatus and anterior/posterior deltoid; the rotator cuff stabilizes the glenohumeral joint. As the arm elevates, the scapula upwardly rotates via the trapezius and serratus anterior. Using a cuff provides a smooth line of pull and helps discourage torso leaning. Keep a neutral spine, a soft elbow, and light external rotation (thumb slightly up) to promote clean mechanics and limit unnecessary upper‑trap dominance. This variation maintains tension across the range of motion and offers a predictable path for focused shoulder work.
- Muscle Groups: Delts, Shoulders
- Target Muscles: Deltoid - Lateral
- Assisting Muscles: Deltoid - Anterior, Deltoid - Posterior, Supraspinatus
- Stabilizing Muscles: Infraspinatus, Serratus Anterior, Subscapularis, Teres Minor, Trapezius - Lower Fibers
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Shoulders
- Body Surface: Side
- Body Symmetry: Unilateral
- Equipment: Cable
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Shoulder Abductors
- Joint Involvement: Single-joint
- Muscle Location: Side Shoulder
- Movement Direction: Lateral
- Muscle Position: Lateral
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Cable Behind The Back Cuffed Lateral Raise Exercise
‘- Set a cable to the lowest pulley and attach a single cuff to your working wrist or just above the wrist (forearm).
– Stand side-on to the stack with the working arm farthest from it; let the cable run behind your hip.
– Take a stable stance (hip-width or short split), brace lightly, ribs down, neutral spine.
– Start with the arm by your side slightly behind your torso; elbow softly bent ~10–20°, wrist neutral, thumb slightly up.
– Set the shoulder: gently depress and lightly retract the scapula; keep the neck long.
– Initiate by driving the elbow out to the side and slightly forward into the scapular plane until the upper arm reaches about shoulder height.
– Maintain slight external rotation (avoid turning the thumb downward); do not shrug or side-bend.
– Pause briefly with control; let the forearm follow the upper arm without bending the wrist.
– Lower along the same arc under control until the arm returns by your side with the stack still off the stops.
– Keep the torso square and still throughout—movement occurs at the shoulder only.
– Switch sides.
Cable Behind The Back Cuffed Lateral Raise Tips
‘- Stand side-on to the low pulley with the working arm farthest from the stack and the cable running behind your hip.
– Attach the cuff at the wrist or just above it on the forearm to minimize grip demand and create a smooth line of pull.
– Use a stable stance (hip-width or short split), brace lightly with ribs down, and keep a neutral spine.
– Start with the arm by your side, slightly behind your torso, with a soft elbow (~10–20°), wrist neutral, and thumb slightly up.
– Gently depress and lightly retract your scapula before lifting, keeping your neck long.
– Initiate the raise by driving the elbow out to the side and slightly forward in the scapular plane until your upper arm reaches about shoulder height.
– Maintain slight external rotation (thumb slightly up) and avoid turning the thumb downward to promote clean mechanics and limit upper-trap dominance.
– Keep the torso square and still—avoid shrugging, side-bending, or leaning as you raise and lower.
– Let the forearm simply follow the upper arm without bending at the wrist throughout the motion.
– Lower along the same arc under control until your arm returns by your side with the stack still off the stops to maintain tension.
Cable Behind The Back Cuffed Lateral Raise Beginner Introduction
The Cable Behind The Back Cuffed Lateral Raise is a cable-based shoulder exercise that emphasizes smooth, consistent resistance through the entire motion. The cuff attaches around the wrist or forearm, so the cable pulls from behind the body while the arm travels out to the side and up to about shoulder level. Because the hand does not have to grip a handle tightly, effort shifts away from the forearms and more into the working shoulder.
This variation targets the side of the shoulders as the main mover, with help from the front and rear portions of the shoulder and the smaller stabilizing muscles around the joint. The shoulder blade rotates and glides as the arm lifts, bringing the upper back and muscles along the side of the ribcage into a supporting role. The body remains steady while the arm moves, encouraging controlled motion at the shoulder rather than swinging or leaning. The result is a deliberate, predictable path that highlights quality shoulder work under constant cable tension.