Cable Single Arm Lateral Raise
Cable Single Arm Lateral Raise Exercise Description
The Cable Single Arm Lateral Raise trains shoulder abduction with emphasis on the middle (lateral) deltoid. The cable’s constant line of pull maintains tension throughout the motion and allows a slightly across‑the‑body start that places the deltoid in a lengthened position at the bottom. Primary mover: middle deltoid; the supraspinatus assists, with anterior and posterior deltoid contributing. The trapezius and serratus anterior support scapular upward rotation, while the rotator cuff stabilizes the glenohumeral joint. The goal is a smooth lift to about shoulder height without shrugging, leaning, or twisting, using a soft elbow and neutral wrist to keep the movement at the shoulder.
- 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: Other
- Muscle Position: Lateral
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Cable Single Arm Lateral Raise Exercise
‘- Set the pulley to the lowest position and attach a single D‑handle.
– Stand sideways to the stack; hold the handle with the hand farthest from the pulley. Lightly hold the machine with your inside hand for balance.
– Step out to create light tension; let the working arm rest slightly across the front of your thigh.
– Brace lightly, ribs down; maintain a neutral spine.
– Set the shoulder: depress and gently retract the scapula; keep a slight bend in the elbow.
– Lead with the elbow and lift the arm out to the side in the scapular plane (slightly in front of your torso).
– Keep the wrist neutral; do not rotate the torso or shrug.
– Raise until the upper arm is at or just below shoulder height.
– Pause briefly, then lower under control along the same path, keeping tension on the cable.
– Switch sides.
Cable Single Arm Lateral Raise Tips
‘- Stand sideways to the stack and hold the handle with the hand farthest from the pulley, using your inside hand lightly on the machine for balance.
– Step out until there is light tension on the cable before starting, with your working arm resting slightly across the front of your thigh.
– Brace lightly with ribs down and maintain a neutral spine to avoid leaning or twisting during the lift.
– Set the shoulder by depressing and gently retracting the scapula before you start raising the arm.
– Keep a slight bend in the elbow and a neutral wrist, and lead the movement with the elbow.
– Lift the arm out to the side in the scapular plane, slightly in front of your torso.
– Raise only until the upper arm is at or just below shoulder height, without shrugging the shoulder.
– Pause briefly at the top, then lower the arm under control along the same path.
– Keep tension on the cable throughout the motion, and switch sides after completing your reps.
Cable Single Arm Lateral Raise Beginner Introduction
The Cable Single Arm Lateral Raise is a cable-based shoulder exercise that emphasizes lifting the arm out to the side using one shoulder at a time. It’s typically performed standing next to a low pulley with a single handle, allowing the cable to pull from a low, consistent angle. Because the arm often begins slightly across the front of the body, the outer shoulder starts in a more stretched position, and the cable provides steady resistance through the entire arc of the motion.
This movement mainly challenges the side of the shoulder, with help from the front and back portions of the shoulder and the muscles around the shoulder joint that guide and steady the arm. The upper back and the muscles along the ribs assist in guiding the shoulder blade as the arm rises. The theme of the exercise is smooth, controlled motion: the arm glides up to roughly shoulder level and back down without leaning, rotating the torso, or hiking the shoulder toward the ear.