So many everyday movements rely on shoulder strength and mobility. Imagine lifting groceries out of your car trunk, reaching to grab items off a shelf, getting dressed, closing doors — even opening up for a hug. These motions rely on the synchronized coordination of several key muscles in your shoulders working alongside your upper back.

Cable lateral raises can help you develop and compound your shoulder control. Using a cable machine specifically to strengthen your shoulders also can provide some benefits, offering a smooth resistance path that's often easier for beginners to tackle compared to free weights.

Plus, they're a versatile choice: You can start by exploring the traditional standing or seated versions before moving onto single one-arm variations, or a behind-the-back alternative.

Each small change can shift how the movement feels and what it targets in your body. This guide walks you through it all so the lift feels approachable and repeatable no matter your starting point.

Cable Lateral Raises: Step by Step

Standing Cable Lateral Raise (One Arm)

1. Stand perpendicular to the cable machine. Adjust the cable height to sit at or just beneath hand-level when your arms are at rest.

Tip: Most form guides recommend the cable sits at its lowest setting, but this actually can decrease the tension felt in your side delts during the deepest part of its stretch. By slightly raising the cable's height, you help support improving the deep-stretch timing and angles of the raise, which tends to happen when your working arm and the cable form a 90-degree angle.

2. Grip the handle with your outside hand. Use a neutral grip, palms facing the cable machine.

3. Keep a soft bend in your elbow. You don't want them to be completely locked, but you also don't want loose, floppy elbows.

4. Stand up straight. Stack shoulders, torso, and hips vertically, feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart.

5. Begin raising your working arm out in a sweeping arm motion. Raise until your hand reaches shoulder height, then briefly pause.

Tip: Focus on "leading" the lateral raise with your elbow, not your wrist, to help keep the shoulders working instead of the upper traps.

6. Return the handle to start slow and controlled, feeling the tension the entire return stretch down rather than letting the cable jerk or pull you back.

7. Reset and repeat. Pay attention to a neutral neck, no shrugging or tightening as you continue your reps.

Variation 1: Seated Cable Lateral Raise

Same movement pattern as a standing cable lateral raise, but with lower-body support from a bench. Follow most of the setup and cues from the standing variation.

Seated tips:

1. Ensure you're sitting tall, keeping both feet planted firmly on the ground to fight torso sway.

2. Keep your chest open and lats pulled down, allowing better activation and movement from your shoulder blades.

3. Use a lighter weight than you expect. A strict seated position removes a bit of the movement's momentum so the shoulders can often feel like they're working more clearly.

Variation 2: Behind the Back Lateral Cable Raise

Changes the starting angle and can increases tension earlier in the lift's stretch phase.

Behind-the-back tips:

1. Stand with the cable machine behind you and hold the handle with your outside hand.

2. Tuck your working arm slightly behind your hip to begin.

3. Lift outward in the same arc as the standard raise, stopping at shoulder height.

4. Maintain the same soft elbow bend. Avoid hyperextending the arm.

5. Again, a behind the back lateral cable raise is designed to often increase the tension during early-phase stretch portions of the movement, so first try it with a lighter load.

Cable Lateral Raises: reps & intervals

These are general starting points. Your stance, cable height, and whether you perform single or two-arm versions will change what feels comfortable.

Muscle growth: 6-20 reps, 3-4 sets
Strength endurance: 8-12 reps, 3 sets
Max strength: 4-8 reps, 3-4 sets

Average Duration of Cable Lateral Raises

Your pacing will be unique to you. Of course, you don't want to perform lateral cable raises too slowly, but you also don't want to rush, as this can trigger jerky movements or driving using momentum rather than mindful muscle control.

One rep: ~3-4 seconds
One set: ~30-45 seconds

Estimated Calories Burned

Cable lateral raises are a precise movement, so the goal here isn't necessarily to get your heart rate pumping and torch calories. Focus on good form, cable control, tempo, and proper shoulder and arm tension, all of which influence calories burned.

Women (140-180 lbs): ~12-25 calories (for three sets of 10 raises)
Men (170-210 lbs): ~15-30 calories (for three sets of 10 raises)
Adults above 210 lbs: ~20-35 calories (for three sets of 10 raises)

Recommended Number of exercises Per Week

Most individuals can include cable lateral raises in their training 1x per week, depending on how much other shoulder work makes up their routine. Beginners should start here and progress gradually, taking care to not overtrain the same muscles groups session after session.

Warmup & Cool Down Exercises

Warm-Up (choose 2-3):

Scapular wall slides (30 sec)
Light resistance band lateral raises (30 sec each side)
Shoulder circles (30 sec)

Cool-Down (choose 1-3, performed at the end of the workout)

Cross-body shoulder stretch (30 sec each side)
Slow neck rolls (30 sec each direction)
Overhead triceps stretch (30 sec each side)

Muscle Groups Targeted

Cable lateral raises first and foremost aim to target the lateral deltoids, the part of your shoulders responsible for lifting your arms outward and away from your body (abduction). This makes sense, as the exercise itself mirrors this natural movement but increases the stress exerted on its activated muscles.

From there, cable lateral raises should also support targeting your anterior deltoids (front shoulders), posterior deltoids (rear shoulders), and traps.

Because cables provide constant tension, the movement has been known to feel smoother on the shoulder joints than similar patterns utilizing free weights. Stabilizers like the upper back and core help maintain your upright posture (whether you're standing or sitting), especially during one arm single raise variations. The bent-arm and behind the back versions adjust how early in the lift the delts should engage.

Equipment Used for Cable Lateral Raises

Lateral cable raises require a cable machine. From there, you will also need access to a neutral D-grip attachment to properly perform its necessary grip type.

Other optional equipment:

Wrist attachment/wrist cuffs (Some lifters prefer how these feel compared to using a handle.)
Bench (for seated variations)

Who This Workout is Most Effective For

Anyone looking to develop more shape, tone, or symmetry to their shoulders.
Beginners learning controlled shoulder-targeting resistance exercises.
Anyone refining lateral delt strength without access to free weights or barbell racks.
Athletes where shoulder strength and mobility training is extra valuable, such as tennis, swimming, and volleyball, as well as repetitive throwing sports (baseball, softball, lacrosse, etc.).

Answers to FAQs about Cable Lateral Raises

It more depends on your preferences, access to equipment, and comfort. Dumbbells are a popular way to perform lateral raises and can feel familiar and effective, but cables tend to offer more constant tension across the entire stretch.

Cable-based lateral raises also can feel smoother and help reduce swinging momentum, especially at the beginning and end of the lift. Many people include both for variety.

Yes! Arm "abduction" here simply refers to lifting the arm away from the body, which is exactly what this movement does. The cables just help guide the path with steadier resistance.

There are plenty of other abduction-based movements using bodyweight or equipment-provided resistance you can explore through Tonal's free exercise and workout libraries.

Better is relative and depends on your goals. A standing cable lateral raise tends to allow for a natural weight shift and a slightly freer arc. Compare that with a seated version, which can help remove swinging momentum and make the pattern feel stricter on the lateral delts especially.

Both variations are useful depending on how much stability support you want from the ground versus your torso, and if you have an adjustable workout bench available.

Concluding words on Cable Lateral Raises

Cable lateral raises help you understand how your shoulders lift and stabilize without relying on momentum. When performed slowly, the movement mirrors everyday tasks — the daily lifting, reaching, and carrying you likely already do — now with more awareness and ease.

Plus, variations like seated and behind the back raises offer even more ways to explore what feels best for your body.

Keep exploring ways to move your body, and use Tonal's back and shoulder exercise guides to further develop shoulder control and strength gains.

Cable Lateral Raises: Shoulder Isolation and Definition

Contents

Cable Lateral Raises: Step by Step