Cable Lateral Raise
Reviewed by Bryan Cortez, MS
Constant tension top to bottom — the side delt never gets a break.
Coaching profile
lateral-delt default. This page is the practical coaching layer: use it for setup, cues, programming, pain-free adjustments, and substitutions. The complete biomechanics tier list lives on the muscle page.
How the rankings are built →Demonstration
Demonstration production queue
The written coaching card is ready. The owned video is next.
Physique Skool is filming one canonical demonstration per exercise. Until this movement is published, use the setup, execution, common errors, programming, and substitutions below.
Browse Physique Skool on YouTubeAppears in Book 1
Four-Day Standard
Full Body C
Exercise 4 in the session · Dumbbell Lateral Raise (or Cable Lateral Raise): 2 sets of 12–20 reps.
Four-Day Standard
Upper A
Exercise 5 in the session · Dumbbell Lateral Raise (or Cable Lateral Raise): 2 sets of 12–20 reps.
Four-Day Standard
Upper B
Exercise 5 in the session · Cable Lateral Raise (or Dumbbell Lateral Raise): 2 sets of 12–20 reps.
How to do it
Setup
- Low cable behind or across the body, handle in the far hand, stand tall.
Execution
- Raise the arm out to shoulder height leading with the elbow, control down against the constant tension; no swinging.
Common Errors
- Swinging the body to start the rep
- Going above shoulder height into the traps
- Leading with the hand instead of the elbow
- Letting the cable yank the arm down (no eccentric control)
Cues That Work
- Lead with the elbow; push the handle away from the hip; lower against the cable
No-Fly Zone
under 8 reps (turns into a swinging cheat)
Programming
Sequence priority
Late
Low fatigue isolation — a finisher; constant tension makes it a favourite for side-delt volume.
Progression
Model — Triple
Fallback model — Double
Triple progression: 12→20, then a pin or micro-plate. Same logic as the dumbbell version — jumps are coarse, so micro-load.
Best program fit
Push, Upper
Load increments
If it hurts
Pain is information, not a challenge to push through. Stop the set if pain is sharp, worsening, or changes how you move. These are exercise-selection options, not medical diagnosis or rehabilitation advice.
Work down this list in order. Stop at the first change that removes the pain.
Step 1
Setup tweaks
Cable angle (behind the body = more stretch at the bottom); lean away from the stack.
Step 2
ROM / tempo / bias
Pause at the top; slow eccentric; lengthened partials at the bottom.
Step 3
Implement swap
Dumbbell lateral raise, machine lateral raise, or lean-away cable raise.
Substitutions
Approved fallback
Dumbbell lateral raise, machine lateral raise, or lean-away cable raise.
Compare all shoulders optionsThe Evidence
Builds side-delt width with constant tension. Does NOT build pressing strength or rear delts.
SFR — 4.5
Put the exercise inside a system.
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