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Last updated March 5, 2026
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shoulders
Lateral Raise - Single Arm (Cable)
Raise one arm out to the side against cable resistance, keeping a slight bend in your elbow for constant tension on the side delt.
Quick facts
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Mechanic
- Isolation
- Force
- Pull
- Type
- Strength
- Injury Risk
- Low
- Hypertrophy
- Very High
- Calorie Burn
- Low-Medium
Muscle focus
Primary and secondary muscle groups targeted by this movement.
Primary
side shoulders
Secondary
front shouldersupper traps
Equipment & setup
What you need and how to position yourself before starting.
Equipment
cable
Movement pattern
Unilateral
Posture
Standing
Tracking parameters
repsweight
Step-by-step instructions
Follow these cues to master proper technique and stay safe through every rep.
- Step 1Setup
- Set the cable pulley to the lowest position.
- Stand sideways to the machine and grasp the handle with the hand farthest from the cable.
- Your working arm should cross in front of your body slightly at the start.
- Step 2Execution
- With a slight bend in your elbow, raise your arm out to the side in a smooth arc.
- Lead with your elbow rather than your hand.
- Stop when your arm reaches shoulder height—do not raise higher.
- Step 3Return
- Lower the handle slowly back across your body.
- Resist the cable tension on the way down—do not let the weight drop.
- Complete all reps on one arm before switching sides.