Lateral raise
Cable lateral raise
Works
Also works
Equipment
Unilateral (one side at a time)
How to do it
- Stand side-on to the low pulley and grip the handle with your farther hand.
- Keep a slight bend in your elbow and your torso upright.
- Raise your arm out to the side until it reaches shoulder height.
- Squeeze the side delt at the top without shrugging your shoulder.
- Lower under control and complete your reps before switching sides.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the torso to raise the arm
- Shrugging the shoulder toward the ear
- Cutting the range short of shoulder height
What the evidence says
Eight weeks of lateral raises to failure, one implement per arm and range of motion matched: dumbbell and cable produced the same lateral deltoid growth (3.3%–4.6%), with "extreme" statistical support for no difference. Use whatever is free; the cable's resistance profile bought nothing here.
Larsen S, Wolf M, Schoenfeld BJ, et al. «Dumbbell versus cable lateral raises for lateral deltoid hypertrophy: an experimental study». Frontiers in Physiology, 2025. View the study
Ten weeks of bench press training, measured by MRI: pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, anterior deltoid and triceps all grew more than the control group, but the medial deltoid did not — every other muscle grew more than it did. The lateral deltoid isn't trained as a by-product of pressing: it needs its own work.
Lanza MB, Prado GC, Lacerda LT, et al. «Muscle hypertrophy response across four muscles involved in the bench press exercise: Randomized 10 weeks training intervention». Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 2024. View the study
What isn't settled: Everything debated about lateral raise technique is unmeasured. No study compares full range vs partials in the lateral raise, thumbs-down vs thumbs-up, the leaning version vs standing, or where to stop the arc. Dumbbell and cable tying is proven; the rest of the gym's rules are not.
Other variations
Log it in two taps
All 340 catalogue exercises are in the app, with their technique and your history. You log the set and Myosin works out volume, records and estimated strength.
