Leaning Cable Lateral Raise
The leaning cable lateral raise is a single-arm lateral raise from a low pulley, performed while you hold an upright and lean your body away from the machine. It trains the side (lateral) deltoid and keeps it under cable tension from the stretched bottom of the rep up to shoulder height.
Also called: Leaning Away Cable Lateral Raise, Single-Arm Leaning Cable Raise · Equipment: cable · Pattern: push
Step by step
- Set a pulley at its lowest position with a single handle. Stand side-on to the machine and take the handle in the hand furthest from it, so the cable runs across the front of your body.
- Hold the machine's upright with your near hand at about chest height. Set your feet close to the base and lean away until your holding arm is straight and your body is about 15–30° from vertical.
- Let your working arm hang across the front of your body with a slight bend in the elbow, so you feel a stretch at the side of the shoulder.
- Raise your arm out to the side, leading with your elbow and keeping your palm facing the floor, until your upper arm is level with your shoulder.
- Pause briefly at shoulder height with your shoulder held down away from your ear.
- Bring the arm back down across your body under control to the stretched starting position.
- Keep your lean and torso still throughout. Complete the reps on one side, then change sides.
- Lean away and hold the angle
- Lead with your elbow
- Raise to shoulder height
- Shoulder down, away from your ear
- Control the stretch at the bottom
- Torso still, only the arm moves
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Lateral deltoid | Prime mover | C |
| Supraspinatus | Secondary | C |
| Anterior deltoid | Secondary | C |
| Trapezius: upper | Secondary | C |
| Rotator cuff | Stabiliser | D |
| Posterior deltoid | Stabiliser | D |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Shrugging the working shoulder
Fix: Keep your shoulder down away from your ear and end the raise at shoulder height.
Swinging the torso
Fix: Hold the upright firmly and keep your lean fixed so only the arm moves.
Cutting the bottom short
Fix: Let the arm return across your body to a full stretch on every rep.
Thumb turning down
Fix: Keep your palm facing the floor, with the thumb neither up nor down.
Elbow bending as you raise
Fix: Set a slight elbow bend at the start and keep it fixed through the rep.
What the research says
Muscle growth · first choiceRehab & prehabGeneral fitnessEndurance
- Cable versus dumbbell — In an 8-week trial in trained lifters, cable and dumbbell lateral raises produced equivalent side-deltoid growth, about 3–5%, when range of motion was matched.
- Arm rotation — An EMG study in bodybuilders found a neutral arm position activated the side deltoid most, while turning the thumb down shifted activity to the rear deltoid and upper trapezius.
- Load and effort — Studies show muscle growth is similar across a wide range of loads when sets are taken close to failure, and sets that finish a rep or two short of failure capture most of that benefit.
- Volume and frequency — Research links more weekly sets for a muscle to more growth, with diminishing returns. Around 10 or more hard sets a week has been associated with more growth than fewer than 5, and training a muscle about twice a week is a common way to spread that volume.
- Sets and reps — A common approach is 2–4 sets of 10–20 reps per arm, usually after the main presses.
Swap it mid-workout
- Cable Lateral Raise
- Cable Y-Raise
- Lu Raise
- Plate Lateral Raise
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise
- Lateral Raise Machine
With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.
Log the leaning cable lateral raise in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.