Cable Seated Lateral Raise
A seated cable lateral raise performed bent forward at the hips, raising the arms out to the sides using two crossed cables. It suits beginners looking for a more supported shoulder isolation exercise.
How to do the cable seated lateral raise
- Sit on the edge of a bench between two low pulleys, feet in front of your knees.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back flat, and rest your torso on your thighs.
- Grasp the left pulley handle with your right hand and the right handle with your left hand.
- Raise your arms out to the sides until they are roughly parallel to the floor, exhaling as you lift.
- Lower your arms back down slowly as you inhale, keeping your torso bent forward throughout.
Original library instructions (7 steps)
- Stand in the middle of two low pulleys that are opposite to each other and place a flat bench right behind you (in perpendicular fashion to you; the narrow edge of the bench should be the one behind you). Select the weight to be used on each pulley.
- Now sit at the edge of the flat bench behind you with your feet placed in front of your knees.
- Bend forward while keeping your back flat and rest your torso on the thighs.
- Have someone give you the single handles attached to the pulleys. Grasp the left pulley with the right hand and the right pulley with the left after you select your weight. The pulleys should run under your knees and your arms will be extended with palms facing each other and a slight bend at the elbows. This will be the starting position.
- While keeping the arms stationary, raise the upper arms to the sides until they are parallel to the floor and at shoulder height. Exhale during the execution of this movement and hold the contraction for a second.
- Slowly lower your arms to the starting position as you inhale.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions. Tip: Maintain upper arms perpendicular to torso and a fixed elbow position (10 degree to 30 degree angle) throughout exercise.
Common mistakes
- Sitting up straight instead of staying bent forward, which changes where the shoulders feel the work.
- Swinging the arms up quickly instead of raising them with a slow, controlled motion.
- Using too much weight, which causes the elbows to bend and turns the raise into a row.
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Sets, reps and rest |
|---|---|
| Strength | 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps, 60 to 90 seconds rest |
| Muscle | 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 12 reps, 60 seconds rest |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 sets of 15 reps, 45 seconds rest |
Ranges, not prescriptions. Start at the low end and add a set or a rep when every set feels controlled.
Tips
- Keep a slight, fixed bend in your elbows throughout the set rather than locking or bending them further.
- Hold the top position for a second before lowering to get a stronger squeeze in the shoulders.
In the app: this exercise is one of 873 in GymPilot's library, with the same photos, form cues and a link back to the moment in an imported video it came from.
Questions
Is the cable seated lateral raise good for beginners?
Yes. Sitting and bending forward gives the torso support, which can make it easier for beginners to isolate the shoulders than a standing raise.
What muscles does the cable seated lateral raise work?
It mainly works the shoulders, with the back helping to keep the torso stable in the bent over position.
