Cable Seated Lateral Raise
A beginner isolation movement that trains the shoulders with a cable machine.
Force Type
Pull
isolation
Difficulty
Beginner
isolation
Variations
0
equipment swaps
Muscles
3
primary + secondary
The verdict
Cable Seated Lateral Raise has 7-step instructions, among the most thoroughly documented of the 127 shoulders exercises PlainExercise catalogues.
Ranked against the 127 shoulders exercises PlainExercise currently catalogues, not the full exercise-science literature.
Cable Seated Lateral Raise is a beginner isolation movement that trains the Shoulders along with middle back and traps. It requires a cable machine. There are 0 known variations and 8 peer exercises that target the same primary muscle.
- 1 of 9 exercises targeting the Shoulders
- Level: beginner
PlainExercise cross-links 0 variations and 8 peer exercises sharing the same primary muscle.
What the Cable Seated Lateral Raise Data Reveals
Cable Seated Lateral Raise is classified in the PlainExercise database as a beginner-level isolation movement with a pull force profile, primarily training the Shoulders with secondary engagement of the middle back, traps. The canonical form requires a cable machine, and the movement falls within the strength category. The parent record is sourced from the public-domain Free Exercise DB and enriched with exercise-science framing unique to PlainExercise, including structured common-mistake patterns derived from the force and mechanic fields above.
Within the same primary-muscle cohort, the Shoulders is trained by 9 catalogued movements in total, meaning any practitioner planning a session has at least 8 alternatives that load the same tissue through different joint angles or equipment profiles. No alternate-equipment variations have been catalogued for Cable Seated Lateral Raise yet; the canonical form is the documented path. The documented execution runs 7 discrete steps, each one derived directly from the upstream record and reproduced verbatim rather than paraphrased.
Context matters: this database aggregates exercise science taxonomy (level, mechanic, force, primary/secondary musculature, equipment) but does not and cannot account for individual biomechanics, joint history, recovery status, or training context. The common-mistake and progression framing below is derived programmatically from the classification fields and represents general exercise-science consensus rather than case-specific coaching. This is not medical or personal-training advice. Consult a physician, physical therapist, or certified trainer before starting a new exercise or modifying an existing program, particularly if you have prior injuries, pain, recent surgery, cardiovascular limitations, or are pregnant.
Muscles worked
Exercise profile
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | beginner |
| Mechanic | isolation |
| Force | pull |
| Equipment | cable |
| Category | strength |
| Primary muscle | Shoulders |
| Secondary muscles | 2 |
| Variations available | 0 |
Source: Free Exercise DB (CC0); profile derived per exercise record.
Muscles worked
According to the Free Exercise DB classification, Cable Seated Lateral Raise trains the shoulders as the prime mover, with 2 muscles assisting. The source classifies muscles as primary or secondary, it does not measure activation, so we show involvement, not percentages.
Source: Free Exercise DB primary/secondary muscle classification. Involvement, not measured activation, actual recruitment varies by load and form.
Intensity context
For reference, here is where common activities sit on the MET intensity scale. Cable Seated Lateral Raise does not have a measured MET in the source data, its intensity depends on the load and effort you use. Estimate calories for any activity with the calorie calculator.
MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al., 2011). A general reference scale, not a rating of this specific movement.
How to do it
- 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
- Rushing through reps before the pattern is grooved - at this stage, a slow, controlled tempo (2-3s down, 1-2s up) on Cable Seated Lateral Raise teaches the nervous system the movement far faster than speed does.
- Cutting the range of motion short - moving the shoulders through its full safe range on Cable Seated Lateral Raise is what most reliably separates effective reps from wasted ones.
- Using momentum instead of muscle, isolation movements like Cable Seated Lateral Raise reward strict form. If you're swinging the weight, it's too heavy.
- Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears on pull movements, keep shoulder blades down and back to load the correct muscles.
- Breathing out of sync with the lift on Cable Seated Lateral Raise - brace and inhale during the lowering phase, exhale on the exertion, especially important with a cable machine where control matters most.
Who this is for
- People new to resistance training who want to build a foundation in the movement pattern
- People who want to train the Shoulders and secondarily middle back, traps
- People who have access to a cable machine
Who this is NOT for
- Anyone with acute pain in the joints or muscles involved, pain is a stop signal, not a soreness signal
- People with unresolved injuries in the loaded joints, seek clearance from a physical therapist first
- Anyone with a recent surgery, cardiovascular limitation, or pregnancy complication without physician clearance
Progression path
Once Cable Seated Lateral Raise feels comfortable with your current load, progress by (a) adding reps until you can complete 12+ per set, (b) increasing resistance by 2.5-5%, (c) moving to harder variations such as single-limb or longer lever versions, and eventually (d) stepping up to intermediate-level movements that train the same muscle.
See the Progression guide for a full framework on when to advance, and the Compound vs Isolation guide to decide when to prioritize this movement in your program.
Safety notes
- Sharp or joint pain is a stop signal. Muscle soreness during sets is normal; pain is not.
- Warm up the involved joints with 2-3 progressively loaded sets before training to a working weight.
- If you have a history of injury in the loaded joints (knees, shoulders, lower back), consult a physical therapist before loading this movement.
- General information only. Consult a physician or certified trainer before starting any new exercise program.
Related exercises
Other exercises that target the Shoulders.
See all Shoulders exercises.
Using the cable seated lateral raise
A beginner isolation movement for the shoulders - here's how to put it to work.
- Train the shoulders 2–3 times a week with 48+ hours between hard sets; pair this with other shoulders movements for balanced development. All shoulders exercises
- Match the load and rep range to your goal, strength, size, or endurance each call for a different scheme. Strength vs hypertrophy
- As an isolation movement, use it to target the shoulders directly after your compound lifts. Compound vs isolation
Form before load. If a movement causes sharp or joint pain, stop and substitute a safer alternative, this is general information, not medical or training advice.