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Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise animation

How to do the Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise

ShouldersDeltsCableBeginner

The cable seated rear lateral raise isolates your rear deltoids with constant tension that dumbbells simply cannot match, building the shoulder thickness that creates a truly three-dimensional physique. Mastering this movement as a beginner sets a foundation for balanced shoulder development and healthier joints long-term.

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Muscles worked

Primary
Deltoids
Secondary
TrapeziusTriceps

Step-by-step

  1. Sit at the cable stack with the pulley set at floor level, hinge forward slightly at the hips, and grip the handle with the hand opposite to the working cable.
  2. Brace your core, keep your chest up, and let your working arm hang across your body as your starting position.
  3. Drive your elbow out and back in a wide arc, raising your arm to shoulder height while keeping a slight bend at the elbow throughout.
  4. Pause briefly at the top, then lower the handle slowly under control back to the starting position before beginning the next rep.

Common mistakes

  • Shrugging the shoulder at the top, which shifts the work to the traps — consciously depress your shoulder blade throughout the entire rep.
  • Using too much weight and swinging the torso to compensate — reduce the load and keep your torso fixed so the rear delt does all the work.
  • Letting the elbow drop and pulling with a bent arm like a row — maintain that wide elbow path to keep tension exactly where it belongs.

Pro tip — Focus on leading the movement with your elbow rather than your hand, and imagine you are trying to point your elbow at the wall behind you — this subtle cue dramatically increases rear deltoid activation and removes the bicep from the equation.

Sets & reps by goal

Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps

Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.

More Shoulders exercises

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