Shoulders
Cable Lateral Raise (Cuff)
The Cable Lateral Raise (Cuff) is a strength exercise on a cable machine for your shoulders. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: side delts 62%, front delts 12% and rear delts 10%.
How to do it
- Set a single pulley just below hip height and strap an ankle cuff around the wrist of your working arm.
- Stand side-on, one step from the machine, with the working arm on the far side and the cable crossing in front of your hips.
- Hold the frame with your free hand, feet hip-width, knees soft and torso upright.
- Raise the arm out to the side, slightly in front of the body, until the upper arm is level with the floor.
- Keep the elbow slightly bent and the shoulder down, then lower slowly until the cable pulls the arm back across the body.
Tips
- Lead with the elbow, not the hand, so the side of the shoulder does the lifting.
- Stop at shoulder height: going higher mostly adds upper traps.
Common mistakes
- Shrugging the shoulder toward the ear as the arm rises.
- Leaning the whole body away to swing the weight up.
- Letting the cable snap the arm down instead of lowering it under control.
Muscles worked by the Cable Lateral Raise (Cuff)
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
Raising the arm out to the side is shoulder abduction, led by the lateral delt; front and rear heads assist, the upper traps help rotate the shoulder blade near the top, and the supraspinatus starts the movement from deep.
Cable Lateral Raise (Cuff) alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
Make it harder
- Cable Lateral Raise (No Attachment)
- Double Cable Lateral Raise
- Seated Cable Lateral Raise
- Behind the Back Cable Lateral Raise
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Cable Lateral Raise (Cuff) work?
Mainly the side delts. The front delts and rear delts assist.
Is the Cable Lateral Raise (Cuff) good for beginners?
Yes. The Cable Lateral Raise (Cuff) is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.
What is a good alternative to the Cable Lateral Raise (Cuff)?
For example the Band Lateral Raise, Kettlebell Lateral Raise and Lateral Raise. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
How do you make the Cable Lateral Raise (Cuff) harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Cable Lateral Raise (No Attachment) and Double Cable Lateral Raise.
Sources
- Coratella et al. 2020, IJERPH 17(17):6015 (lateral raise variations and front raise)
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