Shoulders
Egyptian Lateral Raise
The Egyptian Lateral Raise is a strength exercise on a cable machine for your shoulders. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: side delts 63%, front delts 11% and rear delts 9%.
How to do it
- Set a single pulley at the lowest position and clip on a single handle.
- Stand side-on, hold the machine frame with the near hand and take the handle with the far hand.
- Walk your feet close to the machine and lean your body away on a straight arm, about 20 to 30 degrees.
- Raise the working arm out to the side until it is level with the floor.
- Lower slowly back in front of the hips, then switch sides after the set.
Tips
- The lean keeps tension on the side delt at the bottom of the rep.
- Keep the body in one straight line from feet to head while leaning.
Common mistakes
- Bending at the waist instead of leaning as one unit.
- Pulling with the holding arm to swing the body.
- Lifting the hand above the elbow.
Muscles worked by the Egyptian Lateral Raise
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.
Leaning shifts peak tension toward the stretched position and away from the traps. One arm, leaning away from the post. 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.
Egyptian Lateral Raise alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
Easier
Make it easier
- Single Arm Machine Lateral Raise
- Single Arm Dumbbell Lateral Raise
- Machine Lateral Raise
- Partial Lateral Raise
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Egyptian Lateral Raise work?
Mainly the side delts. The front delts and rear delts assist.
Is the Egyptian Lateral Raise good for beginners?
The Egyptian Lateral Raise is rated intermediate. If you are new, learn the Single Arm Machine Lateral Raise first and build up from there.
What is a good alternative to the Egyptian Lateral Raise?
For example the Single Arm Machine Lateral Raise, Single Arm Dumbbell Lateral Raise and Incline Bench Cable Lateral Raise. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
Sources
- Coratella et al. 2020, IJERPH 17(17):6015 (lateral raise variations and front raise)
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