Cable Lateral Raise Behind the Body: how to do it right
In short: Side delt isolation on the low cable, one arm at a time, the cable passing behind your glutes to put the muscle under tension from the start.
How to do it, step by step
- 1Pulley at its lowest, stand next to the column, feet hip-width apart, and take the handle with the opposite-side hand: the cable passes behind your glutes.
- 2Put your free hand on your hip, torso vertical and braced, shoulder down, elbow barely bent.
- 3Start with your arm along your body, hand behind the glute on the working side: the cable is already pulling, you feel the shoulder under tension before you even move.
- 4Raise that single arm out to the side to floor-level horizontal, hand at shoulder height and slightly behind the torso, palm facing down.
- 5Brake the return over 2 to 3 seconds until the hand is back behind the glute, with no bounce, then chain reps. Finish the set before switching arms.
The mistake to avoid
Don't raise your hand above shoulder height or shrug, only the arm moves out.
Other common mistakes
- Letting the cable pass in front of the thigh: it must stay behind the glutes and behind both thighs, otherwise you're doing an ordinary lateral raise and you lose the pre-stretch.
- Going too heavy on an isolation movement: you pull with the trap and you swing, lighten up and keep your torso still.
- Bouncing at the bottom to restart: the braked phase is the point of this variation, count 2 to 3 seconds on the return.
- Raising the handle above your head: stop at horizontal, beyond that the tension drops and the shoulder gets into conflict.
- Shrugging the shoulder toward your ear: keep the shoulder blade down and the elbow barely bent, palm facing down.
Muscles worked
- Main:
- Side delts
The side delt (middle fibers) is the only target, responsible for arm abduction in the frontal plane. The supraspinatus kicks off the first degrees. The upper trap invites itself in if you don't control it, but it isn't the target. The trunk works as a brace to stop the torso from tipping toward the pulley.
What to replace it with
Same muscle, same part of the movement: these exercises do the same job.
- Side-Lying Dumbbell Lateral Raise on Incline Bench ›
- Leaning Lateral Raise ›
- Leaning Cable Lateral Raise ›
- Band Lateral Raise from Behind ›
Frequently asked questions
How do I do this exercise?
Pulley at its lowest, stand next to the column and take the handle with the opposite-side hand: the cable passes behind your glutes. Free hand on your hip, torso vertical and braced, shoulder down without shrugging the trap. Raise that single arm out to the side to horizontal, elbow barely bent, palm facing down, then brake the return for a long time until the hand is back behind the glute. Full set with one arm, then you switch.
How far down should I go?
Go for the full bottom: hand behind the glute, the cable still pulls, that's where the tension doesn't drop. At the top, rise to horizontal, no more. Look for the range you control, not the one you reach by leaning.
I don't feel anything, is that normal?
You should feel the side delt, including at the bottom when the hand is behind the glute and the cable still pulls. If you feel the trap, lock the shoulder down and lighten up. Really slow the return: 12 to 15 clean reps per arm beat 8 swung ones.
How fast should I do the movement?
Brake the return over 2 to 3 seconds, that's where the muscle is stretched and loaded the most. The raise can be crisp but controlled. Above all no bounce at the bottom, you take the pull with no jerk.
How should I breathe?
Breathe in at the bottom, arm along the body and hand behind the glute, breathe out during the raise. Keep your trunk braced and your pelvis fixed so that only the shoulder works, without leaning away to compensate.