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Seated Cable Rear Lateral Raise
A seated bent-over cable raise that isolates the rear deltoids with constant tension through the full arc.
ShouldersCableHorizontal abduction
Primary
Posterior deltoid
Secondary
RhomboidsMiddle trapezius
Equipment
Cable
Pattern
Horizontal abduction
Setup
- 01Set two low pulleys with single handles.
- 02Sit on a bench between the pulleys.
- 03Hinge forward and grab the opposite-side handles crossed.
- 04Let the arms hang with cables crossed under the legs.
Execution
- 01Raise both arms out to the sides.
- 02Lead with the elbows, arms slightly bent.
- 03Stop when the arms reach shoulder level.
- 04Lower slowly back to the crossed start.
Checkpoints
- -The torso stays folded near parallel to the floor.
- -Elbows hold a slight, fixed bend.
- -Cable tension never fully unloads at the bottom.
- -Shoulder blades stay quiet; delts do the lifting.
Common mistakes
- -Sitting up during the raise to lift more weight.
- -Squeezing the shoulder blades and turning it into a row.
- -Swinging the handles with momentum.
- -Raising above shoulder level and shrugging.
Programming notes
- -Use 3 sets of 12 to 20 reps with light load.
- -The cable keeps tension at the bottom, unlike dumbbells.
- -Pair with face pulls for complete rear-delt work.
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