Shoulders · Cable
Cable One Arm Lateral Raise
How to do the cable one arm lateral raise, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Cable
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Extension
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Set a single handle on a low pulley and stand side-on so the cable crosses in front of your body. Grip the handle with the outside hand and raise your arm out to the side up to shoulder height with a slight elbow bend. Lower slowly against the cable's tension.
- 1Side delt burning as you lift the arm to shoulder height
- 2Elbow leading the movement, not the hand
- 3Constant cable tension across the full range
Common mistakes
- Swinging your body or using momentum to lift
- Shrugging the shoulder toward your ear
- Raising above shoulder height and losing delt tension
Muscles worked
The cable one arm lateral raise mainly works the side delts, with the upper traps assisting.
- Side DeltsPrimary
- Upper TrapsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
Kovo programs the cable one arm lateral raise for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.