Dumbbell Lateral Raises vs Cable (Shoulder Showdown)

Lateral Raises, also called Side Raises, are one of my personal favorite shoulder exercises. Are they the best for building strength? Not really, but no other shoulder exercise delivers a shoulder pump quite like Lateral Raises.

But, does it make a difference what equipment you use for your Lateral Raises? Are Dumbbell Lateral Raises better than Lateral Raises using a cable machine? If you don’t have a cable machine can you sub dumbbells in its place?

In this article, I’m going to answer all those questions. I’ll explain how to properly perform each exercise along with it’s benefits. I’ll also compare the two exercises side-by-side so you can make a better decision on which (or both) Side Raise variation to use in your strength training program.

Dumbbell Lateral Raises

Equipment Needed

• Dumbbells

Instructions

• Hold dumbbells-palm in, arms straight down at sides.
• Raise dumbbells in semicircular motion slightly above shoulder height tilting the head of the dumbbell down.
• A slight pause, then lower to starting position under control.
• Keep your arms straight with just a slight bend in the elbow.
• Use the same path to continue repeated reps.
• Exhale up, inhale down.

Coaching Points

To keep the focus on the medial delt, make sure to keep your palms down at the top of the movement. Many lifters like to pull back, instead of lift straight out to the sides, which brings the stronger muscles of the upper back into play.

Also, always start the movement at the side of the thigh. Bringing the dumbbells in front of the body allows for more of a momentum swing and takes away from the stress placed on the delts.

Benefits of Dumbbell Lateral Raises

Dumbbell Lateral Raises provide several benefits, including:

• Isolating the Lateral Delt: This exercise specifically targets the lateral deltoids, improving their strength and stability.
• Injury Prevention: By strengthening the shoulders, Dumbbell Lateral Raises can help to reduce the risk of injury, particularly in sports that involve overhead movements and repetitive motions.
• Developing Upper Body Strength: The Lateral Raise can be utilized in a complete strength and conditioning program to improve overall strength and athletic performance.

Cable Lateral Raises

Equipment Needed

• Cable Pulley Machine

How To

• Start by adjusting the cable machine to the appropriate weight and attaching the handle to the low pulley.
• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and reach across your body to grasp the handle with your palm facing down*.
• Keeping your elbow slightly bent, lift the weight out to the side of your body until your arm is parallel to the floor.
• Slowly lower the weight back to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of reps.

Coaching Points

*Cable Lateral Raises can be done one arm at a time or both arms at the same time if you have a dual tower. The instructions above are assuming one arm at a time, but instructions are basically the same if doing both arms simultaneously.

To keep the focus on the medial delt, make sure to keep your palms down at the top of the movement. Many lifters like to pull back, instead of lift straight out to the sides, which brings the stronger muscles of the upper back into play.

Benefits

Cable Lateral Raises, also known as Cable Side Raises, offer a number of benefits including:

• Isolating the Lateral Delt: This exercise specifically targets the lateral deltoids, improving their strength and stability.
• Injury Prevention: By strengthening the shoulders, Dumbbell Lateral Raises can help to reduce the risk of injury, particularly in sports that involve overhead movements and repetitive motions.
• Developing Upper Body Strength: The Lateral Raise can be utilized in a complete strength and conditioning program to improve overall strength and athletic performance.

Dumbbell vs Cable Lateral Raises: Which is Better?

Now, let’s take a side-by-side look at the two exercises to see if one is better than the other for some common lifting goals.

Better For Developing Strength and Size: Toss Up

You know the meme from The Office where Pam is having Creed find the differences between the two pictures – but, they’re the same picture?

That’s the situation that we have here. These exercises are nearly identical in every way except for the piece of equipment that’s being used. And, if some gym bro tries to tell you something different, tell them to relax and back off the pre-workout.

My personal preference is with Dumbbell Lateral Raises, but Cable Lateral Raises are an excellent variation to add variety to your workouts and keep them from getting stale.

Want even more variety? Check out my favorite Dumbbell Lateral Raise alternatives.

There is one place where the Cable Lateral Raise truly shines. The hotel gym. In a hotel gym where space is limited and one of the only options you have is a universal cable machine, the Cable Lateral Raise is king. In fact, I don’t know if I’ve ever done a hotel gym workout and didn’t do Lateral Raises on the cable machine.

Better For Beginners: Toss Up

Again, both exercises are virtually the same.

When I’m working with beginners I like to keep exercises safe, simple and easy to execute. Both Lateral Raises variations check both of those boxes.

Ultimately, which you choose is probably going to be more dependent upon what equipment you have access to.

Final Thoughts

I’ve just spent the last section of this article comparing Dumbbell Lateral Raises and Cable Lateral Raises. The truth is, they’re both basically the same exercise, just done with different equipment.

My suggestion is to figure out a way to work both variations into your workouts (assuming you have the necessary equipment). This is a great way to add variety to your program and keep it fresh.

More Links and Info

Check out how Lateral Raises stack up against other popular shoulder exercises:

Lateral Raises vs Front Raises

Lateral Raises vs Shoulder Press

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