Skip to content
ascend.
Exercise guide

Cable Seated Lateral Raise

How to do the Cable Seated Lateral Raise with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.

IsolationCableBeginnerPull
Primary muscles

Shoulders

Secondary

Mid Back, Traps

Equipment

Cable

Step by step

How to do the Cable Seated Lateral Raise

  1. 1

    Stand in the middle of two low pulleys that are opposite to each other and place a flat bench right behind you (in perpendicular fashion to you; the narrow edge of the bench should be the one behind you). Select the weight to be used on each pulley.

  2. 2

    Now sit at the edge of the flat bench behind you with your feet placed in front of your knees.

  3. 3

    Bend forward while keeping your back flat and rest your torso on the thighs.

  4. 4

    Have someone give you the single handles attached to the pulleys. Grasp the left pulley with the right hand and the right pulley with the left after you select your weight. The pulleys should run under your knees and your arms will be extended with palms facing each other and a slight bend at the elbows. This will be the starting position.

  5. 5

    While keeping the arms stationary, raise the upper arms to the sides until they are parallel to the floor and at shoulder height. Exhale during the execution of this movement and hold the contraction for a second.

  6. 6

    Slowly lower your arms to the starting position as you inhale.

  7. 7

    Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions. Tip: Maintain upper arms perpendicular to torso and a fixed elbow position (10 degree to 30 degree angle) throughout exercise.

In Ascend

Log it, see it on your body.

Every Cable Seated Lateral Raise set you log feeds Ascend's anatomy heatmap — so your shoulders volume is visible at a glance — and counts toward your bodyweight-strength tier.

Related

More shoulders exercises

Ascend Club

The climb is free. The Club is how you go further.

Core tracking is free forever. Club unlocks the coach, the competition, and the depth — for the price of one protein-shake a month.

AI Coach

Your own coach character

Pick Rae, June or Atlas — a coach that reads your last 90 days and proposes the next move. Free gets nudges; Club gets the full conversation.

Leagues

Mountain leagues, worldwide

Get ranked against climbers everywhere — every muscle tiered by bodyweight strength. Promote, demote, and prove it weekly.

Challenges

Weekly + monthly challenges

Fresh goals that keep the streak interesting — solo or with your crew. Something to chase beyond your own numbers.

Analytics

Deep analytics + PR projections

See exactly when you'll hit your next PR and bodyweight goal — 4, 8, 12 weeks out. The trajectory, not just today's number.

Crews

Unlimited crews

Run as many crews as you want — squads, family, gym friends. Shared summits, cheers, and a feed that keeps everyone climbing.

Themes & more

Themes, higher AI limits, full export

Aurora, Volcanic and Summit themes. More AI chat headroom. And CSV + JSON export of everything, anytime — your data stays yours.

See Club plans

14-day free trial · no card · cancel anytime · founder pricing locked forever.