Behind-the-Body Cable Lateral Raise

The cable runs behind your back and the hand starts slightly behind the hip: the lateral delt begins each rep more stretched than in the in-front version and is loaded from the bottom.

• Isolation
• Cable
• Beginner

How to do it

• Low cable on the opposite side; it runs behind your back to the working hand
• Take half a step in front of the cable station so the cable clears your hip
• Start with the hand slightly behind your hip and raise in the scapular plane
• Elbow slightly bent and fixed; raise to horizontal without shrugging

Sets, reps and tempo

Ranges: 12–20 reps · 0–1 RIR

Tempo: Lift for 1 s under control, lower for 2–3 s with constant tension

Common mistakes

• Standing too close to the cable station: the cable rubs your body and you lose tension at the bottom
• Rotating your torso toward the cable to help the lift
• Shrugging your shoulder instead of abducting

Muscles worked

Primary

• Side delt

Alternatives

• Cable Lateral Raise
• Lateral Raise