10 Best Cable One Arm Lateral Raise Alternatives for Home and Gym

If you can’t perform the Cable One Arm Lateral Raise, use one-arm dumbbell lateral raises, resistance-band lateral raises, leaning dumbbell raises, the selectorized lateral raise machine, or incline-side lateral raises. For a quick swap, do a one-arm dumbbell lateral raise: elbow slightly bent, lead with the elbow, raise to shoulder height and control the descent to keep tension on the lateral deltoid.

Original Exercise: Cable One Arm Lateral Raise

Cable One Arm Lateral Raise
Primary Muscle
Delts
Equipment
Cable
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Isolation
Secondary Muscles: Traps, Triceps
How to Perform Cable One Arm Lateral Raise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, facing the cable machine.
  2. Hold the cable handle with one hand, palm facing down, and stand far enough away from the machine so that there is tension on the cable.
  3. Keep your arm straight and slowly raise it out to the side until it is parallel to the ground.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arm back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.

Best Cable One Arm Lateral Raise Alternatives

Best Match
Cable Lateral Raise

1. Cable Lateral Raise

85.1% Match
Delts Cable Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grasp the cable handles with an overhand grip.
  2. Keep your arms straight and your core engaged.
  3. Raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Bent Press

2. Bent Press

77.6% Match
Delts Kettlebell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Clean a kettlebell to your shoulder. Clean the kettlebell to your shoulders by extending through the legs and hips as you raise the kettlebell towards your shoulder. The wrist should rotate as you do so. This will be your starting position.
  2. Begin my leaning to the side opposite the kettlebell, continuing until you are able to touch the ground with your free hand, keeping your eyes on the kettlebell. As you do so, press the weight vertically be extending through the elbow, keeping your arm perpendicular to the ground.
  3. Return to an upright position, with the kettlebell above your head. Return the kettlebell to the shoulder and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Side Lying One Hand Raise

3. Dumbbell Side Lying One Hand Raise

75.9% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie on your side with your legs extended and your head supported by your arm.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in your top hand with your palm facing down.
  3. Keeping your arm straight, raise the dumbbell up to shoulder height.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.
Dumbbell Standing Alternate Raise

4. Dumbbell Standing Alternate Raise

73.8% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your body.
  2. Keep your back straight and your core engaged.
  3. Raise one dumbbell to the side, keeping your arm straight and your palm facing down.
  4. Continue lifting until your arm is parallel to the ground.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
Cable Forward Raise

5. Cable Forward Raise

73.7% Match
Delts Cable Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
  2. Hold the cable handle with an overhand grip, palms facing down, and your arms fully extended in front of you.
  3. Keeping your arms straight, raise the cable handle up to shoulder level.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the cable handle back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Cable Front Raise

6. Cable Front Raise

73.7% Match
Delts Cable Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grasp the cable handle with an overhand grip.
  2. Keep your back straight and your core engaged.
  3. Raise the cable handle in front of you, keeping your arms straight and your palms facing down.
  4. Continue lifting until your arms are parallel to the floor.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the cable handle back to the starting position.
Cable Front Shoulder Raise

7. Cable Front Shoulder Raise

73.7% Match
Delts Cable Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grasp the cable handle with an overhand grip.
  2. Keep your back straight and your core engaged.
  3. Raise the cable handle in front of you, keeping your arms straight and your palms facing down.
  4. Continue lifting until your arms are parallel to the floor.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the cable handle back to the starting position.
Cable Alternate Shoulder Press

8. Cable Alternate Shoulder Press

73% Match
Delts Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grasp the handles of the cable machine with an overhand grip.
  2. Position your hands at shoulder height, with your palms facing forward.
  3. Keep your core engaged and your back straight.
  4. Press one handle up and forward until your arm is fully extended.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the handle back to the starting position.
Dumbbell Alternate Side Press

9. Dumbbell Alternate Side Press

69.4% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height.
  2. Press one dumbbell overhead while keeping the other dumbbell at shoulder height.
  3. Lower the pressed dumbbell back to shoulder height while pressing the other dumbbell overhead.
  4. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.
Cable Shoulder Press

10. Cable Shoulder Press

67.4% Match
Delts Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the cable machine so that the handles are at shoulder height.
  2. Stand facing away from the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  3. Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and bring them up to shoulder level, with your elbows bent and pointing outwards.
  4. Press the handles upwards until your arms are fully extended overhead.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the handles back down to shoulder level.

Why You Might Need a Cable One Arm Lateral Raise Alternative

You might substitute this exercise due to no cable station, shoulder pain, travel, or to vary stimulus for hypertrophy. Cables provide near-constant tension; switching to dumbbells changes torque and can reduce uncomfortable shear for impinged shoulders. Choose a variant that limits scapular elevation and keeps the arm in pure abduction to emphasize the lateral deltoid—cue: keep the scapula stable, don’t shrug, and stop the raise at 90º shoulder abduction. Substitutes let you manipulate path of motion, loading pattern, and joint stress while preserving lateral-head activation.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Decide based on equipment, pain history, and training goal. For strict isolation use a seated or selectorized lateral raise to lock the scapula; for constant tension pick bands or a leaning dumbbell variation to maintain resistance through the top. If you have AC-joint or impingement symptoms, favor lighter loads and a slightly forward arm plane (30º anterior) to reduce superior humeral migration—cue: keep elbow at 10–20º flexion and avoid shrugging. Prioritize exercises that let you apply progressive overload with clean mechanics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Cable One Arm Lateral Raise work?

The exercise targets the lateral (middle) deltoid as the primary mover, producing shoulder abduction. The supraspinatus assists the initial range; traps and serratus anterior stabilize the scapula. Cue: maintain a slight elbow bend to concentrate load on the lateral head.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Cable One Arm Lateral Raise?

There is no true bodyweight isolate for the lateral deltoid, but the elevated pike push-up provides substantial deltoid overload and is the closest compound option. Perform with hips high and hands shoulder-width, hinge at the hips and drive the crown of the head toward the floor—pause briefly at the bottom to increase time under tension.

Can I build muscle without doing Cable One Arm Lateral Raise?

Yes. You can stimulate the lateral delts with dumbbell lateral raises, band one-arm raises, leaning variations, and machines by applying progressive overload and sufficient volume. Focus on controlled reps, pausing at the top and using slow eccentrics to maximize lateral head activation.

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