10 Best Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise Alternatives for Home & Gym

If you can’t perform the Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise, use bent-over dumbbell rear delt fly, face pulls, band pull-aparts, prone T/Y raises, or single-arm cable reverse fly to hit the posterior delts. Cue: hinge at the hips, keep a slight elbow bend and lead with the elbow to emphasize horizontal abduction and posterior deltoid activation.

Original Exercise: Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise

Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise
Primary Muscle
Delts
Equipment
Cable
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Isolation
Secondary Muscles: Traps, Rhomboids
How to Perform Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise
  1. Sit on a bench facing the cable machine with your feet flat on the ground.
  2. Grasp the cable handles with an overhand grip and extend your arms straight in front of you.
  3. Keeping your arms straight, slowly raise them 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 to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Ranked Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise Alternatives

Best Match
Cable Supine Reverse Fly

1. Cable Supine Reverse Fly

91.2% Match
Delts Cable Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Attach a D-handle to a low pulley cable machine and lie face down on a flat bench.
  2. Grasp the D-handle with each hand, palms facing down, and extend your arms straight out in front of you.
  3. Keeping your arms straight, raise them 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.
Cable Cross-over Revers Fly

2. Cable Cross-over Revers Fly

89.9% Match
Delts Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Attach a D-handle to each low pulley cable and stand in the middle of the cable crossover machine.
  2. Grasp the handles with a pronated grip (palms facing down) and take a step forward, positioning your feet shoulder-width apart.
  3. Bend your knees slightly and lean forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and your abs engaged.
  4. With your arms extended out to the sides and slightly bent at the elbows, exhale and squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull the cables back and upward in a reverse fly motion.
  5. Pause for a moment at the peak contraction, then inhale and slowly return to the starting position.
Lever Seated Reverse Fly

3. Lever Seated Reverse Fly

88.9% Match
Delts Lever Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the seat height and position yourself on the machine with your chest against the pad and your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and keep your arms slightly bent.
  3. Exhale and squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull the handles back and outward, away from your body.
  4. Pause for a moment at the peak contraction, then inhale and slowly return to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Lever Seated Reverse Fly (parallel Grip)

4. Lever Seated Reverse Fly (parallel Grip)

88.7% Match
Delts Lever Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the seat height and position yourself on the machine with your chest against the pad and your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Grasp the handles with a parallel grip, palms facing each other, and keep your arms slightly bent.
  3. Exhale and squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull the handles back and outward, away from your body.
  4. Pause for a moment at the peak contraction, then inhale and slowly return to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Reverse Machine Flyes

5. Reverse Machine Flyes

88.1% Match
Delts Machine Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the handles so that they are fully to the rear. Make an appropriate weight selection and adjust the seat height so the handles are at shoulder level. Grasp the handles with your hands facing inwards. This will be your starting position.
  2. In a semicircular motion, pull your hands out to your side and back, contracting your rear delts.
  3. Keep your arms slightly bent throughout the movement, with all of the motion occurring at the shoulder joint.
  4. Pause at the rear of the movement, and slowly return the weight to the starting position.
Cable Rear Delt Fly

6. Cable Rear Delt Fly

87.2% Match
Delts Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the pulleys to the appropriate height and adjust the weight. The pulleys should be above your head.
  2. Grab the left pulley with your right hand and the right pulley with your left hand, crossing them in front of you. This will be your starting position.
  3. Initiate the movement by moving your arms back and outward, keeping your arms straight as you execute the movement.
  4. Pause at the end of the motion before returning the handles to the start position.
Cable Standing Cross-over High Reverse Fly

7. Cable Standing Cross-over High Reverse Fly

86.7% Match
Delts Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Attach a D-handle to each side of a cable machine at shoulder height.
  2. Stand in the middle of the cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  3. Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and extend your arms out to the sides, palms facing forward.
  4. Keep a slight bend in your elbows and maintain a straight back throughout the exercise.
  5. Engage your shoulder muscles and squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull the handles towards the front of your body.
Dumbbell Incline Rear Lateral Raise

8. Dumbbell Incline Rear Lateral Raise

85.5% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
  2. Sit on the bench with your chest against the backrest and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
  3. Extend your arms straight down with your palms facing each other.
  4. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the ground.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
Dumbbell Incline T-raise

9. Dumbbell Incline T-raise

85.5% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Set an incline bench to a 45-degree angle and sit on it with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing inwards.
  2. Lean forward and let your arms hang straight down, perpendicular to the floor.
  3. Keeping your arms straight, raise them out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor, forming a 'T' shape with your body.
  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.
Dumbbell Incline Y-raise

10. Dumbbell Incline Y-raise

85.5% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Set an incline bench to a 45-degree angle and sit on it with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing inwards.
  2. Lean forward slightly and let your arms hang straight down, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
  3. Raise your arms out to the sides and up in a Y shape until they are parallel to the ground.
  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.

Why You Might Need a Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise Alternative

You might substitute the cable seated rear lateral raise for several reasons: no cable station, shoulder pain, travel, or a need for unilateral development. Cables provide a consistent line of pull and constant tension; switching to dumbbells or bands changes load direction and shear forces across the glenohumeral joint. Use cues like 'retract the scapula, keep the torso still, and raise through horizontal abduction' to preserve posterior delt activation and limit trap dominance. Choosing an alternative can reduce impingement by shifting emphasis to external rotation and scapular retraction while still loading the posterior deltoid and scapular stabilizers.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Match the substitute to your limiting factor: equipment (dumbbells, bands, or bodyweight), pain patterns (avoid overhead or internal rotation), and training goal (hypertrophy vs endurance). Prioritize exercises that bias horizontal abduction and external rotation to target posterior delts; cue 'lead with the elbow, pause at peak contraction, control the eccentric' to increase time under tension. Also consider unilateral options for correcting asymmetry and use progressive overload, add reps, load, or slower tempo, to maintain posterior delt stimulus and safe scapulothoracic mechanics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise work?

The exercise primarily targets the posterior deltoid and recruits the infraspinatus and teres minor for external rotation, with the rhomboids and middle trapezius assisting scapular retraction. Cue: drive movement with the elbow to maximize posterior delt horizontal abduction and limit upper-trap takeover.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise?

Prone T and Y raises on the floor or a bench are the best bodyweight options; they emphasize horizontal abduction and scapular retraction without equipment. Cue: keep the thumbs up, squeeze the scapulae at the top, and control the lowering phase to maintain posterior deltoid activation.

Can I build muscle without doing Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise?

Yes. You can achieve equal or greater posterior delt growth with exercises like bent-over dumbbell rear delt fly, face pulls, and band pull-aparts when you apply progressive overload. Focus on proper biomechanics, lead with the elbow, maintain scapular control, and increase load or tempo to drive hypertrophy.

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