10 Best Seated Side Lateral Raise Alternatives for Limited Equipment
What can you do instead of the Seated Side Lateral Raise? Use standing dumbbell lateral raises, cable lateral raises, band lateral raises, incline lateral raises, or single-arm cable raises to hit the lateral deltoid. Cue a 30° elbow bend, lead with the elbow, stop at shoulder height and avoid shrugging to keep deltoid isolation.
Original Exercise: Seated Side Lateral Raise
How to Perform Seated Side Lateral Raise
- Pick a couple of dumbbells and sit at the end of a flat bench with your feet firmly on the floor. Hold the dumbbells with your palms facing in and your arms straight down at your sides at arms' length. This will be your starting position.
- While maintaining the torso stationary (no swinging), lift the dumbbells to your side with a slight bend on the elbow and the hands slightly tilted forward as if pouring water in a glass. Continue to go up until you arms are parallel to the floor. Exhale as you execute this movement and pause for a second at the top.
- Lower the dumbbells back down slowly to the starting position as you inhale.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Pro Tips
- Category: Strength
- Force: Push
- Movement type: Isolation
Best Seated Side Lateral Raise Alternatives
1. Dumbbell Scaption
91.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- This corrective exercise strengthens the muscles that stabilize your shoulder blade. Hold a light weight in each hand, hanging at your sides. Your thumbs should pointing up.
- Begin the movement raising your arms out in front of you, about 30 degrees off center. Your arms should be fully extended as you perform the movement.
- Continue until your arms are parallel to the ground, and then return to the starting position.
2. Dumbbell Standing Around World
90.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
- Extend your arms straight out to the sides at shoulder height, palms facing down.
- Keeping your arms straight, slowly rotate your arms in a circular motion, bringing the dumbbells in front of your body and then overhead.
- Continue the circular motion, bringing the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
3. Dumbbell Incline T-raise
90.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Set an incline bench to a 45-degree angle and sit on it with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing inwards.
- Lean forward and let your arms hang straight down, perpendicular to the floor.
- Keeping your arms straight, raise them out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor, forming a 'T' shape with your body.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
4. Bent Over Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise With Head On Bench
90.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand up straight while holding a dumbbell in each hand and with an incline bench in front of you.
- While keeping your back straight and maintaining the natural arch of your back, lean forward until your forehead touches the bench in front of you. Let the arms hang in front of you perpendicular to the ground. The palms of your hands should be facing each other and your torso should be parallel to the floor. This will be your starting position.
- Keeping your torso forward and stationary, and the arms straight with a slight bend at the elbows, lift the dumbbells straight to the side until both arms are parallel to the floor. Exhale as you lift the weights. Caution: avoid swinging the torso or bringing the arms back as opposed to the side.
- After a one second contraction at the top, slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Repeat the recommended amount of repetitions.
5. Dumbbell Lying Rear Lateral Raise
90.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie face down on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
- Extend your arms straight down towards the floor, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
- Engaging your shoulder muscles, lift your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
6. Cable Seated Lateral Raise
87.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- 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.
- Now sit at the edge of the flat bench behind you with your feet placed in front of your knees.
- Bend forward while keeping your back flat and rest your torso on the thighs.
- 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.
- 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.
7. Crucifix
87.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- In the crucifix, you statically hold weights out to the side for time. While the event can be practiced using dumbbells, it is best to practice with one of the various implements used, such as axes and hammers, as it feels different.
- Begin standing, and raise your arms out to the side holding the implements. Your arms should be parallel to the ground. In competition, judges or sensors are used to let you know when you break parallel. Hold for as long as you can. Typically, the weights should be heavy enough that you fail in 30-60 seconds.
8. Dumbbell Lateral Raise
87% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body.
- Keep your back straight and engage your core.
- Raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
9. Dumbbell Lateral To Front Raise
86.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your body.
- Keep your back straight and engage your core.
- Raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the ground, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
- Next, raise your arms in front of you until they are parallel to the ground, again keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
10. Dumbbell Incline Raise
86.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, resting on your thighs.
- Lean back on the bench and raise the dumbbells to shoulder height, palms facing forward.
- Keeping your back against the bench, exhale and raise the dumbbells above your head, fully extending your arms.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Why You Might Need a Seated Side Lateral Raise Alternative
You may need substitutes because of shoulder pain, no bench, or a desire for different tension curves and progressive overload. Seated raises limit momentum but can increase subacromial compression for some lifters; switching to cables or bands preserves continuous tension and lowers peak joint stress. If traps dominate, reduce range or change the angle (lean 10–15° forward) to shift load back to the lateral deltoid. For rotator cuff irritation choose external-rotation-friendly variants and cue scapular stability and controlled eccentrics to protect the glenohumeral joint while maintaining deltoid activation.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Select a substitute by matching equipment, shoulder health, and the desired tension profile. Choose cables or bands for continuous lateral deltoid tension; cue a controlled 2-second eccentric and stop at shoulder height to maximize lateral head recruitment. Pick unilateral dumbbell raises to correct imbalances—brace your torso and limit hip drive to avoid momentum. If you have impingement, prefer incline or side-lying variations and keep the scapula depressed and slightly retracted to reduce compression while preserving abduction biomechanics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Seated Side Lateral Raise work?
The seated side lateral raise primarily targets the lateral (middle) deltoid with secondary support from the anterior deltoid, upper trapezius, and rotator cuff stabilizers. Cue a 30° elbow bend and stop at shoulder height to emphasize lateral head activation and limit trapezius takeover.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Seated Side Lateral Raise?
True bodyweight lateral abduction is limited, but a slow high-to-low Y raise or side-lying T raise can stimulate the delts using scapular control and time under tension. Focus on slow eccentrics, protraction control, and slight external rotation to keep tension on the lateral deltoid.
Can I build muscle without doing Seated Side Lateral Raise?
Yes. You can build lateral deltoid mass with progressive overload using standing dumbbell laterals, cables, or bands while maintaining strict form. Cue leading with the elbow, pausing at 90° abduction, and controlling the eccentric for 2–3 seconds to maximize hypertrophy.
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