Muscles worked
The machine lateral raise trains the middle part of the deltoid, your side delts, which move your arms out from your body. The supraspinatus in your rotator cuff joins in, and the upper trapezius steadies your shoulder blades. Unlike dumbbells and cables, the pads sit against your upper arms and the machine decides the path. Your hands and forearms barely work and the rest of your body can hardly help, so you can take sets close to failure with your form intact.
Common mistakes
- Pulling on the handles. Gripping hard and pulling with your hands rotates your arms and passes some of the work to your forearms and biceps. Hold the handles loosely and let your upper arms lift.
- Leaning in the seat. When the weight gets heavy, many people lean back or to one side for a better angle. Stay against the backrest or chest pad, and move the pin to a lighter weight if you cannot.
- Letting your chest cave in. With rounded shoulders, the top of the lift often feels cramped. Sit tall with your chest up and shoulder blades slightly back before the first rep, and hold that position.
Variations and alternatives
- The dumbbell lateral raise only needs a pair of dumbbells, which helps when the machine is taken.
- The cable lateral raise lets you work your arms separately, useful if one side has fallen behind.
- The lying lateral raise puts the heaviest resistance at the start of the lift and needs only a light dumbbell.
Sets and reps
Three or four sets of 12 to 20 reps is common, and on your last set you can go down to one or two reps in reserve, since the machine holds your form in place. Lower the pads over about two seconds. The guide to sets and reps shows how to choose.
For a hard finish, move the pin to a lighter weight when the set ends and carry straight on, known as a drop set, on the last set only. Otherwise, follow progressive overload with reps first and add weight once every set reaches the top of your range. If the stack's steps are large for you, stay at a weight a few sessions longer.