Dumbbell Lateral Raises vs Cable Front Raise
Switching from Dumbbell Lateral Raises (Dumbbell) to Cable Front Raise (Cable) drops fractional load on Traps while keeping 85% primary overlap. Compare exact 17-muscle fractional recruitment before swapping equipment mid-session.
Side-by-Side 17-Muscle Recruitment Delta
How primary mover (1.0× set) and synergist (0.5× set) allocation changes when swapping Dumbbell Lateral Raises for Cable Front Raise.
| Muscle Group | Dumbbell Lateral Raises | Cable Front Raise | Leverage Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoulders (Deltoids) | Primary (85%) | Primary (90%) | +5% on Cable Front Raise |
| Traps (Upper & Mid Trapezius) | Secondary (15%) | — None | -15% vs Dumbbell Lateral Raises |
| Chest (Pectoralis Major) | — None | Secondary (10%) | +10% on Cable Front Raise |
Load & Volume Conversion: Dumbbell Lateral Raises → Cable Front Raise
Worked weight heuristic: a 38 kg per hand set on Dumbbell Lateral Raises (Dumbbell) maps roughly to 45 kg on Cable Front Raise (Cable; 2.5 kg jumps, curve: constant cable tension at peak lengthened position). Calibrate set 1 at RPE 8 so e1RM history for Dumbbell Lateral Raises remains unskewed. Because Cable Front Raise omits Traps, plan +2 extra weekly accessory sets for Traps if substituting long-term.
Supporting Sports-Science Literature
| Study Title | Lead Author & Year | Verified Link |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell versus cable lateral raises for lateral deltoid hypertrophy: an experimental study. | Larsen (2025) | PubMed 40692697 ↗ |
| Different Shoulder Exercises Affect the Activation of Deltoid Portions in Resistance-Trained Individuals. | Campos (2020) | PubMed 33312291 ↗ |
| An Electromyographic Analysis of Lateral Raise Variations and Frontal Raise in Competitive Bodybuilders. | Coratella (2020) | PubMed 32824894 ↗ |
| Evaluation of muscle activity during a standardized shoulder resistance training bout in novice individuals. | Jakobsen (2012) | PubMed 22067242 ↗ |