Dumbbell Lateral Raises vs Cable Lateral Raise
Swapping Dumbbell Lateral Raises (Dumbbell) for Cable Lateral Raise (Cable) retains 100% overlap; expect pulley-guided continuous line of pull. 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 Lateral Raise.
| Muscle Group | Dumbbell Lateral Raises | Cable Lateral Raise | Leverage Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoulders (Deltoids) | Primary (85%) | Primary (85%) | Matched |
| Traps (Upper & Mid Trapezius) | Secondary (15%) | Secondary (15%) | Matched |
Load & Volume Conversion: Dumbbell Lateral Raises → Cable Lateral Raise
Worked weight heuristic: a 38 kg per hand set on Dumbbell Lateral Raises (Dumbbell) maps roughly to 45 kg on Cable Lateral 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. Zero anatomical muscles are dropped between Dumbbell Lateral Raises and Cable Lateral Raise; 1:1 weekly set volume carries straight across.
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 ↗ |
| Resistance Training Beyond Momentary Failure: The Effects of Past-Failure Partials Versus Initial Partials on Calf Muscle Hypertrophy Among a Resistance-Trained Cohort. | Larsen (2025) | PubMed 40850937 ↗ |