Machine Lateral Raise vs Cable Lateral Raise
Swapping Machine Lateral Raise (Machine) 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 Machine Lateral Raise for Cable Lateral Raise.
| Muscle Group | Machine Lateral Raise | Cable Lateral Raise | Leverage Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoulders (Deltoids) | Primary (85%) | Primary (85%) | Matched |
| Traps (Upper & Mid Trapezius) | Secondary (15%) | Secondary (15%) | Matched |
Load & Volume Conversion: Machine Lateral Raise → Cable Lateral Raise
Worked weight heuristic: a 115 kg set on Machine Lateral Raise (Machine) 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 Machine Lateral Raise remains unskewed. Zero anatomical muscles are dropped between Machine Lateral Raise and Cable Lateral Raise; 1:1 weekly set volume carries straight across.
Supporting Sports-Science Literature
| Study Title | Lead Author & Year | Verified Link |
|---|---|---|
| Greater Gastrocnemius Muscle Hypertrophy After Partial Range of Motion Training Performed at Long Muscle Lengths. | Kassiano (2023) | PubMed 37015016 ↗ |
| Different Foot Positioning During Calf Training to Induce Portion-Specific Gastrocnemius Muscle Hypertrophy. | Nunes (2020) | PubMed 32735428 ↗ |
| Dumbbell versus cable lateral raises for lateral deltoid hypertrophy: an experimental study. | Larsen (2025) | PubMed 40692697 ↗ |
| An Electromyographic Analysis of Lateral Raise Variations and Frontal Raise in Competitive Bodybuilders. | Coratella (2020) | PubMed 32824894 ↗ |