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Egyptian Lateral Raise

A lateral raise variation performed leaning away from a cable, increasing the stretch and range of motion on the side deltoid.

Setup

Stand sideways to a low cable, gripping the handle with the far hand. Lean your torso away from the machine, holding onto a stable support with your free hand if needed.

Movement

Raise your arm out to the side. Same leading-with-the-elbow motion as a standard lateral raise, now through a longer range given the lean. Pause briefly at the top. Reinforces the contraction at the peak of the movement.

Return

Lower with control back to the stretched position. Resist the cable's pull rather than letting it snap your arm back down.

Common Mistake to Avoid

Leaning too far and losing control of the position. A moderate, controlled lean is sufficient — don't lean so far that stability is compromised.

Equipment Cable machine
Primary Muscles Shoulders (side deltoid)
Secondary Muscles Obliques (stabilizing)

Why it matters

Leaning your torso away from the cable at the start of the movement increases the stretch on the side deltoid beyond what a standing lateral raise allows, offering a different and often more challenging stimulus through an extended range of motion.

How to do it

  1. Stand sideways to a low cable, gripping the handle with the far hand. Lean your torso away from the machine, holding onto a stable support with your free hand if needed.
  2. Raise your arm out to the side. Same leading-with-the-elbow motion as a standard lateral raise, now through a longer range given the lean.
  3. Pause briefly at the top. Reinforces the contraction at the peak of the movement.
  4. Lower with control back to the stretched position. Resist the cable's pull rather than letting it snap your arm back down.

Common mistakes

  • Leaning too far and losing control of the position. A moderate, controlled lean is sufficient — don't lean so far that stability is compromised.
  • Using too much weight given the increased range of motion. This variation is more demanding than a standard lateral raise at the same weight — start lighter.
  • Rushing through the stretched bottom position. The extended stretch is the entire point of this variation — don't skip through it quickly.
  • Skipping a stable support for the free hand. Holding onto something stable helps maintain the leaning position safely.

Sets & reps by level

Beginner

3 sets of 10–12 reps per arm with light weight.

Intermediate

3–4 sets of 8–10 reps per arm at a moderate weight.

Advanced

4 sets of 8–12 reps per arm, full controlled range of motion throughout.

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