Exercise Comparison
Alternating Cable Shoulder Press vs Lying One-Arm Lateral Raise
Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Only in Alternating Cable Shoulder Press
Instructions
Alternating Cable Shoulder Press
Move the cables to the bottom of the tower and select an appropriate weight.
Grasp the cables and hold them at shoulder height, palms facing forward. This will be your starting position.
Keeping your head and chest up, extend through the elbow to press one side directly over head.
After pausing at the top, return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.
Lying One-Arm Lateral Raise
While holding a dumbbell in one hand, lay with your chest down on a flat bench. The other hand can be used to hold to the leg of the bench for stability.
Position the palm of the hand that is holding the dumbbell in a neutral manner (palms facing your torso) as you keep the arm extended with the elbow slightly bent. This will be your starting position.
Now raise the arm with the dumbbell to the side until your elbow is at shoulder height and your arm is roughly parallel to the floor as you exhale. Tip: Maintain your arm perpendicular to the torso while keeping your arm extended throughout the movement. Also, keep the contraction at the top for a second.
Slowly lower the dumbbell to the starting position as you inhale.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Verdict
Both exercises target the shoulders. Alternating Cable Shoulder Press is a beginner exercise using cable, while Lying One-Arm Lateral Raise is intermediate and uses dumbbell. Choose Alternating Cable Shoulder Press if you're looking for a more accessible option, or Lying One-Arm Lateral Raise for a greater challenge. Alternating Cable Shoulder Press is a compound movement working multiple joints, making it better for overall strength. Lying One-Arm Lateral Raise isolates the target muscle for focused development.