12 Cable Shoulder Exercises (For a Stronger Upper Body)

To perform the cable shoulder press correctly, the cable angle should be placed optimally in front of you to recruit new muscle fibers and induce the biggest muscle-building effects.

This is crucial because the angle enables you to work out muscle fibers due to the force pulling down behind you.

Adjust the angle to a more horizontal position to develop your anterior delts more.

How to Perform a Cable Shoulder Press

1. Set up the stirrup to the lowest point.
2. Begin the exercise by facing away from the cable machine and grabbing stirrups with the overhand grip.
3. Your hands should be at the ear level, and your elbows bent at 90 degrees.
4. Start pressing straight up until your arms finish in the extended position.
5. Ensure a slow return to the starting position and repeat.

3. Cable Bent Over Single Arm Lateral Raise

Cable bent over single arm lateral raise is one of the most effective cable shoulder exercises closely mimicking the dumbbell lateral raise exercise.

The cable version allows you to target the delt muscles more effectively. This is because the cable machine assures constant tension, ensuring a smooth movement and time under constant tension necessary for hypertrophy.

This exercise will enable you to lift your hand higher than usual, resulting in a more significant stretch and better muscle-building effects.

How to Perform a Cable Bent Over Single Arm Lateral Raise

1. Begin by setting up the stirrup at the low point and stand to the side of it.
2. Assume the position where you grab the stirrup using a neutral grip with the hand farther from the cable. Then hinge a little forward at the hips, ideally until your torso is almost parallel to the floor.
3. Your non-working hand should be primarily used for stability by placing it on your hip or knee.
4. Lift the cable to the side and keep a slight bend in the elbow until the upper portion of your arm is parallel to the floor.
5. Hold that position briefly, and then return to the start.

Also Read: Cable Arm Workout Routine

The kneeling shoulder press exercise is excellent because you can keep a strict form while doing an overhead press.

This is important if you are just starting and want to avoid injuries.

You won't be able to incorporate any leg drive to press the weight over your head since your starting kneeling body position won't allow it.

Pressing up with a close grip mainly focuses the stress onto your front deltoids, pecs, and triceps.

How to Perform a Kneeling Shoulder Press

1. The stirrup should be set at the low point.
2. Begin by kneeling facing the cable machine, and grab the stirrups with the overhand grip.
3. Your hands should be in front of you and at upper chest level, with your elbows bent at 90 degrees tucked in front.
4. Start the exercise by pressing straight up until you fully extend your elbows.
5. Hold the top position for one second and then slowly return to the starting position.

5. Lying Reverse Fly

The lying reverse fly is one of the best cable shoulder exercises to hit your rear deltoid muscles. You can focus on contracting your rear delts by completing this exercise in a supine position.

Keep your arms perpendicular to your trunk since that will reduce the chances of your latissimus dorsi helping to complete the movement.

How to Perform a Lying Reverse Fly

1. Set the bench up in the middle of the cable machine, and the cables should be set at the high point.
2. Grab the cables with a neutral grip with each hand and reach up and across your whole body.
3. Lie down on the bench on your back.
4. Start the exercise with your arms slightly bent and up toward the ceiling. The cables should be crossed. Start pulling down the cables to your sides through your elbows until your arms reach the parallel position to the floor.
5. Hold that position for a second or two, squeeze your shoulder blades, and return to the starting position.

Cable cross-over reverse fly effectively targets your rear delts.

This is the same exercise as bent over single arm cable lateral raise since it emphasizes the same movement.

This time you will be working both your shoulders simultaneously.

How to Perform a Cable Cross-Over Reverse Fly

1. Your stirrups should be set at the low point of both towers of the cable crossover machine.
2. Reach down and grab each stirrup with the opposite hands using a neutral grip.
3. Hinge your hips forward so that your body is almost parallel to the floor and your knees slightly bent while your arms should be hanging down.
4. Start the exercise by pulling the cables out to your side and with your arms slightly bent at the elbows until the upper portion of your arms finishes at shoulder joint level.
5. Reverse the motion of the exercise to return to the starting position and repeat the whole process.

7. Cable Standing Front Raise Variation

The cable standing front raise variation helps to engage your trapezius and the side deltoids by allowing you to lift on one side of the bar at the top portion of the movement.

This is important since the extra lift at the top portion of the movement makes it harder because of the short isometric hold. 

This is an excellent exercise to get your traps and delts burning.

How to Perform a Cable Standing Front Raise Variation

1. Your cable should be set at the lowest point with a curl bar attached.
2. Face away from the cable machine; your feet should be shoulder-width apart.
3. Reach down to pull the cable through your legs and grab the bar with both hands using an overhand grip, shoulder-width apart.
4. Start the exercise by lifting up and away from your body and keep your arms straight until you reach shoulder joint level.
5. Remember to lift on one side of the bar and mildly rotate your shoulders up and out.
6. Hold that position for a second, then slowly return to the starting position and repeat for desired reps.

The single-arm front raise is the most effective in building your front deltoids. You can focus on one side at a time by performing this exercise unilaterally.

By doing this exercise, you will also become aware of any particular shoulder muscle imbalances.

How to perform a Single Arm Front Raise

1. Start by setting up the stirrup at the lowest point.
2. Stand in front of the cable machine and face away while your working arm lines up with the cable machine.
3. Grab the handle with an overhand grip.
4. The starting position is your hand at your hip level and with constant tension in the cable.
5. Exhale and lift straight up and away until your working arm reaches the level with your shoulder.
6. Hold that position for a second or two and slowly return to the starting position before repeating the process.

9. Single Arm Lateral Raise

The single arm lateral raise is one of the best to target your lateral delts.

The cable lateral raise is the perfect isolation exercise to challenge your shoulder muscles.

Always start this exercise by lifting weights so ensure the proper form and avoid injury.

Keep in mind that this exercise has multiple variations, but they all have the same goal of building your lateral deltoids.

How to Perform a Single Arm Lateral Raise

1. Start by attaching the stirrup or D handle at the lowest point and the stand to the side of the machine.
2. Assume the standing position where the cable runs behind your body, then grab the stirrup with an overhand grip.
3. Slightly bend your elbows and lift your arm up and away from your side while exhaling simultaneously until the arm reaches shoulder height.
4. Hold that position for a second to ensure maximum contraction, then return to the starting position.

The upright cable row works your upper back and shoulder muscles.

The upright row builds the majority of your front and side deltoids while also managing to build the rhomboids and traps.

This exercise can help in performing your deadlifts better.

If you have shoulder impingement issues, stay away from the cable upright row since you may experience negative side effects such as pain and potentially even injure yourself.

How to perform a Cable Upright Row

1. Attach the bar after you set the cable at the lowest point.
2. Grab the bar with both your hands and primarily use the overhand grip, shoulder-width apart.
3. Pull through your elbows so that the cable remains close to your body until your elbows reach the level of the shoulders.
4. Hold for one second at the top portion of the movement and then slowly return to the starting position.

11. Side Lying Lateral Raise

The side lying lateral raise is the variation of the lateral raise cable shoulder exercises creating outstanding isolation. It enables you to achieve maximal hypertrophy effects and build your shoulder muscles much faster.

You can perform the side-lying lateral raise on the bench or the floor. The benefits are added strength and stability in your shoulder joint.

How to Perform a Side Lying Lateral Raise

1. Set the stirrup at the lowest point.
2. Lie down on your side with your feet towards the cable machine.
3. Grab the stirrup with an overhand grip using the upper portion of your arm.
4. Brace your upper portion of the body with your elbows on the ground directly under your shoulders.
5. Start the exercise with your hand at the hip level, lift your arm until it gets parallel to the shoulders, and hold that position for a second.
6. After the upper portion of the movement, slowly return to the starting position and repeat the process.

The cable twisting overhead press belongs to the efficient cable shoulder exercises for building your delts since it also works in the transverse plane.

This makes it a functional exercise that imitates daily life movement patterns.

Pressing, twisting, and reaching are all combined into a single smooth motion. This exercise will also work your arms, shoulders, legs, and core.

How to Perform a Cable Twisting Overhead Press

1. The cable should be set at the upper height of the belly with the stirrup attachment.
2. Get into the position slightly in front and to the side of the cable machine.
3. Use an overhand grip to grab the stirrup and stand in the wide stance in a quarter squat with your hand that is not working on your hip.
4. Start the exercise with your hand at the upper chest level, and press across and up your body until your arms reach the fully extended position.
5. The torso should be rotated, and you should push through your legs throughout the movement.
6. After the top portion of the movement, reverse the motion and return to the starting position of the exercise.

The cable machine allows you to perform unilateral movements, which are excellent for developing stabilizer muscles and making your joints more functional.

6. Load & Tension

Cable machines can easily be loaded with extra weight, and the length of the cable will be proportional to its tension.

So you can implement the principle of progressive overload, build strength and induce hypertrophy.

7. Safe & Efficient

The cable machine is one of the safest pieces of functional fitness equipment [4]. There is a small chance of weight falling on your body parts or making you unstable, which often results in injury [5].

"Strong and healthy shoulders are incredibly crucial for all of life’s tasks, especially as we age and begin to lose shoulder muscle density."

- Jeff Turbett, Health & Wellness Coach

8. Great for Isolation

You can isolate your anterior, posterior, and lateral deltoid with cable machines because it offers numerous exercise options. It is also great for isolation since you can change the machine's height, position, resistance, and angle [6].