Cable vs Dumbbell Lateral Raises – Which Builds Wider Shoulders for Beginners?

If wider shoulders are your goal, lateral raises deserve a regular place in your training. They train the lateral deltoid, often called the side delt, which is the part of the shoulder that contributes most directly to a broader looking upper body when viewed from the front.

The choice between cables and dumbbells can seem important. Dumbbells are simple, portable, and available in almost every gym. Cables keep tension on the muscle from the start of the repetition and can feel smoother. Both can be excellent choices, but the most useful answer for a beginner is reassuring: you do not need to find a supposedly perfect variation to make progress.

The best direct research currently available found similar side delt growth from cable and dumbbell lateral raises when training volume, range of motion, and effort were closely matched. That study used trained lifters rather than beginners, so it does not prove that the outcome will be identical for every new lifter. It does show that the equipment itself is unlikely to be the deciding factor. Your technique, effort, progression, and consistency matter more.

The Short Answer

Cable and dumbbell lateral raises can both build wider shoulders for beginners. Dumbbells are usually the easier place to start because setup is quick and the movement is easy to learn. Cables can be a great option if they feel more comfortable, if you can set them up consistently, or if you prefer tension from the bottom of the movement.

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Choose the version that lets you raise your arm with control, feel the side of your shoulder doing the work, and gradually add repetitions or a small amount of resistance over time. If both feel good, use either one as your main exercise for several weeks instead of constantly switching between them.

What Actually Makes Shoulders Look Wider?

Your shoulder is made up of three major portions of the deltoid: the front, lateral, and rear deltoid. The lateral deltoid abducts the upper arm, meaning it helps move the arm away from the body. A lateral raise is designed around that function, so it is a practical isolation exercise for directing extra training volume toward this area.

Shoulder width is not only a question of bone structure. Muscle growth in the lateral deltoid can add visible fullness to the outside of the shoulder. This can make the upper body appear broader relative to the waist, particularly when it is paired with back training and sound overall nutrition. It will not change your skeletal frame, but it can meaningfully improve shoulder shape over time.

Lateral raises are not a substitute for compound training. Pressing, rowing, pull ups, and pulldowns build useful overall upper body strength and muscle. However, pressing alone may not provide enough direct work for the side delt in every program. Adding controlled lateral raises is a straightforward way to give it focused attention.

What the Direct Research Says

The most relevant study compared cable and dumbbell lateral raises directly. Twenty four resistance trained adults completed eight weeks of training. Each participant trained one arm with a cable variation and the other with a dumbbell variation. This design was useful because it reduced the influence of individual differences such as genetics, diet, and training background.

Participants performed two sessions each week, using five sets per arm with a target range of 12 to 16 repetitions. The sets were taken to the point where they could no longer reach the required shoulder height. Range of motion, repetition targets, and the amount of work were carefully matched.

Side delt muscle thickness increased in both conditions, with measured increases of roughly 3.3 to 4.6 percent. There was no meaningful advantage for cables over dumbbells, including in the measured upper and lower regions of the lateral deltoid. This is an important result because cables are often assumed to be automatically superior due to their tension profile.

There are sensible limits to the conclusion. The study lasted eight weeks and involved trained lifters, who generally gain muscle more slowly than beginners. It also tested one specific cable setup and a strict range of motion from the arm resting by the body to shoulder height. The result is not that every cable and dumbbell variation is interchangeable in every circumstance. It is that either can be highly effective when the basic training variables are handled well.

Dumbbell Lateral Raises

Why Dumbbells Work Well for Beginners

Dumbbells make lateral raises accessible. You can perform them with a pair of light dumbbells, the setup takes seconds, and you do not need to wait for a cable station. They also make it simple to use both arms together, which can help a beginner learn a steady rhythm.

With a dumbbell, the resistance is provided by gravity. The exercise becomes harder as the arm moves farther away from the body because the lever length increases. This means the bottom of a strict dumbbell repetition feels relatively light, while the top half is usually the hardest portion.

That resistance profile does not make dumbbells inferior. The direct trial found that dumbbell raises still increased lateral deltoid thickness to a similar degree as cable raises. For a new lifter, the convenience of a repeatable setup can be more valuable than a theoretical advantage that has not translated into better measured growth.

How to Perform Them

Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand and allow your arms to rest slightly in front of your torso. Keep a small natural bend in the elbows. Raise the dumbbells out and slightly forward until your upper arms reach about shoulder height, then lower them under control.

Keep your torso quiet. If you need to swing, lean back sharply, or shrug hard to complete every repetition, the load is probably too heavy. A small amount of body movement can happen near the end of a challenging set, but it should not be the strategy used from the first repetition. Beginners will usually get better results by making a light weight feel difficult through control rather than trying to force a heavy weight upward.

Cable Lateral Raises

Why Cables Feel Different

A cable can apply resistance from the lower portion of the movement, depending on the height and position of the pulley. In the direct comparison study, the cable was positioned to create greater challenge near the bottom, when the arm was close to the body. This is different from the dumbbell, which produces little external torque at the bottom position.

Some people prefer this sensation because they feel the side delt working throughout more of the repetition. A low cable also allows a single arm to move across the body at the start, which can create a longer movement path while tension remains present. Whether that produces superior long term growth has not yet been established by direct beginner research.

The practical advantage of cables is that they offer fine load adjustments and a stable line of pull. That can be helpful when the dumbbell increments at your gym are too large. It can also make it easier to train one arm at a time and give each side your full attention.

How to Perform Them

Set a pulley near its lowest position and stand sideways to the stack. Hold the handle with the outside hand, step far enough away to create light tension at the start, and keep your body upright. Raise the arm out and slightly forward, stopping around shoulder height, then return slowly without allowing the stack to slam down.

Use a position that does not twist your torso. If you cross the cable in front of your body, make sure you have enough space and do not rotate to help the weight move. A cuff attachment can be useful for some lifters, but it is optional. The handle is completely adequate if your grip is comfortable.

Which One Should a Beginner Choose?

Start with dumbbells if you are new to the gym, train at home, or want the simplest option. You can learn the movement quickly, track progress easily, and perform it almost anywhere. Start with cables if you already have convenient access to a cable station and find that the movement feels more natural or comfortable on your shoulders.

There is no evidence based reason to avoid one simply because the other is said to be better for hypertrophy. The available direct study supports a tie when effort and training are matched. Your decision should therefore be based on access, comfort, control, and whether you can keep progressing.

You can also use both without turning the program into a complicated experiment. For example, do dumbbell lateral raises as your main lift for six to eight weeks, then use cable raises for the next block. Alternatively, use dumbbells in one weekly session and cables in another. Keep the exercise selection stable long enough to see whether your repetitions, control, and loads are improving.

The Training Variables That Matter More

Train Hard Enough Without Making Every Set Messy

Muscle growth is influenced by how close a set is taken to failure. Broad evidence indicates that sets performed closer to failure tend to produce a stronger hypertrophy stimulus, although complete failure is not required for every set. For beginners, finishing most sets with about one to three repetitions still possible is a sensible target. This gives you a difficult set while preserving technique and reducing needless fatigue.

On a lateral raise, the endpoint should be loss of quality rather than a wild final repetition. If you cannot lift the arm near shoulder height without substantial swinging or shrugging, stop the set. As your control improves, you will become better at judging how much effort you can apply safely.

Use Enough Weekly Work

Weekly training volume is consistently associated with muscle growth, although more is not always better. Begin with four to six challenging lateral raise sets per week, divided across two sessions. This could be two to three sets after upper body training on two days each week.

After several weeks, you can add sets if recovery is good and your technique remains solid. There is no need to rush toward very high volume. The side delts are small muscles, and good repetitions performed regularly will do more for a beginner than a long shoulder session performed occasionally.

Progress Gradually

Use a moderate to high repetition range, such as 10 to 20 repetitions. Light loads can build muscle when sets are sufficiently challenging, and this range is practical for a movement where very heavy loading often encourages compensations from the traps and torso.

Choose a weight that lets you achieve the lower end of the range with clean form. Add repetitions across sessions until you can reach the upper end on all of your planned sets. Then increase the load by the smallest available amount and repeat the process. On a cable station, even a small plate increase can be meaningful. With dumbbells, you may need to build more repetitions and control before moving to the next pair.

Common Mistakes That Limit Side Delt Growth

The most common mistake is choosing a load that turns the movement into a whole body lift. Swinging the torso may let you use more weight, but it makes it harder to apply consistent tension to the side delt. Slow the lowering phase and keep your ribs stacked over your pelvis.

Another mistake is raising the weights far above shoulder height. Going higher is not necessary for the purpose of this exercise and may encourage excessive shrugging. Stop near shoulder height, use a pain free range, and focus on repeatable technique.

Finally, do not judge an exercise only by how intense the burn feels. A strong sensation can be motivating, but growth comes from accumulating challenging, well performed training over time. Log the weight, repetitions, and sets. That record will tell you whether the exercise is actually progressing.

The Bottom Line

For beginners who want wider shoulders, cable and dumbbell lateral raises are both effective choices. The best direct study found similar lateral deltoid growth from both when training was matched. Dumbbells win on simplicity and availability. Cables can be especially appealing for their lower range tension, precise loading, and single arm control.

Pick the variation that you can perform pain free with good control, train it twice per week, and work close to technical failure while gradually progressing. Wider shoulders will come from months of consistent training, not from the cable attachment or dumbbell rack alone.

References

• Grgic, J., Schoenfeld, B.J., Orazem, J. and Sabol, F. (2022) ‘Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: A systematic review and meta analysis’, Journal of Sport and Health Science, 11(2), pp. 202–211.
• Larsen, S., Wolf, M., Schoenfeld, B.J., Sandberg, N.Ø., Fredriksen, A.B., Kristiansen, B.S., van den Tillaar, R., Swinton, P.A. and Falch, H.N. (2025) ‘Dumbbell versus cable lateral raises for lateral deltoid hypertrophy: An experimental study’, Frontiers in Physiology, 16, 1611468.
• Refalo, M.C., Helms, E.R., Trexler, E.T., Hamilton, D.L. and Fyfe, J.J. (2024) ‘Exploring the dose response relationship between estimated resistance training proximity to failure and muscular adaptations: A meta regression’, Sports Medicine, 54, pp. 2201–2216.
• Schoenfeld, B.J., Ogborn, D. and Krieger, J.W. (2017) ‘Dose response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: A systematic review and meta analysis’, Journal of Sports Sciences, 35(11), pp. 1073–1082.
• Schoenfeld, B.J., Grgic, J., Ogborn, D. and Krieger, J.W. (2017) ‘Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low versus high load resistance training: A systematic review and meta analysis’, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 31(12), pp. 3508–3523.

Key Takeaways