The Machine Lateral Raise is a beginner-friendly machine strength exercise that targets the shoulders. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesShoulders
Secondary muscles—
EquipmentMachine
LevelBeginner
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Machine Lateral Raise
Adjust the seat until your shoulders line up with the machine's pivot points.
Sit upright with your feet flat on the floor and your back against the pad.
Set your forearms against the pads or take the handles, keeping a slight bend in the elbows.
Relax your grip and let your shoulders settle down away from your ears.
Lift both arms out to the sides until they reach shoulder height, then pause.
Lower slowly back to the start and repeat.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
The fixed path removes balance and swing, so the side of the deltoid does the work.
Easy to load in small steps, which makes progression simple for beginners.
Seated support means trunk fatigue does not end the set early.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Sitting too high or too low, so the machine pivot no longer matches the shoulder joint.
Shrugging into the lift, which lets the traps take over from the side of the deltoid.
Squeezing the handles hard, which drags the forearms into a movement they should not drive.
Dropping the arms at the end of the rep, which throws away the lowering phase.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Machine Lateral Raise, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
