How many sets and reps of the single-arm machine lateral raise should a beginner do?

Two to three sets of 10 to 12 reps per side works well, resting only long enough to switch sides and reset the seat. Because it is easy to push near failure safely on a machine, add reps or weight only after both sides can match each other cleanly, not just the stronger side.

What can you do instead of the single-arm machine lateral raise without that machine?

A single-arm cable lateral raise gives a very similar one-side-at-a-time loading pattern, and a single dumbbell lateral raise works too, though you will need to brace yourself rather than lean on a machine frame.

What is the single-arm machine lateral raise good for, and when should you use the two-arm version instead?

Training one side at a time makes it easy to spot and fix a weaker shoulder, and bracing the free hand lets you push each side harder than a two-arm set usually allows. It takes twice as long per set as the bilateral version, so on a day when time is short or both shoulders are already even in strength, the standard machine lateral raise gets the same work done faster.

Beginner

Single-Arm Machine Lateral Raise

Working one side at a time lets you sit slightly angled to the pad so the arm can travel a bit farther than in the bilateral version, and it lets you brace the free hand for support. The fixed path keeps tension on the middle delt from start to finish, which makes it excellent for chasing a strong pump or grinding out drop sets. Great for evening out a weaker shoulder or finishing a delt session.

Equipment: Machine
Body part: Shoulder
Type: Strength
Browse by muscle: Deltoid Middle
Browse by movement: Shoulder Raise

How to do it

1
Set the seat height so the pivot of the arm pad lines up roughly with your shoulder joint.
2
Sit with one side against the machine and grip the handle with that hand, forearm on the pad.
3
Hold the frame or seat with your free hand to stay anchored.
4
Drive the pad up and out until your upper arm reaches about shoulder height.
5
Lower slowly to a full stretch, complete your reps, then turn around and train the other side.

Tips

Push through the point of your elbow against the pad rather than pulling with your hand.
Do not lean away from the machine to gain leverage; keep your torso still.
Pause for a beat at the top to feel the middle delt contract before lowering.

Variations

Common mistakes

The free hand grips the frame and pulls to help drive the working arm up, quietly turning an isolation exercise into an assisted one.
Sitting square to the machine instead of angling slightly into it shortens the range this single-arm setup is supposed to add over the bilateral version.
The torso tips away from the working side as the arm nears the top, using body lean instead of the delt to finish the last few degrees.
Switching sides without resetting the seat or pad position leaves one arm training through a slightly different range than the other.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of the single-arm machine lateral raise should a beginner do?: Two to three sets of 10 to 12 reps per side works well, resting only long enough to switch sides and reset the seat. Because it is easy to push near failure safely on a machine, add reps or weight only after both sides can match each other cleanly, not just the stronger side.
What can you do instead of the single-arm machine lateral raise without that machine?: A single-arm cable lateral raise gives a very similar one-side-at-a-time loading pattern, and a single dumbbell lateral raise works too, though you will need to brace yourself rather than lean on a machine frame.
What is the single-arm machine lateral raise good for, and when should you use the two-arm version instead?: Training one side at a time makes it easy to spot and fix a weaker shoulder, and bracing the free hand lets you push each side harder than a two-arm set usually allows. It takes twice as long per set as the bilateral version, so on a day when time is short or both shoulders are already even in strength, the standard machine lateral raise gets the same work done faster.

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