Dumbbell versus cable lateral raises for lateral deltoid hypertrophy: an experimental study

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Muscle Hypertrophy
• Resistance Training

Background:

• The lateral deltoid is a key muscle for shoulder aesthetics and function.
• Understanding the comparative effectiveness of different resistance exercises is crucial for optimizing training programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effects of dumbbell versus cable lateral raises on lateral deltoid muscle thickness.
• To determine if one exercise modality is superior for inducing muscle hypertrophy in trained individuals.

Main Methods:

• An eight-week within-participant study involving 24 resistance-trained men and women.
• Participants performed dumbbell and cable lateral raises twice weekly to momentary failure.
• Lateral deltoid muscle thickness was measured using B-mode ultrasound and analyzed using Bayesian statistics.

Main Results:

• Lateral deltoid muscle thickness increased by 3.3%-4.6% in both conditions.
• Bayesian analyses (BF = 0.27 for distal, BF = 0.22 for proximal, BF < 0.01 for multivariate) provided strong support for the null hypothesis, indicating no significant difference between dumbbell and cable lateral raises.
• Both exercises yielded small to medium improvements in muscle thickness.

Conclusions:

• Dumbbell and cable lateral raises are similarly effective for increasing lateral deltoid muscle hypertrophy.
• Resistance-trained individuals can utilize either exercise to target lateral deltoid growth.