External Rotation
A cable exercise for the rotator cuff: standing side-on to the machine with your elbow bent and pinned to your side, you rotate your forearm outward, away from your stomach.
- Primary muscles
- Logged as
- Weight × reps
Loads from YouTube only when you press play. The video is by an independent creator.
Why do it
Lifters often add it as a light warm-up or accessory for the small muscles that turn the upper arm outward, especially if they press a lot. Compared with doing it with a band or dumbbell, the cable keeps steady tension through the whole turn and lets you change the weight in small steps. It's a low-load, high-control exercise: progress by adding reps or slowing the tempo rather than piling on weight.
How to do it
Set a handle at about elbow height and stand side-on to the machine.
Take the handle with the arm furthest from the machine so the cable crosses in front of your body, elbow bent to 90 degrees and pinned to your side.
Rotate your forearm outward, away from your stomach, keeping your elbow against your ribs.
Return slowly against the pull. Use very light weight and tuck a rolled towel between your elbow and your side if the elbow keeps drifting.
Common mistakes
Elbow drifting off your side
When the elbow pulls away, it stops being a rotation. Keep it against your ribs, and tuck a rolled towel there if it keeps drifting.
Twisting your torso
Turning your whole body away from the machine moves the handle without rotating the shoulder. Keep your hips and chest facing forward.
Using a normal working weight
Heavy loads let your body take over the movement. Pick a weight you can rotate slowly and smoothly; this one is meant to be light.
Letting the cable snap back
Returning fast skips the controlled half of the rep. Bring your forearm back slowly against the pull.
Sets, reps and progression
How many sets you do and how close to failure you take them depend on your goal and your week, not on the exercise. These guides cover it:
Alternatives that train the same thing
Same movement, a different angle or piece of equipment.
