Exercise guide
External Rotation with Cable
Cable External Rotation is a light shoulder exercise performed with the elbow bent and held beside the torso. The shoulder rotates the forearm away from the body while the cable provides steady resistance. The source instruction refers to a band, but this version uses a cable station.
Training context
Benefits of Cable External Rotation
The exercise trains the shoulder's external rotators while allowing the cable to maintain resistance throughout the movement. It is generally better suited to controlled shoulder work than heavy loading.
Setting the pulley at elbow height helps the cable follow the forearm without pulling the upper arm out of position. A small pad between the elbow and torso can provide useful feedback.
Technique overview
Keep the elbow fixed beside the torso
Stand sideways to the cable with the working arm farthest from the pulley. Bend the elbow to roughly 90 degrees and hold it against the side. Rotate the hand outward through a comfortable shoulder range, pause, and return slowly. Keep the torso facing forward and use light resistance.
Treat this as an overview and use a range, pace, and setup you can control.