The offset structure of the SS bar changes the leverage of the lateral raise to closely mimic the optimal strength curve of the lateral raise.
With the rotary action of the bar turning, you get more tension at the bottom stretch (where your side delts are stronger), less at the top as you come up to the contracted position (where they're weaker).
Once you get past the initial 1/4 of the movement, it's still good but definitely not perfect. Because the arms of the yoke bar are short, you're not really leading with your elbows, as you would with dumbbells. It forces you to lead more with the back of the wrist.
If the bar arms were longer, it would work better towards the top.
That's something I'm working on but it's worth the setup to hit that incredible stretch tension at the bottom.
You'll need a safety squat bar and a power rack. I'm using the yoke bar from EliteFTS here (any SS bar should work). The rails are set so the bar is a few inches below armpit level.
Test the setup with an empty bar first, then you can add some light plates.
The bar should be set so that if you were doing squats, you'd be facing towards the back of the rack, as normal. The bar should be pushed up against the uprights.
With the arms of the bar hanging down, they should angle in towards the midline of your body. That's what gets you the stretch at the start.
Lean against the bar then put your left arm over the bar and hook the back of your wrist against the pad of the nearest arm.
Now start to do a lateral raise movement...you'll INSTANTLY feel the stretch tension kick in the moment you start to rotate the bar.
Keep it going around and up...the leverage of the bar causes the resistance to decrease.
Lower down under control and repeat.
You can do this one for stretch isometric holds, too, which feel AMAZING because of that instant stretch at the start.
Here's what it looks like directly from the side.
This setup really targets that stretch position strongly.
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