Exercise · Shoulders
Dumbbell front raise at the gym
The dumbbell front raise mainly works the front of your shoulders, with some help from your chest. It’s a simple isolation move you can do standing or seated, starting with light weights. Great as an accessory to your other shoulder and pressing exercises.
Doable at all 76 gyms GoSet follows
The essentials
- Raise in front of you to shoulder height.
- Don’t swing your torso.
Muscles worked
- Primary
- Shoulders
- Secondary
- Chest
How to do it
- Grab a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your thighs, standing tall with feet under your hips and arms down by your sides.
- Brace your core, keep your shoulders relaxed and down, look straight ahead, and avoid arching your lower back.
- Inhale, then raise the dumbbells in front of you with almost straight arms until they reach shoulder height.
- Pause briefly at the top without shrugging your shoulders up and without lifting past shoulder height.
- Lower the dumbbells back down in 2 to 3 seconds with control to the starting position.
- Repeat for your reps, keeping your torso still and avoiding any leg drive or swinging.
Common mistakes
Swinging the torso to lift heavier
Instead : Drop the weight and think of staying solid through your midsection. The dumbbells should go up from your shoulders, not from a hip or body swing.
Lifting the arms too high
Instead : Stop at shoulder height. Going higher usually reduces control and adds more stress to the joint instead of keeping tension on the shoulder.
Shrugging the shoulders up
Instead : Before you lift, think about pulling your shoulders down. As you raise the dumbbells, keep them low and stable, as if you want them away from your ears.
Letting the weights drop down
Instead : Control the way down. Aim for 2 to 3 seconds to lower the dumbbells, so your shoulders keep working through the whole rep.
Coach tips
- Start light. This move isolates the front of the shoulder, you don’t need big weights to feel it.
- Breathe out as you raise the dumbbells, breathe in as you lower them. Keep your breathing smooth, don’t hold your breath.
- You can do the exercise seated if you tend to move your lower body too much, it makes staying stable easier.
- If you fatigue quickly, keep a slight bend in your elbows and slow down the lift a bit to stay in control on every rep.
Variations
- Alternating front raise: lift one arm at a time to focus more on each side.
- Front raise with neutral grip (palms facing each other) to slightly change the shoulder comfort and feel.
Sets and reps
In strength training, people often do 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps for this exercise, with a light to moderate weight to keep the movement controlled.
Equipment
Alternatives for the same muscles
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Common questions
Where should I feel the dumbbell front raise?
You should mainly feel the front of your shoulders working, with sometimes a bit of help from your chest as you lift. If you feel something sharp or unusual, stop and talk to a professional.
Can I bend my elbows during the exercise?
Yes, you can keep a slight bend in your elbows, especially if you have long arms or feel too much tension. The key is to keep the same elbow angle during both the lift and the lowering.
Can I do the exercise seated instead of standing?
Yes, you can do it seated on a bench, which can help reduce lower-body movement and let you focus more on your shoulders. Still brace your core and keep your back supported if the bench has an upright backrest.
How do I know if the weight is too heavy for front raises?
If you need to use momentum, swing your torso, or bend your elbows a lot just to finish your reps, the weight is likely too heavy. Pick a load that lets you reach shoulder height in control, without cheating on the last reps.