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shoulders

Dumbbell Front Raise

Standing with dumbbells in front of your thighs, you raise both arms straight out in front to shoulder height. Works the front of the shoulders.

beginnerdumbbells

Dumbbell Front Raise, start position
START
Dumbbell Front Raise, end position
END
BEFORE YOU START1
  1. Pick light dumbbells.
HOW TO DO IT

Get into position

  1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
  2. Hold the weight in front of your thighs with your palms facing your legs.

Check: You are standing tall with the weight resting against the front of your thighs.

Raise

  1. Raise both arms straight out in front until your hands are level with your shoulders.
  2. Pause for a second at the top.

Check: Your arms are straight out in front at shoulder height, elbows slightly bent, and your trunk is upright.

Lower slowly

  1. Lower the weight slowly back to the start.

Check: The weight is back at the start and your trunk has not moved.

That is one rep. Repeat for your set.

Breathe out as you raise in about 1 second; pause; breathe in as you lower over 2 seconds.

MUSCLES WORKED
Dumbbell Front Raise: muscles worked, front view
Dumbbell Front Raise: muscles worked, back view

front delts

Red marks the muscles doing the work; amber the assisting ones. Same body for every exercise, so guides compare at a glance.

COMMON MISTAKES3
  • Swinging the weight up with the body. Momentum, not the shoulder, lifts the weight. Fix: Stand still; if you have to rock, the weight is too heavy.
  • Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears. Fix: Keep your shoulders down; lift with the arm, not the neck.
  • Raising above shoulder height. Fix: Stop at shoulder height.
SAFETY2
  • Use light weights; the shoulder muscles are small.
  • Stop at shoulder height; going higher pinches the shoulder.
EQUIPMENT SETTINGS
  • dumbbells Light.
RELATED EXERCISES

variants: two handed dumbbell front raise, alternate dumbbell front raise neutral grip, barbell front raise

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