Dumbbell Front Raise
A standing dumbbell raise to shoulder height that isolates the front delts through a clean, controlled arc.
How to do it
- Stand tall holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs, palms facing back.
- Set your feet shoulder-width apart, brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back.
- Raise one or both dumbbells straight forward with a slight bend in your elbows.
- Stop the raise when the dumbbells reach shoulder height and your arms are roughly parallel to the floor.
- Pause at the top with the dumbbells level, holding tension in your front delts.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells back to your thighs over 2–3 seconds, then repeat.
Key technique cue
Shoulders down, torso still; lift to shoulder height, no higher.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Swinging the torso back to heave the dumbbells up, which steals work from the front delts.
- ✕ Raising above shoulder height into the upper traps, which takes the focus off the front delts.
- ✕ Bending the elbows a lot mid-rep, turning the exercise into a raise-press hybrid.
- ✕ Going too heavy and shrugging at the top instead of keeping the shoulders pinned down.
Benefits
- ✓ Isolates the front of the shoulders for targeted hypertrophy work.
- ✓ Adds detail volume that presses often miss.
- ✓ Trains a clean shoulder flexion pattern without torso swing.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 You are here - Dumbbell Front Raise
- Cable Front Raise
- Dumbbell Incline Front Raise
- Kettlebell Front Raise
- Plate Front Raise
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Step 2
About the exercise
The Dumbbell Front Raise is a single-joint shoulder exercise that lifts a dumbbell straight up in front of the body to shoulder height. With nearly straight elbows, the front delts do almost all the work, making it one of the cleanest ways to add detail volume to the front of the shoulders. It fits shoulder-day blocks, push-day accessory work and shoulder-detail work where presses alone won't build the look you want. It is a standard shoulder isolation option in any hypertrophy program.
Updated
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Intermediate Arnold Press
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