Dumbbell Front Raise
The dumbbell front raise lifts a dumbbell in each hand forwards to shoulder height with near-straight arms. It isolates the front of the shoulder (anterior deltoid), with help from the upper chest, and is usually an accessory added after pressing.
Also called: Front Raise, DB Front Raise, Dumbbell Anterior Raise, Front Shoulder Raise · Equipment: dumbbell · Pattern: push
Step by step
- Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs, palms facing each other or turned slightly thumbs-up.
- Brace your trunk and set your shoulder blades gently back and down. Keep a small bend in your elbows and hold that angle for the whole set.
- Raise both dumbbells forwards and up, leading with your thumbs, until your arms are level with your shoulders.
- Pause briefly at shoulder height with your torso upright and your shoulders away from your ears.
- Bring the dumbbells back down under control, slower than you raised them, until they return to the front of your thighs.
- Keep your torso still for every rep so only your arms move. After the last rep, bring the dumbbells to your sides and set them down.
- Thumbs up, raise to shoulder height
- Ribs down, torso still
- Soft elbows, same angle every rep
- Shoulders away from your ears
- Control the dumbbells back to your thighs
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Anterior deltoid | Prime mover | C |
| Pectoralis major: clavicular (upper) | Secondary | C |
| Lateral deltoid | Secondary | D |
| Serratus anterior | Stabiliser | D |
| Trapezius: upper | Stabiliser | D |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Leaning back to swing the weight up
Fix: Brace your trunk, stand tall and pick a load you can raise with a still torso.
Raising well above shoulder height
Fix: Finish each rep with your arms level with your shoulders.
Thumbs turned down
Fix: Hold the dumbbells with palms facing in or thumbs turned slightly up.
Shrugging as the dumbbells rise
Fix: Keep your shoulders down and away from your ears as the dumbbells rise.
Dropping the dumbbells on the way down
Fix: Bring the dumbbells down under control, slower than you raised them.
Bending and straightening the elbows
Fix: Set a small elbow bend at the start and keep that angle for every rep.
What the research says
Muscle growthRehab & prehabGeneral fitnessEndurance
- Load and effort — Research comparing loads finds muscle growth is similar across a wide range of loads when sets finish close to failure, which is why light dumbbells for moderate to high reps are the common choice for this long-lever lift. Studies show sets that end a few reps short of failure capture most of the growth benefit.
- Counting pressing volume — Presses already train the front of the shoulder. A large dose-response analysis found that counting indirect work as partial sets improves how well weekly volume predicts growth, so many lifters count their presses when planning front-raise sets.
- Volume — Research links more weekly sets for a muscle to more growth, with diminishing returns as sets are added.
- Isolation alongside compounds — A trial in untrained men found single-joint and multi-joint upper-body exercise produced similar strength and size gains in the targeted muscle. The front raise is usually programmed as an accessory next to pressing, not as a replacement for it.
- Tempo — Repetition durations of about 0.5 to 8 seconds have produced similar growth in hard sets. There is no research specific to front-raise tempo.
Swap it mid-workout
- Barbell Front Raise
- Cable Front Raise
- Plate Front Raise
- Arnold Press
- Dumbbell Push Press
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press
With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.
Log the dumbbell front raise in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.