Dumbbell Front Raise: Technique, Muscles and Swaps
Load card
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Muscle group
- Shoulders
- Main muscles
- anterior deltoid
- Also working
- upper pectoralis major
- Mechanics
- Isolation
- Pattern
- Shoulder flexion
- Level
- Beginner
The Dumbbell Front Raise is a beginner isolation exercise that targets your shoulders through a basic shoulder flexion movement pattern. You perform it by lifting weights straight up in front of your body with nearly straight arms.
This movement primarily trains the anterior deltoid on the front of your shoulder. The upper pectoralis major acts as a supporting muscle to help stabilize and lift the weight during the upward phase.
How to do it
Stand tall holding a dumbbell in each hand with your arms resting in front of your thighs and your palms facing your body. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and brace your core.
- Keep a slight bend in your elbows and brace your abdominal muscles.
- Raise both dumbbells straight up in front of you until your arms are parallel to the floor.
- Pause for a brief second at the top of the movement.
- Lower the dumbbells slowly and with control back to the starting position.
- Repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets, reps and load
A good starting point is three sets of ten to fifteen repetitions. Rest for about sixty to ninety seconds between each set.
Choose a light enough dumbbell that allows you to lift the weight with strict form and no torso swinging.
Common mistakes
- Using momentum. Avoid swinging your torso backward to heave the weight up. Keep your spine stable and make your shoulders do the work.
- Raising the weight too high. Stop when your arms are parallel to the floor. Going higher shifts the tension away from the anterior deltoid.
- Bending the elbows too much. Maintain only a slight, soft bend in your elbows. Bending them to a ninety degree angle shortens the lever arm and reduces the challenge on the shoulders.
- Dropping the weight quickly. Resist gravity on the way down. Lower the dumbbells at a controlled pace to maximize the training stimulus.
- Shrugging the shoulders. Keep your shoulder blades pulled down and back. Do not let your shoulders hike up toward your ears as you lift.
Make it easier or harder
Easier
- Alternating dumbbell front raises
- Seated dumbbell front raises
Harder
- Paused dumbbell front raises
- Incline bench prone dumbbell front raises
Swaps and related shoulders exercises
Same muscle group with different equipment:
- Band External Rotation Resistance band
- Band Face Pull Resistance band
- Resistance Band Lateral Raise Resistance band
- Resistance Band Overhead Press Resistance band
More dumbbell options:
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise Shoulder abduction
- Dumbbell Reverse Fly Horizontal abduction
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press Vertical push
- Dumbbell Shrug Scapular elevation
Browse all dumbbell exercises or every shoulders exercise.
When to see a doctor or physio
- Sharp or stabbing pain in the front of the shoulder joint.
- A pinching sensation at the top of the movement.
- Numbness or tingling traveling down your arm.
This page is general training information, not medical advice. If you are new to strength training, managing a health condition, pregnant or coming back from an injury, check with a doctor or physio first.
How this page was made. Exercise data (equipment, muscles, mechanics, level) compiled by the Unite Journal Crew as a general anatomy guide, cross-checked against the public-domain free-exercise-db list. Text drafted with AI assistance and edited by the crew; see our house rules. Last checked October 2026.