Strength Training · Bodybuilding
Dumbbell Front Raise
The dumbbell front raise is a shoulder exercise that lifts weights forward from your thighs to shoulder height. It targets the front of your shoulders.
- Beginner
- Isolation
- Low injury risk
- Rest 1 min
How to do it
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells in front of your thighs with your palms facing you.
- Set your elbows in a slight bend.
- Raise both dumbbells forward to shoulder height, keeping the same elbow angle.
- Lower the dumbbells slowly back to your thighs.
Form cues
- Keep your ribs stacked over your hips.
- Keep your knees soft.
- Exhale as you lift.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the weightsUse lighter dumbbells so you can lift without driving through your legs or rocking your torso.
- Shrugging toward your earsKeep space between your shoulders and ears instead of lifting your shoulders to finish the rep.
Safety
Too much weight or forcing the lift beyond a comfortable range can irritate your shoulders, especially as fatigue changes your technique.
- Test your comfortable range with a few unweighted raises first.
- Stop the set if you feel sharp pain or pinching.
- Increase the weight in small increments only when every rep stays controlled.
If you have ongoing shoulder pain or a recent shoulder injury, ask a physiotherapist about a suitable range and load before adding resistance.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Equipment
- Dumbbell
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 10–15 reps
- Rest
- 1 min
Finish each set with enough energy to perform about two more clean reps.