Shoulders
Front Raise
A simple move for the front of your shoulders: you raise a dumbbell straight out in front to shoulder height, one arm at a time. Light weight and slow reps work best.
- Works
- Front shoulders, upper chest, core
- Equipment
- A pair of light dumbbells
- Load
- Light
How to do it
- 1Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs, a slight bend in your elbows.
- 2Raise one dumbbell straight out in front of you until your hand reaches shoulder height.
- 3Lower it slowly back to your thigh.
- 4Raise the other arm the same way. Keep alternating.
Cues
- Lift with your shoulder, not a swing from your hips.
- Stop at shoulder height.
- The resting arm stays still by your thigh.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the weights up. If your body rocks, the dumbbells are too heavy. Go lighter and slow down.
- Raising too high. Going above shoulder height doesn't add much. Stop when your arm is level with the floor.
- Shrugging. Keep your shoulders down and away from your ears so your traps don't take over.
Grip options: Palms facing down is the classic front raise. Thumbs up, palms facing in, is a good choice if palms down feels uncomfortable at the front of your shoulder.
Easier
Go lighter, or bend your elbows a little more to make the lever shorter.
Harder
Pause for 2 seconds at shoulder height on every rep, or raise both arms together.
Try it: 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps per side, alternating, or 30 seconds on and 30 off.
Do I need front raises if I already do shoulder presses?
Not always. Presses already work the front of your shoulders a lot. Front raises are a good add on when you want a little extra work there with light weight.
