- EquipmentDumbbell
- PatternIsolation
- Reps10 to 20 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
How to do the Front Raise
Set up. Stand tall holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs, palms facing down or in.
- Raise the dumbbells forward with a slight elbow bend.
- Stop at about shoulder height.
- Lower slowly.
Form cues
- Keep the torso still.
- Keep the shoulders down.
- Use a light weight.
Common mistakes
- Leaning back to swing the weights up.
- Raising far above the head.
Muscles worked
Main target: Front delts. The front head of the deltoid caps the front of the shoulder. It raises the arm forward and helps in every press, which is why it is often trained more than its two neighbours.
The catalog names no other muscle it works on the way.
Its other side: Upper back, Lats and Rear delts, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
Its other side: Rear delts, in the front and rear shoulder pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Front Raise, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Rear Delt Fly Superset partner: it trains the other side of the front and rear shoulder pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Dumbbell Bench Press Same push session: it trains the chest.
- Upright Row Same push session: it trains the side delts.
- Dumbbell Shrug Often left out: it trains the traps, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
5 movements, the Front Raise first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Front Raise 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Rear Delt Fly 3 × 12 to 20 reps
- Dumbbell Bench Press 3 × 6 to 15 reps
- Upright Row 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Dumbbell Shrug 3 × 8 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Pike Push-Up
Bodyweight
Gym or cable swap
Cable Front Raise
Cable
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
Its variations: Cable Front Raise.
Do before it: Shoulder Dislocate (shoulder range).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Front Raise is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Front Raise?
Set up: Stand tall holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs, palms facing down or in. Steps: 1. Raise the dumbbells forward with a slight elbow bend. 2. Stop at about shoulder height. 3. Lower slowly. Form cues: Keep the torso still. Keep the shoulders down. Use a light weight. Common mistakes: Leaning back to swing the weights up. Raising far above the head.
What muscles does the Front Raise work?
It trains the front delts; the catalog names no other muscle it works on the way.
What can I do instead of the Front Raise?
At home: Pike Push-Up. In a gym: Cable Front Raise. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Front Raise with?
Good partners in the same workout are Rear Delt Fly, Dumbbell Bench Press, Upright Row and Dumbbell Shrug.
How heavy should the Front Raise be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.