Muscles worked
What the front raise trains
Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.
Before the first rep
How to set up
- 01
Pick a light weight. Choose dumbbells you could raise for about 15 clean reps. The long lever arm makes this lift much heavier than it looks.
- 02
Stand tall. Feet about hip width, knees soft, ribs down and glutes lightly squeezed so your torso does not rock.
- 03
Hold the dumbbells. Let the dumbbells rest in front of your thighs, palms facing your legs, with a firm grip.
- 04
Set your shoulders. Pull your shoulders down away from your ears and keep your chest up, without pinching your shoulder blades hard.
- 05
Soften the elbows. Unlock your elbows into a slight bend and keep that same bend for the whole set.
Step by step
How to do the front raise
- 01
Brace. Take a breath and tighten your stomach as if someone were about to poke it, so only your arms move.
- 02
Raise. Lift the dumbbells straight out in front of you, thumbs slightly up or palms down, leading with your knuckles.
- 03
Stop at shoulder height. Pause briefly when your arms are about parallel to the floor and the dumbbells are level with your shoulders.
- 04
Lower slowly. Take two to three seconds to lower the dumbbells back to your thighs, staying in control the whole way.
- 05
Reset and repeat. Let the dumbbells settle at your thighs for a moment without swinging back, then start the next rep from a dead stop.
Cues to say in your head
- Ribs down, stay tall
- Lead with the knuckles
- Stop at shoulder height
- Shoulders away from ears
- Slow on the way down
- No swinging
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Swinging the weight up
Use lighter dumbbells and start each rep from a dead stop at your thighs. If your hips or knees kick, the load is too heavy.
Leaning back to finish the rep
Brace your abs and keep your ribs stacked over your hips. Leaning back lets momentum and your lower back lift the weight instead of your shoulders.
Shrugging the shoulders up
Keep your shoulders down away from your ears. Shrugging shifts the work to the upper traps.
Lifting above shoulder height
Stop when your arms are about parallel to the floor. Going higher rarely adds front delt work and can pinch some shoulders.
Dropping the weight on the way down
Lower over two to three seconds. A controlled lowering keeps tension on the front delts.
Locked or very bent elbows
Keep a small, fixed bend. Straight locked arms strain the elbow, and a deep bend shortens the lever and turns the rep into a curl.
Stay safe
Front raises are light and low risk, so the usual way to end a set is simply to lower the dumbbells under control to your thighs when you cannot lift them cleanly to shoulder height. Do not heave the last rep up with your back. Stop if you feel a sharp or pinching pain in the front of the shoulder, and try a lower stopping point or a thumbs up grip next time. If the pain keeps coming back, see a physiotherapist or doctor before you continue.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle | 2 to 4 | 10 to 15 | 60–72% 1RM | 1 to 1.5 min |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 | 15 to 20 | 50–60% 1RM | 45 to 60 sec |
| Technique | 2 to 3 | 10 to 12 | 50–60% 1RM | 1 min |
Plan your next session
Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.
Estimated 1RM 216 lb
Endurance sets
108–129lb
2 to 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps, 45 to 60 sec rest. Light weight, steady tempo, and no swinging as you tire.
Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.
Questions
Front Raise questions
What muscles does the front raise work?
Mainly the front delts, with the upper chest and side delts helping. Your serratus and upper traps steady the shoulder blade, and your abs keep your torso still.
How do you do a cable front raise?
Stand facing away from a low pulley with the handle or rope between your legs, then raise it straight in front of you to shoulder height and lower slowly. The cable keeps tension on the front delts at the bottom, where dumbbells go slack.
How do you do a plate front raise?
Hold a weight plate with both hands at about 3 and 9 o'clock, arms in front of your thighs, and raise it to shoulder height with a slight elbow bend. Start light, since even a small plate feels heavy at arm's length.
How high should you lift a front raise?
To about shoulder height, with your arms roughly parallel to the floor. Going higher rarely adds front delt work, and stopping there keeps the rep controlled.
Do I need front raises if I already do presses?
Not always. Presses already train the front delts hard, so front raises are an optional extra for people who want more shoulder size or have no pressing on a given day.
How many sets and reps of front raises should I do?
Two to four sets of 10 to 15 reps works for most people, with a weight you can lift without swinging. Do them after your main presses.
Train in Protocol
Log your front raise by voice. Protocol tracks the rest.
Your last session shows up before every set, warm-ups and plates are worked out for you, and your coach sees every lift next to your sleep and recovery.