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Dumbbell Lateral to Front Raise
A combination raise that lifts the dumbbells laterally, sweeps them to the front, and lowers, training the lateral and anterior delts plus control through a long arc.
ShouldersDumbbellLateral raise to front raise
GoLightWeight mediadumbbell-lateral-to-front-raise
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Primary
Lateral deltoidsAnterior deltoids
Secondary
Upper trapeziusSerratus anteriorCore
Equipment
Dumbbell
Pattern
Lateral raise to front raise
Setup
- 01Stand with feet hip width apart holding light dumbbells at the sides.
- 02Use a palms-down grip with a soft bend in the elbows.
- 03Brace the trunk and set the shoulders down.
- 04Pick a load lighter than your strict lateral raise; the sweep adds time under tension.
Execution
- 01Raise both arms out to the sides to shoulder height.
- 02Keeping the arms level, sweep the bells horizontally together in front of you.
- 03Lower the bells down the front to the thighs under control.
- 04Reverse or repeat the circuit as programmed, keeping every segment smooth.
Checkpoints
- -Arms stay at shoulder height during the entire horizontal sweep.
- -Torso stays still through the change of direction.
- -Elbow bend stays constant in all three segments.
- -Each segment is deliberate; no blurring the sweep into a swing.
Common mistakes
- -Dropping the arms below shoulder height mid-sweep.
- -Using momentum to bounce between segments.
- -Loading like a standard lateral raise and failing during the sweep.
- -Shrugging as fatigue builds through the long arc.
Programming notes
- -Use 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 full circuits with light dumbbells.
- -A strong delt finisher at the end of a shoulder session.
- -Alternate the direction each set to balance the workload.
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