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Seated Dumbbell Alternate Front Raise
A seated single-arm-at-a-time front raise that isolates the anterior deltoids while the bench removes the leg drive and torso sway of the standing version.
ShouldersDumbbellFront raise
GoLightWeight mediadumbbell-seated-alternate-front-raise
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
Anterior deltoids
Secondary
Lateral deltoidsUpper pectoralsSerratus anterior
Equipment
Dumbbell
Pattern
Front raise
Setup
- 01Sit tall on a flat bench with feet planted and a dumbbell in each hand.
- 02Let the dumbbells hang at your sides or rest them on the front of your thighs, palms facing back.
- 03Pull the shoulder blades down and slightly back, and brace the trunk against the bench-free backrest position.
- 04Keep a soft bend in both elbows that stays fixed for the whole set.
Execution
- 01Raise one dumbbell straight in front of you to shoulder height with the elbow slightly bent.
- 02Pause briefly at the top without shrugging the working shoulder.
- 03Lower the dumbbell under control back to the start.
- 04Repeat with the other arm and keep alternating, one arm moving at a time.
Checkpoints
- -Torso stays vertical with no rocking backward to start the raise.
- -The dumbbell stops at shoulder height, roughly parallel to the floor.
- -The non-working arm stays still instead of counter-swinging.
- -The traps stay relaxed; the delt does the lifting.
Common mistakes
- -Leaning back to swing the weight up because the bench blocks leg drive.
- -Raising the dumbbell well above shoulder height and shifting stress to the traps.
- -Dropping the weight instead of controlling the eccentric.
- -Using loads heavy enough to force a bent-and-straighten elbow cheat.
Programming notes
- -Use 2 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 reps per arm as an accessory after pressing.
- -Keep loads light; front delts get plenty of heavy work from presses.
- -Count reps per arm so both sides get equal volume.
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