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Dumbbell Standing Front Raise Above Head

A long range front raise that carries the dumbbells all the way overhead, training the anterior deltoids through full shoulder flexion.

ShouldersDumbbellFront raise
GoLightWeight mediadumbbell-standing-front-raise-above-head

Demonstration coming soon

Primary

Anterior deltoids

Secondary

Lateral deltoidsUpper trapeziusSerratus anteriorCore

Equipment

Dumbbell

Pattern

Front raise

Setup

  1. 01Stand tall with feet hip width apart and knees soft.
  2. 02Hold a light dumbbell in each hand in front of the thighs with palms facing back.
  3. 03Brace the trunk and squeeze the glutes so the ribs stay down.
  4. 04Pull the shoulders down away from the ears before the first rep.

Execution

  1. 01Raise both dumbbells forward with nearly straight arms.
  2. 02Continue past shoulder height until the arms point straight overhead.
  3. 03Pause briefly with the biceps near the ears.
  4. 04Lower under control along the same arc back to the thighs.

Checkpoints

  • -Torso stays vertical with no backward lean at the top.
  • -Elbows keep a slight, fixed bend through the whole arc.
  • -Ribs stay down; the trunk, not the low back, absorbs the load.
  • -The lowering phase takes as long as the raise.

Common mistakes

  • -Swinging the hips to heave the weights up.
  • -Arching the lower back to finish the overhead position.
  • -Using a load that forces a stop at shoulder height.
  • -Dropping the dumbbells instead of controlling the descent.

Programming notes

  • -Use 2 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 reps with light dumbbells.
  • -Keep this as an accessory after pressing; the long lever punishes heavy loads.
  • -Slow 3 second eccentrics increase the stimulus without adding weight.

Related exercises

Barbell Standing Front Raise Over Head

Barbell / Shoulders

Dumbbell Front Raise

Dumbbell / Shoulders

Dumbbell Lateral to Front Raise

Dumbbell / Shoulders

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