Muscles Worked: Front & Sides of Shoulder, Upper Chest
Equipment Needed: Dumbbells
Are Dumbbell Front Raises Good For Shoulders?
The front raise with dumbbells is a classic weight training exercise that is good for beginners. You can include this exercise in your shoulders and upper body workout routine to build your shoulder muscles and strength.
Front Dumbbell Raise Muscles Worked & Benefits
Let’s see what muscles do front dumbbell raises work?
The front raises primarily strengthen your shoulder (deltoids) and also work on your upper chest muscles (pectorals).
It is an isolation type exercise that helps gain strength and develop shape in the front and sides of your shoulders.
The physical therapists also recommend this movement when recovering from a shoulder injury.
In your day-to-day life routine, you require strong shoulders to lift objects safely.
Learn here correct form & technique about how to do Shoulder Front Raises With Dumbbell correctly – Tips, Proper Form/Technique & Video.
How To Do Shoulder Dumbbell Front Raise Exercise Correctly?
Choose a pair of dumbbells of suitable weight. Start with lightweight dumbbells with which you can do 10 to 12 repetitions for 1 to 3 sets. I recommend for a beginner woman to start this exercise with 5-pound dumbbells and for a beginner man 10-pound dumbbells. Don’t start with too heavy weights. They will put too much stress on your shoulders and can cause pain.
Correct Start Position – Front Raises With Dumbbells
(i) Stand with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart. Maintain your back straight & feet positioned flat on the floor.
(iii) Your arms holding dumbbells should hang down in front of your thighs. Position the dumbbells horizontally across your thighs at arms length, palms facing the thighs.
(iv) Hold the dumbbells about 4 inches off of your body. Contract your abdominal muscles and glutes.
This is the starting position.
Proper Movements – Dumbbell Front Raises
(i) While keeping your torso strong and stationary, body as still as possible (no swaying), arms out in front with palms always facing down, slowly raise the dumbbells upward.
(ii) Continue going up until you arms are slightly above parallel to the floor. Feel the contraction in your shoulders and pause a little bit at the top.
(ii) Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position at the thighs in a slow and controlled motion. This completes one rep.
(iii) Throughout the exercises maintain a slight bend at your elbows to reduce stress on your joints.
(iv) Inhale while raising the dumbbells & exhale when lowering down.
(iv) Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions and sets.
Important Tips/Avoid These Mistakes To Prevent Shoulder Injury
(i) Stand upright and don’t allow your back to round. Keep your body as still as possible, and only your arms should move at the shoulders.
(ii) Avoid swinging the weight ups or dropping them quickly. Use slow & controlled movements.
(iii) Don’t use too heavy dumbbells because they can put excessive stress on your shoulder & elbow joints and likely to cause injury.
(iv) Maintain your back straight and abdominals tight. Don’t allow your back to round or abs slack during the exercise.
(v) Maintain your wrists in a neutral position. Don’t allow them to bend. If you find you can’t maintain a neutral position, reduce the weight.
Precautions
If you have shoulder pain or a shoulder injury, check first with your physical therapist or doctor whether you can do shoulder front raises exercise. The rotation involved in this exercise can cause shoulder impingement and you might develop pain if you have a tendency towards bursitis or tendinitis. Do not continue to do raises if you feel any pain.
Watch this video to learn the top 6 Dumbbell Front Raise mistakes and how to fix them:
About Author: Renu Bakshi, AKA Fitness Buffhq, is ISSA Certified Elite Trainer. He passed 
Personal Fitness Trainer Course, Nutrition Health Coach course & Specialist Exercise Therapy course from ISSA, USA obtaining + 97% marks. He shares his experience and knowledge about nutrition and effective workouts to get you in the best shape of your life, no matter how old you may be. The author says: “For me age is just a number!”
