Dumbbell Standing Front Raise Above Head
- Músculo objetivo
- Deltoid Anterior
- Músculos sinergistas
- Deltoid Lateral, Pectoralis Major Clavicular Head, Serratus Anterior
- Equipamiento
- Dumbbell
- Parte del cuerpo
- Shoulders
- Tipo
- Strength
The dumbbell standing front raise above head is a shoulder isolation exercise that primarily targets the front deltoids while taking the dumbbells through a full overhead range. The side deltoids, upper chest (pectoralis major clavicular head), and serratus anterior assist as you raise the weights from your thighs all the way overhead. It builds front-shoulder strength and overhead mobility in a single controlled movement.
Cómo hacer el Dumbbell Standing Front Raise Above Head
- 1Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, arms hanging in front of your thighs.
- 2Brace your core and set your shoulders down and back so your torso stays still throughout the lift.
- 3Keeping your arms nearly straight with a slight bend in the elbows, raise both dumbbells forward and up in a smooth arc.
- 4Continue lifting past shoulder height, allowing your shoulder blades to rotate upward as the dumbbells travel overhead.
- 5Finish with the dumbbells directly above your head and your arms extended, biceps near your ears.
- 6Pause briefly at the top, keeping your ribs down and avoiding any backward lean.
- 7Lower the dumbbells under control along the same path back to the front of your thighs.
- 8Complete your reps, then set the dumbbells down safely.
Consejos de técnica
- Lead the movement with your wrists and keep a slight, fixed bend in your elbows so the front delts do the work rather than momentum.
- Let your shoulder blades rotate up naturally as you pass shoulder height — forcing the weights overhead with locked scapulae strains the joint.
- Use a lighter load than a standard front raise, since the full overhead range is harder to control and easy to overshoot.
- Keep your core braced and ribs pulled down to stop your lower back from arching as the dumbbells go overhead.
Errores comunes
- Swinging the torso or bouncing at the knees to fling the weights up, which shifts work off the front delts and risks the lower back.
- Arching the lower back to push the dumbbells overhead, which compresses the spine and removes tension from the shoulders.
- Shrugging the traps up to muscle the weight overhead instead of letting the shoulder blades rotate, which strains the neck and shoulders.
- Using too heavy a load so the overhead portion collapses or you lose control on the way down, increasing injury risk.
Preguntas frecuentes
What muscles does the dumbbell standing front raise above head work?
It primarily works the front deltoids, with the side deltoids, upper chest (pectoralis major clavicular head), and serratus anterior assisting through the overhead range.
How is this different from a regular dumbbell front raise?
A standard front raise stops at about shoulder height, while this version continues all the way overhead. The longer range recruits the serratus anterior and upper chest more and demands better shoulder mobility and control.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Because the overhead range is demanding, use lighter weights for higher reps — around 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps is a sensible default for shoulder isolation work.
Is this exercise good for beginners?
It can be, but only with light dumbbells and good overhead mobility. Beginners should master the standard front raise and overhead position first before taking the full above-head range under load.
