Seated Dumbbell Front Raise

How to Perform the Seated Dumbbell Front Raise

Sit on an upright bench with your back against the pad and feet flat on the floor.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand (pronated) grip, arms hanging at your sides in front of your thighs.
Keep a slight bend in your elbows throughout the movement to protect the joint.
Raise one or both dumbbells forward and upward in a controlled arc until they reach shoulder height.
Pause briefly at the top with the dumbbells parallel to the floor.
Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position under control, resisting gravity on the way down.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, avoiding swinging or using momentum.

Raising the dumbbells above shoulder height

Stop when the dumbbells reach shoulder level to maintain tension on the front delts and avoid impingement.

Using momentum to swing the weights up

Use a controlled tempo and lighter weight; the seated position should help reduce momentum.

Shrugging the shoulders during the raise

Keep your shoulders down and relaxed throughout the movement to isolate the anterior deltoid.

✓Isolates the anterior deltoid more effectively than overhead pressing movements.
✓Seated position prevents cheating and ensures strict form.
✓Helps address front deltoid imbalances and improves shoulder aesthetics.

●Use lighter weights and focus on the mind-muscle connection with the front delts.
●Alternate arms if fatigue causes form breakdown when lifting both simultaneously.
●Control the negative portion for at least 2 seconds to maximize muscle activation.

Strength

4-5 sets of 3-5 reps at 80-90% 1RM

Hypertrophy

3-4 sets of 8-12 reps at 65-75% 1RM

Endurance

2-3 sets of 15-20 reps at 50-60% 1RM

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