Standing Dumbbell Straight-Arm Front Delt Raise Above Head

Also called front raise to overhead, overhead front raise and full front raise.

Works

Shoulders

Equipment

Dumbbells

Level

Intermediate

Type

Isolation

How to do it

Setup. Hold the dumbbells in front of your thighs, palms facing your thighs.

1. Keep your arms straight with a slight bend at the elbows but keep them locked. This will be your starting position.
2. Raise the dumbbells in a semicircular motion to arm's length overhead as you exhale.
3. Slowly return to the starting position using the same path as you inhale.
4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Cues

• Palms facing the thighs.
• Arms straight, elbows soft.
• Arc the dumbbells all the way up.
• Lower slowly in 3 seconds.

Common mistakes

• Leaning back to finish.
• Bending the elbows.

Where to start

A starting point, not a law. Pick a weight you could lift two or three more times than the top of the range. Tempo is seconds down, pause, up. When every set hits the top of the range, add a little weight.

Go easy, or pick an alternative, if you have a sore shoulder. Pain that's sharp or gets worse set to set means stop.

Easier

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