dumbbell front raise

The front (anterior) part of the deltoid muscle is the principle focus of this exercise. As with the lateral raise, you can also perform this movement using cables or resistance bands.

the big picture

Raising and lowering dumbbells directly in front of your body targets the front division of the deltoid. Ensure a smooth, controlled movement throughout; don’t throw the weights up and let them fall down. Your arms will naturally move slightly inward as you raise to best align with the inward pull of the front delts. If you experience any shoulder discomfort during this exercise, try switching to the cable or the resistance-band variation (overleaf).

Beginners can start with 4 sets of 8–10 reps; discover other variations on and other targeted sets in the training programs.

PREPARATORY STAGE

Stand with your feet parallel and shoulder-width apart. Let your arms hang naturally at the side of your body with the dumbbells securely in your hands. Ensure that your head position is neutral.

DK

n Double-tap image to read the labels

stage one

Breathe in and engage your core. Exhale and, using your front deltoids, flex at the shoulders to raise the dumbbells directly in front of you. Stop when your arms are at or just above parallel to the floor. To add a challenge, hold for 1 second.

DK

n Double-tap image to read the labels

ANTERIOR-LATERAL VIEW

Upper body and arms

This exercise places tension on the shoulder, specifically the anterior (front) division (see Banded Front Raise). Think of driving the dumbbells, or your fists, out as you drive your arms up in front of you. The medial division of the shoulder helps stabilize the exercise alongside muscles of the upper and lower arm. Maintain control in your technique to place the most amount of tension on the front deltoid.

stage two

Keeping tension in your shoulders, breathe in to lower your arms with control, resisting the load. Pause for 1 second here to help reduce momentum going into your next rep and to reset your breathing. Repeat stages 1 and 2.

DK

n Double-tap image to read the labels

DK Common mistakes

Lift the weights too high and you will shift the muscle target to the upper trapezius; keep too low, and you won’t get a powerful enough contraction on the front deltoid. Avoid leaning back, too.

..................Content has been hidden....................

You can't read the all page of ebook, please click here login for view all page.
Reset
54.147.0.155