A dumbbell front raise works the muscle at the front of the shoulder (anterior deltoid) along with the muscles that steady the shoulder blade. You stand with a light dumbbell in each hand, lift both arms forward with the elbows straight to shoulder height, pause, and lower them. In shoulder rehab it usually comes later, once the arm can lift forward without pain.

How to do the dumbbell front raise

Stand tall, feet about hip width apart. Hold a light dumbbell in each hand, resting in front of your thighs with the palms facing you.
Set your shoulders gently back and down, and tighten your stomach a little so your back does not arch.
Keep the elbows straight and lift both arms forward until your hands are level with your shoulders. At the top the palms face the floor.
Pause for a moment at shoulder height, keeping the shoulders away from your ears.
Lower the weights slowly back to your thighs.

What you should feel

Work at the front of both shoulders that gets harder as your hands come up level with them. Your lower back and neck should stay quiet.

Common mistakes

Leaning back or rocking to swing the weights up.
Lifting above shoulder height.
Shrugging as the arms rise.
Letting the weights fall fast on the way down.

How often

Many programs use 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 slow repetitions with a light weight, 2 to 3 times a week. Your physio will adjust this.

Stop and check with your physio if

The shoulder feels like it is slipping out or gives way.
You get a sharp pain or a painful catch as the arms go up.
Tingling, numbness or pain spreads down the arm.
Pins and needles in your arm or hand that do not go away after you stop, or part of your arm or hand goes numb. Get medical advice the same day. If one side of your face or body suddenly goes numb or weak, or your speech becomes slurred or muddled, call emergency services, even if it goes away.
A sudden pop or tearing feeling in the shoulder that brings sharp pain, new weakness or trouble lifting the arm. Stop and contact your surgical team the same day, or get medical advice the same day if you have not had surgery.
The shoulder feels as if it has slipped out of place, looks a different shape or suddenly locks so you cannot move the arm, or your hand turns cold, pale or blue. Go to an emergency department straight away, without driving yourself, and do not try to put the shoulder back in yourself.

From the clinic

Pick a weight you can lift with straight elbows and a still body on every repetition. A full water bottle in each hand is a fair first test. If you have high blood pressure, breathe steadily through every repetition and never hold your breath. If one shoulder is weaker, lift one arm at a time so the stronger side cannot cover for it. If lifting a weight forward is not possible yet, shoulder flexion with a stick lets your other arm help, and isometric shoulder flexion works the front of the shoulder with no movement at all.

After shoulder surgery, including a rotator cuff repair, or after a shoulder fracture or dislocation, follow your surgeon's or physio's plan, and do only the movements and range they have cleared. Many plans allow only passive movement at first, where the arm is moved for you and its muscles stay relaxed. Stop at once if the shoulder feels like it is slipping out. A weight held at the end of a straight arm puts a lot of load through the shoulder, so after a dislocation it usually comes once holds and band work for the front of the shoulder are easy and pain free, and the arms stay at or below shoulder height. The lateral raise is the same idea, with the arms going out to the sides instead.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-28.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Dumbbell front raise