All Exercises

Dumbbell Seated Single Arm Front Raise

Master the seated single arm front raise to build strong, sculpted shoulders. This isolation exercise targets the anterior deltoid effectively and safely.

Intermediate
Isolation
Push
1 min per set2 min rest

Description

A seated exercise where a dumbbell is lifted with one arm to the front and lowered back down.

How to Do Dumbbell Seated Single Arm Front Raise

  1. 1
    Setup

    Sit upright on a bench with your feet flat on the floor, holding one dumbbell in front of your thigh with an overhand grip, palm facing your body.

  2. 2
    Setup

    Press your back firmly against the bench, engage your core, and keep your chest lifted with a slight natural arch in your lower back.

  3. 3

    Exhale and slowly raise the dumbbell directly in front of you, keeping your arm mostly straight with a slight elbow bend, until it reaches shoulder height.

  4. 4

    Ensure the movement is controlled and deliberate, focusing on contracting your anterior deltoid at the top of the lift.

  5. 5

    Inhale and slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position on your thigh, maintaining control throughout the eccentric phase.

  6. 6

    Complete all repetitions on one arm before switching the dumbbell to the other hand and repeating the movement.

Tips

  • Emphasize a controlled eccentric (lowering) phase, taking at least twice as long to lower the weight as it took to raise it, to maximize muscle engagement.
  • Maintain a slight, consistent bend in your elbow throughout the entire movement to protect the joint and keep tension on the anterior deltoid.
  • Focus on keeping your torso stable against the bench; resist the urge to lean back or use momentum from your body to lift the weight.
  • Initiate the lift by thinking about driving the dumbbell up with your front deltoid, rather than shrugging your shoulder or swinging the weight.

Common Mistakes

  • ×Using momentum to swing the dumbbell up reduces the isolation on the anterior deltoid; fix this by lowering the weight and performing the lift with strict, controlled muscle contraction.
  • ×Raising the dumbbell significantly above shoulder height can place unnecessary stress on the shoulder joint; ensure the dumbbell stops when your arm is parallel to the floor.
  • ×Allowing the torso to arch excessively or lean back during the lift takes tension away from the shoulder; keep your back pressed firmly against the bench and maintain core engagement.

Variations

Related Exercises

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