Exercise details

• Target muscle: Anterior Deltoid
• Synergists: Lateral Deltoid, Upper (Clavicular) Pectoralis Major, Serratus Anterior, Middle and Lower Trapezius
• Mechanics: Isolation
• Force: Push

Starting position

1. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, sit on a chair or bench and allow the dumbbells to hang straight down by your sides.

Execution

1. Keeping your elbows very slightly flexed, exhale as you raise the dumbbells forward and upward in a semicircular motion until your arms rise a little above horizontal.
2. Hold for a count of two.
3. Inhale as you lower the dumbbells in a controlled manner to the starting position.
4. Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.

Comments and tips

• Do not swing the dumbbells.
• Keep your back neutral and against the back support (if sitting on a chair).
• Only your arms should move. Keep your body still.
• If you must sway your body back and forth to raise the dumbbells, the dumbbells are too heavy. Reduce the weight.
• There are different ways in which you can hold the dumbbells during the seated dumbbell front raise. You can maintain a neutral (hammer) grip or a pronated (overhand) grip throughout the movement. As in the illustration, you can also start off the raise using a neutral grip and, as your arms pass your legs, you can rotate (pronate) your wrists so that your palms face downward at the top of the movement. I recommend that you maintain a neutral grip, as this reduces the chances of shoulder impingement. See the video.