Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Dumbbell Seated Front Raise: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The dumbbell seated front raise is a shoulder exercise that targets the deltoid muscles. It is performed while seated, which helps to isolate the shoulders and minimize momentum, making it a controlled movement for building shoulder strength.

Primary muscles
Shoulders
Secondary muscles
Traps , Biceps
Equipment
Dumbbell
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the dumbbell seated front raise
Front view: muscles worked by the dumbbell seated front raise. Primary: shoulders. Secondary: traps and biceps.
Back view: muscles worked by the dumbbell seated front raise. Primary: shoulders. Secondary: traps and biceps.
Primary Secondary

How to do the dumbbell seated front raise

  1. Step 1: Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and a dumbbell in each hand, resting on your thighs.
  2. Step 2: Keep your back straight and core engaged.
  3. Step 3: Raise the dumbbells in front of you, with your palms facing down, until they are at shoulder level.
  4. Step 4: Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
  5. Step 5: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the dumbbell seated front raise by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Dumbbell Seated Front Raise alternatives

More exercises that train the shoulders as their main target:

More shoulders exercises

See the best shoulder exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.