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Straight Hand Raises

Straight-hand raises lift a pair of dumbbells forward to shoulder height with straight arms, putting the anterior deltoid under direct load. Maddy programs them when a client's pressing needs more front-delt capacity or their shoulders need targeted volume without heavy bars. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.

Muscles worked

Front shoulders · anterior deltoid Side shoulders · medial deltoid Upper traps · upper trapezius

Sets & reps by goal

GoalSets × RepsRest
Strength4 × 5-6 reps2 min
Muscle3 × 9-12 reps60-90 s
Endurance2 × 18-27 reps30-45 s

Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.

Level — Beginner

Beginner movement, but the long lever punishes heavy loads — mastery here is about restraint.

Proper form — 5 cues

  1. Stand tall with dumbbells resting on the front of your thighs, palms facing back.
  2. Raise both arms to eye level — no higher — with a barely-bent elbow.
  3. Move only at the shoulder; the trunk stays a still pillar.
  4. Pause briefly at the top with the shoulders away from the ears.
  5. Lower on a slow two-to-three count back to the thighs.

Breathing: Exhale as the dumbbells rise, inhale on the slow lower back to the thighs.

The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most

Rocking the torso backward to swing the weights up.. The lean-and-heave uses momentum from the hips and lower back, so the delts see only a fraction of the load. Fix: Set your back against a wall for a session — every rep the wall interrupts was a cheat.
Raising the dumbbells above head height.. Beyond roughly shoulder level the traps take over the movement and the extra range adds shrug, not delt work. Fix: Stop at eye level, pause, and own that position instead of chasing height.
Gripping so hard the wrists curl backward under the load.. Bent wrists leak force and shift stress into the forearms and elbows. Fix: Keep knuckles pointed forward and the wrist a straight extension of the forearm — drop weight if it will not hold.

Common questions

Do I need front raises if I already bench and overhead press?

Often not for size alone — pressing gives the front delts plenty of heavy work. Front raises earn their place when pressing volume is limited by equipment or fatigue, when you want extra shoulder work without loading the spine and elbows heavily, or during phases where a joint issue restricts pressing. Think of them as a precision tool, not a mandatory staple.

Both arms at once or alternating?

Both patterns work the same muscle. Lifting both dumbbells together halves the set time but tempts the torso to lean back as fatigue builds. Alternating lets the trunk stay quieter and gives each shoulder a micro-rest, at the cost of a longer set. Beginners usually keep stricter form alternating; either way, the standard is a still torso and an eye-level finish.

How heavy should front raises be?

Lighter than your ego suggests. The straight arm makes this one of the longest levers in shoulder training, so a small dumbbell produces a large demand at the top. Pick a load where all reps finish at eye level with a still torso and a controlled lowering — for most beginners that is a fraction of their pressing weight, and that is normal.

Related exercises

Front Dumbbell RaiseFront shoulders Shoulder PressFront shoulders Dive Bomber (Modified)Front shoulders · Upper chest Dive BomberFront shoulders · Upper chest Ground Dumbbell Chest PressChest

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