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Cable Front Shoulder Raise animation

How to do the Cable Front Shoulder Raise

ShouldersDeltsCableBeginner

The cable front raise keeps constant tension on your anterior deltoid throughout the entire arc of movement, something dumbbells simply cannot match. Build that rounded, powerful shoulder cap from the ground up with this beginner-friendly cable staple.

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Muscles worked

Primary
Deltoids
Secondary
TrapeziusTriceps

Step-by-step

  1. Stand facing away from the cable stack with the handle attached to the low pulley, feet shoulder-width apart and core braced.
  2. Grip the handle with an overhand hold, arm straight and hanging in front of your hip with slight tension already on the cable.
  3. Raise your arm forward and upward in a controlled arc until it reaches shoulder height, keeping the elbow soft but not bent.
  4. Lower the handle slowly back to the start over two to three seconds, resisting the pull of the cable the entire way down.

Common mistakes

  • Shrugging the shoulder at the top of the movement, which shifts load to the trap instead of the delt — consciously keep your shoulder blade depressed throughout the lift.
  • Using momentum by leaning back or swinging the torso to get the weight up, which unloads the target muscle — reduce the weight and initiate every rep from a dead stop.
  • Raising the arm above shoulder height in search of a bigger range, which internally rotates the shoulder joint under load — stop precisely at parallel to the floor on every rep.

Pro tip — At the top of each rep, pause for one full second and actively think about pushing your hand away from your body rather than just holding it up — this subtle cue maximizes anterior delt recruitment and eliminates the passive lockout most lifters rely on.

Sets & reps by goal

Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps

Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.

More Shoulders exercises

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