Barbell Front Raise
Use heavy bilateral barbell loading to build round, durable shoulder caps: Barbell Front Raise belongs in your shoulder rotation.
How to do Barbell Front Raise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip.
- Keep your arms straight and lift the barbell forward and upward until it reaches shoulder level.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Barbell Front Raise Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
4 sets of 4-6 reps with 3 minutes of rest. Keep a rep or two in reserve on the heaviest sets.
Hypertrophy
4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Reset the bar between reps rather than bouncing.
Endurance
3 sets of 15-20 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean.
Common Barbell Front Raise Mistakes
Loading the bar unevenly or skipping the collars
Match the plates side to side and clip collars on every set.
Shrugging the traps up to finish the last few reps
Keep the shoulder blade down and end the set when the shrug appears.
Easier and Harder Than Barbell Front Raise
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Barbell Front Raise — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Barbell Front Raise?
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip. Keep your arms straight and lift the barbell forward and upward until it reaches shoulder level. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position. Use a barbell and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Barbell Front Raise work?
The Barbell Front Raise primarily targets the delts. It is classified as a shoulders exercise and is performed with a barbell.
How many sets and reps of the Barbell Front Raise should I do?
For muscle growth: 4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Reset the bar between reps rather than bouncing. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Barbell Front Raise good for beginners?
It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic shoulders patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.
What can I do instead of the Barbell Front Raise?
Try the Kettlebell Seesaw Press, Cable Cross-over Revers Fly or the Dumbbell Seated Alternate Front Raise. Each trains the delts with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
