Dumbbell Raise
Chasing round, durable shoulder caps? Dumbbell Raise uses independent dumbbell loading to get there.
How to do Dumbbell Raise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body.
- Keep your back straight and engage your core.
- Raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Raise Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
3 sets of 5-6 reps with 2-3 minutes of rest. Start each set with the weaker arm and match it.
Hypertrophy
3 sets of 10-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Add reps on the smaller bell before you size up.
Endurance
2-3 sets of 15-18 reps with 45-60 seconds of rest. Size up only when both sides finish equally strong.
Common Dumbbell Raise Mistakes
Dropping the bells hard at the end of a set
Lower them under control so the last rep still counts as training.
Shrugging the traps up to finish the last few reps
Keep the shoulder blade down and end the set when the shrug appears.
Chasing load before the pattern is grooved
Spend the first few weeks making every rep look the same.
Easier and Harder Than Dumbbell Raise
Swap Dumbbell Raise For
Dumbbell Raise — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Dumbbell Raise?
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body. Keep your back straight and engage your core. Raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor, keeping a slight bend in your elbows. Use dumbbells and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Dumbbell Raise work?
The Dumbbell Raise primarily targets the delts. It is classified as a shoulders exercise and is performed with dumbbells.
How many sets and reps of the Dumbbell Raise should I do?
For muscle growth: 3 sets of 10-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Add reps on the smaller bell before you size up. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Dumbbell Raise good for beginners?
Yes. The Dumbbell Raise is a beginner-level movement, so it is a reasonable place to start. Keep the load light enough that you can control every rep and stop 2-3 reps short of failure while you learn the pattern.
What can I do instead of the Dumbbell Raise?
Try the Cable Forward Raise, Band Front Raise or the Left Hook. Boxing. Each trains the delts with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
