What Is A Cable Front Raise
A cable front raise is a compound exercise focusing on training front deltoids. It’s a great workout for those who want to build shoulder strength and function. The cable front raise is also known as an open kinetic chain move. The body stays securely in the correct position throughout the movement, enabling persons with weak or unstable muscles to undertake the exercise with little fear of injury.
What Muscles Does Cable Front Raise Work
The cable front raise targets the following muscle groups:
- anterior deltoid
- trapezius
- lateral deltoid
How to Perform Cable Front Raise
Step 1. Get into the starting position
Attach the pulley to the low position and stand facing the cable machine. Grab the handle with a neutral grip, allowing the cable to run between your legs. Your body should be upright and arms – extended.
Step 2. Pull up
Breathe out and lift the bar to shoulder level. Pause at the top of the movement for a while to maximize the tension. Avoid leaning back to keep your body as straight as possible.
Step 3. Return to the start
Breathe in and lower the bar to the beginning position. Move slow and controlled, and avoid relying on momentum.
Advantages Of A Cable Front Raise
Bigger shoulders
This exercise suits you best if you aim for well-defined shoulder muscles and their bigger size. The movement isolates your delts, forcing them to work maximally. Also, your pressing power will definitely see a substantial degree of improvement as a result of this workout.
Beginner-friendly
The cable machine’s usage makes it almost impossible to make the exercise the wrong way. You won’t be able to cheat and use momentum to lift the weight. Also, there are very small chances for a wrong movement’s trajectory. So this exercise suits beginners very well.
Constant tension
Due to the cable machine, the muscles remain loaded throughout the whole range of motion. You will feel the tension in the targeted muscles both at the top and bottom parts of the movement.
Excellent finisher
Cable front raise is widely used as a finisher movement. It can provide the last piece of training stimulus to your shoulders that have already been tired by the execution of earlier, more challenging exercises.
Recovery
If you suffer from shoulder joint problems or need to improve your range of motion, the cable front raise may help. It can also be used to reinforce tissues that have previously healed in your shoulders area.
5 Cable Front Raise Alternatives
1. Dumbbell Front Raise
This isolated movement helps in building strength and definition in the shoulders. Strengthening the upper body and improving the range of motion and stability of the shoulders are two more exercise benefits.
How to do a dumbbell front raise:
- Place both feet shoulder-width apart and keep your back straight. Grab your dumbbells and get ready to work out.
- Raise weights to chin height in front of you. When doing lifts, visualize reaching towards the wall in front of you. This way, you’ll be able to engage muscles more.
- Exhale as you apply effort, keeping your spine in a neutral position.
- Return to the beginning position.
2. Dumbbell L Raise
Dumbbell L raise works best for strengthening and stabilizing the shoulder joint and the surrounding muscles. When done correctly, the lateral raise may increase your range of motion in addition to building deltoid muscle mass and strength.
How to do a dumbbell L raise:
- With dumbbells in each hand, bend your arms at right angles while keeping your feet shoulder-width apart and your palms facing one another.
- Bring your arms up. When your arms are parallel to the ground, rotate your shoulders to bring them back to the starting position.
- Release the tension and return to your starting posture by contracting the muscles in your upper back.
3. Resistance Band Front Raise
Resistance band front raise focuses on the front area of the deltoid muscles. The pecs, trapezius, and core are also on the list of targeted muscles. To perform this workout, you need an elastic resistance band.
How to do resistance band front raise:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grab both ends of your resistance band.
- Step on the resistance band with one foot. You may also step with both feet to increase the resistance.
- Raise your arms in front of you, reaching eye level. Feeling the tension in the front shoulder area signifies you are doing everything right.
- Return down in a slow controlled motion. Keep your arms extended and straight.
4. Incline Dumbbell Raise
The exercise’s primary goal is to pump anterior and medial delts. Using a bench as a support for a chest isolates the targeted muscles and decreases the tension on your back.
How to do an incline dumbbell raise:
- Prepare the inclined bench and put the dumbbells on both sides. It’s crucial to pick the right weight. Don’t go too heavy because it may lead you to unnecessary traps’ involvement.
- Lean forward on the incline bench. Ensure you are comfortable and your chest has enough support. Then, grab the dumbbells.
- Lift both arms straight in front of you. Stop when you reach the level of your eyes.
- Return to the starting position.
5. DB Underhand Front Raise
This exercise is very similar to the dumbbell front raise. The main difference is the use of an underhand grip. When using an underhand grip, you get the most out of your lats’ contraction towards the end of each rep. So the move loads not only your shoulders but also your back muscles.
How to do DB underhand front raise:
- Keep your back straight and your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Grasp the dumbbells from underneath, with your palms facing away from you.
- Raise the weights to chin height, then lower them. Control the movement in each phase, feeling your muscles work.
- Keep your spine in a neutral posture, and exhale as you exert effort.
Conclusion
A cable front raise is an isolation exercise that loads the front delts to the maximum. Regular practice will increase your neuromuscular control along with muscle growth and strength. Also, the movement is attractive because of its safety. Usage of a cable machine helps to comply with proper form and avoid injuries. If you don’t have a cable machine, you may try alternative workouts that focus on the same major muscle groups but use other pieces of equipment.