Cable Front Raise
Front raises are primarily performed to place more emphasis on the front head of the deltoid (shoulder muscle).
The pectoralis major assists in raising the arms. Particularly the fibers that run from the clavicle to the upper arm, also known as the 'upper chest'.
In addition to the deltoid itself, various muscles around the shoulder joint are recruited to stabilize it. Smaller stabilizing muscles such as the four rotator cuff muscles, as well as the larger trapezius, which elevates the shoulder joint.
In the arms, the biceps and triceps have a stabilizing role in keeping the position of the forearm relative to the upper arm constant. The muscles in the forearms then stabilize the wrist joint to control the dumbbells or barbell.
Core muscles such as the abdominal muscles and muscles along the spine keep the torso upright. Depending on the execution (standing, seated with or without back support), their involvement may be greater or smaller.
In this variation, the front raises are performed with a cable.
Cable front raise execution
-
1
Raise your arms forward and upward. Maintain the same slight bend in your arms. Keep the rest of your body as still as possible.
-
2
Finish at the height just before your shoulders feel pinched. Slightly above shoulder height should be a safe height for most people.
-
3
Hold the weight here for 1–2 counts.
-
4
Lower your arms back to the starting position in a controlled manner over 2–3 counts.
Cable front raise
Muscles involved:
Shoulder joint:
Chest:
Arms
Abdomen:
Lower back and spine:
Cable front raise setup
- Place the cable machine pulley at the lowest position and select the desired weight.
- Attach a bar (preferably a wide one) to the cable.
- Step over the cable with your back to the cable machine and pick it up between your legs.
- Place your hands, if possible, shoulder-width apart or slightly wider.
- Keep your arms slightly bent and stand upright.
Cable front raise technique
"For the front of the shoulder"
The deltoid muscle pulls on the upper arms from three directions. Front raises are usually performed by people who want to train the front of the shoulder with them.
The barbell shoulder press (and even the barbell behind-neck press) would activate the anterior head of the shoulder more. According to reasonably scarce EMG data, the bench press itself appears to demand more from the anterior head of the shoulders than front raises.
However, those comparisons were made while looking at execution with free weights. A cable provides very different resistance from free weights. In the front raise, this applies especially to the beginning of the exercise. Unfortunately, no EMG data seems to be available for this.
Arms bent or straight
The straighter the arms are, the farther the hands are from you, and the heavier the weight they are holding becomes. Front raises with straight arms can therefore be heavier than using a slightly heavier weight with bent arms. Normally, the goal is to make it heavier through proper execution, which would mean that you should straighten your arms as much as possible.
However, the more you straighten your arms, the greater the stress on the elbow joint and the muscles that stabilize it. Bending the arms slightly more can make it easier to focus fully on the upper arms.
Alternatives
Run your fitness business with more structure
- Planning, member management and coaching in one platform
- Built for coaches, studios and gyms
- Fewer separate tools, more overview
