Dumbbell Seated Front Raise With Twist

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Sit upright at the edge of a flat bench with your feet planted firmly on the floor for stability.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides using a neutral grip (palms facing your body).
3. Engage your core and pull your shoulder blades back and down to set a stable lifting platform.

How to do it

1. Exhale as you raise the dumbbells straight out in front of you until they reach shoulder height.
2. While raising the weights, rotate your wrists inward so your palms face the floor (pronated grip) at the top of the movement.
3. Inhale as you slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position, rotating your wrists back to the neutral grip.
4. Maintain a controlled 2-second tempo on the way down to maximize time under tension.

Form checklist

• Keep your torso completely still; avoid leaning back to swing the weights up.
• Maintain a slight, fixed bend in the elbows throughout the entire range of motion.
• Stop the movement once your arms are parallel to the floor to keep tension on the deltoids.
• Ensure your wrists remain straight and do not 'flick' at the top of the rotation.

Pro tips

• Think about pushing the dumbbells toward the wall in front of you rather than just lifting them up to better engage the anterior deltoid.
• Focus on the 'twist' occurring smoothly throughout the lift, rather than just at the very top, to challenge the rotator cuff stabilizers.

Make it harder

• Add a two-second isometric hold at the peak of the movement when the palms are facing down.
• Perform the exercise unilaterally (one arm at a time) to increase the demand on your core to prevent trunk rotation.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the dumbbell seated front raise with twist work?

The dumbbell seated front raise with twist primarily targets the deltoids, and also works the serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the dumbbell seated front raise with twist?

The dumbbell seated front raise with twist uses dumbbell.

Is the dumbbell seated front raise with twist good for beginners?

The dumbbell seated front raise with twist is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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