10 Best Dumbbell Lateral To Front Raise Alternatives for Shoulder Hypertrophy

If you need an alternative to the Dumbbell Lateral To Front Raise, choose movements that load the deltoid through abduction and flexion. Use cable lateral raises, single-arm landmine presses, or band scaptions to replicate the lateral-to-front vector; cue a slight elbow bend and lead with the elbow to keep tension on the lateral deltoid.

Original Exercise: Dumbbell Lateral To Front Raise

Dumbbell Lateral To Front Raise
Primary Muscle
Delts
Equipment
Dumbbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Isolation
Secondary Muscles: Trapezius, Biceps
How to Perform Dumbbell Lateral To Front Raise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your body.
  2. Keep your back straight and engage your core.
  3. Raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the ground, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
  5. Next, raise your arms in front of you until they are parallel to the ground, again keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
  6. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Ranked Dumbbell Lateral To Front Raise Alternatives

Best Match
Dumbbell Lateral Raise

1. Dumbbell Lateral Raise

99.4% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body.
  2. Keep your back straight and engage your core.
  3. Raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Side Laterals To Front Raise

2. Side Laterals To Front Raise

94.4% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. In a standing position, hold a pair of dumbbells at your side. This will be your starting position.
  2. Keeping your elbows slightly bent, raise the weights directly in front of you to shoulder height, avoiding any swinging or cheating.
  3. At the top of the exercise move the weights out in front of you, keeping your arms extended.
  4. Lower the weights with a controlled motion.
  5. On the next repetition, raise the weights in front of you to shoulder height before moving the weights laterally to your sides.
Dumbbell Standing Around World

3. Dumbbell Standing Around World

94.2% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Extend your arms straight out to the sides at shoulder height, palms facing down.
  3. Keeping your arms straight, slowly rotate your arms in a circular motion, bringing the dumbbells in front of your body and then overhead.
  4. Continue the circular motion, bringing the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Shoulder Raise

4. Shoulder Raise

93.9% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Relax your arms to your sides and raise your shoulders up toward your ears, then back down.
Side Lateral Raise

5. Side Lateral Raise

93.9% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Pick a couple of dumbbells and stand with a straight torso and the dumbbells by your side at arms length with the palms of the hand facing you. This will be your starting position.
  2. While maintaining the torso in a stationary position (no swinging), lift the dumbbells to your side with a slight bend on the elbow and the hands slightly tilted forward as if pouring water in a glass. Continue to go up until you arms are parallel to the floor. Exhale as you execute this movement and pause for a second at the top.
  3. Lower the dumbbells back down slowly to the starting position as you inhale.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Dumbbell Scaption

6. Dumbbell Scaption

93.7% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. This corrective exercise strengthens the muscles that stabilize your shoulder blade. Hold a light weight in each hand, hanging at your sides. Your thumbs should pointing up.
  2. Begin the movement raising your arms out in front of you, about 30 degrees off center. Your arms should be fully extended as you perform the movement.
  3. Continue until your arms are parallel to the ground, and then return to the starting position.
Standing Dumbbell Straight-Arm Front Delt Raise Above Head

7. Standing Dumbbell Straight-Arm Front Delt Raise Above Head

90.4% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Hold the dumbbells in front of your thighs, palms facing your thighs.
  2. Keep your arms straight with a slight bend at the elbows but keep them locked. This will be your starting position.
  3. Raise the dumbbells in a semicircular motion to arm's length overhead as you exhale.
  4. Slowly return to the starting position using the same path as you inhale.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Front Dumbbell Raise

8. Front Dumbbell Raise

89.9% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Pick a couple of dumbbells and stand with a straight torso and the dumbbells on front of your thighs at arms length with the palms of the hand facing your thighs. This will be your starting position.
  2. While maintaining the torso stationary (no swinging), lift the left dumbbell to the front with a slight bend on the elbow and the palms of the hands always facing down. Continue to go up until you arm is slightly above parallel to the floor. Exhale as you execute this portion of the movement and pause for a second at the top. Inhale after the second pause.
  3. Now lower the dumbbell back down slowly to the starting position as you simultaneously lift the right dumbbell.
  4. Continue alternating in this fashion until all of the recommended amount of repetitions have been performed for each arm.
Front Two-Dumbbell Raise

9. Front Two-Dumbbell Raise

89.9% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Pick a couple of dumbbells and stand with a straight torso and the dumbbells on front of your thighs at arms length with the palms of the hand facing your thighs. This will be your starting position.
  2. While maintaining the torso stationary (no swinging), lift the dumbbells to the front with a slight bend on the elbow and the palms of the hands always facing down. Continue to go up until you arms are slightly above parallel to the floor. Exhale as you execute this portion of the movement and pause for a second at the top.
  3. As you inhale, lower the dumbbells back down slowly to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Front Plate Raise

10. Front Plate Raise

89.9% Match
Delts Other Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. While standing straight, hold a barbell plate in both hands at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions. Your palms should be facing each other and your arms should be extended and locked with a slight bend at the elbows and the plate should be down near your waist in front of you as far as you can go. Tip: The arms will remain in this position throughout the exercise. This will be your starting position.
  2. Slowly raise the plate as you exhale until it is a little above shoulder level. Hold the contraction for a second. Tip: make sure that you do not swing the weight or bend at the elbows. Your torso should remain stationary throughout the movement as well.
  3. As you inhale, slowly lower the plate back down to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Why You Might Need a Dumbbell Lateral To Front Raise Alternative

You may swap this isolation move for several practical reasons: shoulder pain or impingement from repeated humeral elevation, lack of dumbbells, or a desire for greater progressive overload. Substitutes change the moment arm and scapular mechanics to reduce joint torque or increase time under tension. For example, shifting to scaption (30° forward) lowers subacromial contact and still activates the lateral deltoid; cue scapular depression and a 45° elbow bend to protect the rotator cuff. Other choices like landmine or cable variations let you vary load path and constant tension for safer hypertrophy progression.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Pick a substitute based on the deltoid head you must target, available equipment, and joint tolerance. If lateral head stimulus is primary, choose exercises that abduct the humerus to ~90° (band or cable lateral raise); cue “lead with the elbow” to maintain lateral loading. If you need less impingement, use scaption or single-arm landmine presses to shift the humeral plane forward and reduce supraspinatus compression. Consider load progression (plates, bands, cables), unilateral work for symmetry, and whether you need constant tension versus peak tension when selecting your substitute.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Dumbbell Lateral To Front Raise work?

The move primarily targets the lateral (middle) deltoid during the lateral portion and recruits the anterior deltoid during the front raise. The trapezius and supraspinatus assist in elevating and stabilizing the humerus while the rotator cuff controls external rotation and scapular positioning.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Dumbbell Lateral To Front Raise?

A progressive pike push-up or decline pike push targets the deltoids when you lack weights; it emphasizes vertical shoulder loading rather than pure abduction. Cue hips high, hands shoulder-width, and lower the crown of your head while keeping elbows about 45° to engage the deltoids effectively.

Can I build muscle without doing Dumbbell Lateral To Front Raise?

Yes. You can stimulate shoulder growth with presses (barbell or dumbbell overhead), cable lateral raises, landmine presses, and targeted band work; ensure you provide progressive overload. Prioritize full-range shoulder abduction to ~90°, control the eccentric, and increase volume or load over time to drive hypertrophy.

More Exercise Alternatives

Find Alternatives for Any Exercise

Use the exercise substitution finder to compare ranked alternatives for your available equipment and training preference.

Try the Exercise Substitution Finder →