10 Best Front Cable Raise Alternatives for When You Can't Use Cables

If you can't do the Front Cable Raise, use movements that maintain shoulder-flexion torque and isolate the anterior deltoid. Good options include dumbbell front raises, band front raises, landmine presses, and suspension lean-front raises. Cue: keep a slight bend in the elbow and lead the movement with the elbow to keep tension on the delts.

Original Exercise: Front Cable Raise

Front Cable Raise
Primary Muscle
Delts
Equipment
Cable
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Isolation
How to Perform Front Cable Raise
  1. Select the weight on a low pulley machine and grasp the single hand cable attachment that is attached to the low pulley with your left hand.
  2. Face away from the pulley and put your arm straight down with the hand cable attachment in front of your thighs at arms' length with the palms of the hand facing your thighs. This will be your starting position.
  3. While maintaining the torso stationary (no swinging), lift the left arm to the front with a slight bend on the elbow and the palms of the hand always faces 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.
  4. Now as you inhale lower the arm back down slowly to the starting position.
  5. Once all of the recommended amount of repetitions have been performed for this arm, switch arms and perform the exercise with the right one.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Push
  • Movement type: Isolation

Ranked Front Cable Raise Alternatives

Best Match
Front Plate Raise

1. Front Plate Raise

88.4% 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.
Weighted Front Raise

2. Weighted Front Raise

88.4% Match
Delts Weighted Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your thighs.
  2. Keeping your arms straight, exhale and lift the dumbbells in front of you until they are at shoulder level.
  3. Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Standing Low-Pulley Deltoid Raise

3. Standing Low-Pulley Deltoid Raise

88.2% Match
Delts Cable Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Start by standing to the right side of a low pulley row. Use your left hand to come across the body and grab a single handle attached to the low pulley with a pronated grip (palms facing down). Rest your arm in front of you. Your right hand should grab the machine for better support and balance.
  2. Make sure that your back is erect and your feet are shoulder width apart from each other. This is the starting position.
  3. Begin to use the left hand and come across your body out until it is elevated to shoulder height while exhaling.
  4. Feel the contraction at the top for a second and begin to slowly lower the handle back down to the original starting position while inhaling.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Cable Seated Lateral Raise

4. Cable Seated Lateral Raise

88% Match
Delts Cable Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand in the middle of two low pulleys that are opposite to each other and place a flat bench right behind you (in perpendicular fashion to you; the narrow edge of the bench should be the one behind you). Select the weight to be used on each pulley.
  2. Now sit at the edge of the flat bench behind you with your feet placed in front of your knees.
  3. Bend forward while keeping your back flat and rest your torso on the thighs.
  4. Have someone give you the single handles attached to the pulleys. Grasp the left pulley with the right hand and the right pulley with the left after you select your weight. The pulleys should run under your knees and your arms will be extended with palms facing each other and a slight bend at the elbows. This will be the starting position.
  5. While keeping the arms stationary, raise the upper arms to the sides until they are parallel to the floor and at shoulder height. Exhale during the execution of this movement and hold the contraction for a second.
Lever Lateral Raise

5. Lever Lateral Raise

85.4% Match
Delts Lever Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the seat height and position yourself on the machine with your back against the pad.
  2. Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and keep your arms straight.
  3. Exhale and raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower your arms back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Band Front Raise

6. Band Front Raise

84.4% Match
Delts Band Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the band in front of your thighs with your palms facing down.
  2. Keep your arms straight and slowly raise them forward until they are parallel to the ground.
  3. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Front Dumbbell Raise

7. Front Dumbbell Raise

84% 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

8. Front Two-Dumbbell Raise

84% 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.
Smith Upright Row

9. Smith Upright Row

83.7% Match
Delts Smith-machine Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, facing the smith machine.
  2. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Keep your back straight and your core engaged.
  4. Pull the barbell up towards your chin, leading with your elbows.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
Standing Dumbbell Straight-Arm Front Delt Raise Above Head

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

83.5% 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.

Why You Might Need a Front Cable Raise Alternative

You might substitute the Front Cable Raise for several reasons: no cable machine, shoulder pain with the cable line of pull, or the need for greater load progression. Different tools shift the moment arm and muscle activation, dumbbells change gravity’s vector, bands increase resistance through end range, and landmine or suspension variations change scapular demand. If you have impingement risk, pick a variation that shortens the lever and reduces overhead anterior glide; cue scapular retraction and a slight forward trunk lean to limit superior migration of the humeral head.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Choose based on equipment, shoulder health, and the movement plane you need to preserve. Prioritize exercises that replicate shoulder flexion with an anterior line of pull if you want similar deltoid activation. For rehab pick lower load, higher-rep band raises and keep the wrist neutral; for strength choose heavier dumbbells or a single-arm landmine press to increase torque. Cue range: test with light reps and maintain a slight elbow bend to reduce biceps involvement and focus tension on the anterior deltoid.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Front Cable Raise work?

The Front Cable Raise primarily targets the anterior deltoid, with secondary activation of the lateral deltoid, clavicular pec fibers, and scapular stabilizers. The cable maintains continuous tension through shoulder flexion, so cue a soft elbow and lead with the elbow to concentrate load on the deltoid rather than the traps.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Front Cable Raise?

The best bodyweight option is an elevated pike push-up to emphasize shoulder flexion and anterior deltoid work when you lack external load. Perform with feet elevated and a controlled descent; cue leading with the elbows and stop short of the forehead to keep the delts under tension rather than converting the movement into a full press.

Can I build muscle without doing Front Cable Raise?

Yes. You can build anterior deltoid muscle with compound presses (overhead or incline), dumbbell front raises, landmine variations, and band work by applying progressive overload and sufficient volume. Focus on progressive load, controlled eccentric tempo, and the cue of a slight elbow bend to maximize deltoid time under tension.

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