10 Best Front Incline Dumbbell Raise Alternatives for Limited Equipment

Use standing front raises, cable front raises, plate raises, landmine presses, or single-arm dumbbell front raises to replace the front incline dumbbell raise. Each preserves shoulder flexion and anterior deltoid loading; cue: keep a 10-20 degree bend in the elbow, raise to eye level, and maintain scapular retraction to limit upper-trap compensation.

Original Exercise: Front Incline Dumbbell Raise

Front Incline Dumbbell Raise
Primary Muscle
Delts
Equipment
Dumbbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Isolation
How to Perform Front Incline Dumbbell Raise
  1. Sit down on an incline bench with the incline set anywhere between 30 to 60 degrees while holding a dumbbell on each hand. Tip: You can change the angle to hit the muscle a little differently each time.
  2. Extend your arms straight in front of you and have your palms facing down with the dumbbells raised about 1 inch above your thighs. This will be your starting position.
  3. Slowly raise the dumbbells straight up until they are slightly above your shoulders, while keeping your elbows locked. Squeeze at the top for a second and make sure you breathe out during this portion of the movement. Tip: Keep your head resting down against the bench and your legs on the floor at all times.
  4. Lower the arms back to the starting position as you inhale.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Push
  • Movement type: Isolation

Best Front Incline Dumbbell Raise Alternatives

Best Match
Dumbbell Incline Raise

1. Dumbbell Incline Raise

91.2% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, resting on your thighs.
  2. Lean back on the bench and raise the dumbbells to shoulder height, palms facing forward.
  3. Keeping your back against the bench, exhale and raise the dumbbells above your head, fully extending your arms.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Seated Front Raise

2. Dumbbell Seated Front Raise

88.7% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and a dumbbell in each hand, resting on your thighs.
  2. Keep your back straight and core engaged.
  3. Raise the dumbbells in front of you, with your palms facing down, until they are at shoulder level.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Incline T-raise

3. Dumbbell Incline T-raise

87.2% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Set an incline bench to a 45-degree angle and sit on it with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing inwards.
  2. Lean forward and let your arms hang straight down, perpendicular to the floor.
  3. Keeping your arms straight, raise them out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor, forming a 'T' shape with your body.
  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.
Dumbbell Lying Rear Lateral Raise

4. Dumbbell Lying Rear Lateral Raise

87.2% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie face down on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
  2. Extend your arms straight down towards the floor, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
  3. Engaging your shoulder muscles, lift your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor.
  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.
Bent Over Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise With Head On Bench

5. Bent Over Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise With Head On Bench

87.2% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand up straight while holding a dumbbell in each hand and with an incline bench in front of you.
  2. While keeping your back straight and maintaining the natural arch of your back, lean forward until your forehead touches the bench in front of you. Let the arms hang in front of you perpendicular to the ground. The palms of your hands should be facing each other and your torso should be parallel to the floor. This will be your starting position.
  3. Keeping your torso forward and stationary, and the arms straight with a slight bend at the elbows, lift the dumbbells straight to the side until both arms are parallel to the floor. Exhale as you lift the weights. Caution: avoid swinging the torso or bringing the arms back as opposed to the side.
  4. After a one second contraction at the top, slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat the recommended amount of repetitions.
Dumbbell Scaption

6. Dumbbell Scaption

86.4% 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.
Dumbbell Standing Around World

7. Dumbbell Standing Around World

85.9% 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.
Dumbbell Upright Row

8. Dumbbell Upright Row

85.7% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip.
  2. Let the dumbbells hang in front of your thighs, with your arms fully extended.
  3. Keeping your back straight and your core engaged, exhale and lift the dumbbells straight up towards your chin, leading with your elbows.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Cable Seated Lateral Raise

9. Cable Seated Lateral Raise

84.7% 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.
Crucifix

10. Crucifix

84% Match
Delts Other Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. In the crucifix, you statically hold weights out to the side for time. While the event can be practiced using dumbbells, it is best to practice with one of the various implements used, such as axes and hammers, as it feels different.
  2. Begin standing, and raise your arms out to the side holding the implements. Your arms should be parallel to the ground. In competition, judges or sensors are used to let you know when you break parallel. Hold for as long as you can. Typically, the weights should be heavy enough that you fail in 30-60 seconds.

Why You Might Need a Front Incline Dumbbell Raise Alternative

You might substitute the front incline dumbbell raise for shoulder pain, lack of an incline bench, or to vary stimulus. Pain often stems from impingement or overactive upper traps; swapping to a cable raise or plate raise lets you change line of pull and reduce compressive load on the glenohumeral joint. For rehab, a wall slide or light single-arm raise reduces shear while preserving anterior deltoid activation. If you need progressive overload, landmine presses or cable single-arm raises allow incrementally heavier loads and constant tension. Technique cue: lead with the elbow and avoid shrugging to keep activation focused on the anterior deltoid instead of the traps.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Choose a substitute based on equipment, desired muscle emphasis, and shoulder health. If you want pure anterior deltoid isolation and constant tension, use a cable front raise with a straight-arm cue and a controlled 2-3 second eccentric. If you lack cables, a plate raise or single dumbbell front raise keeps the same flexion pattern—keep a soft elbow and lift through shoulder flexion, not spinal extension. For overloaded training or progressive strength, use landmine presses to combine shoulder flexion with rotational stability and higher load capacity. If you have shoulder pain, favor wall-based variations and limit range to pain-free arc while monitoring scapular upward rotation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Front Incline Dumbbell Raise work?

The front incline dumbbell raise primarily targets the anterior deltoid through shoulder flexion. It also recruits the clavicular head of the pectoralis major for flexion assistance and relies on the serratus and trapezius for scapular control; cue: avoid shrugging so the deltoid, not the traps, does the work.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Front Incline Dumbbell Raise?

The elevated pike push-up is the most practical bodyweight option to load the delts while keeping equipment minimal. Set your feet on a box, keep hips high, lead with the forehead toward the floor, and focus on shoulder flexion and anterior deltoid tension rather than arm extension.

Can I build muscle without doing Front Incline Dumbbell Raise?

Yes. You can build anterior deltoid size and strength with other isolation moves, targeted compound presses, and progressive overload. Use controlled eccentrics (2-3 seconds), full but pain-free range of motion, and increase load or reps over time to drive hypertrophy without that specific raise.

More Exercise Alternatives

Find Alternatives for Any Exercise

Use our free tool to discover the best substitute exercises based on your available equipment and goals.

Try the Exercise Substitution Finder →

Our similarity scores are calculated using a weighted algorithm based on movement patterns, muscle activation, and biomechanics. Learn about our methodology