10 Best Front Plate Raise Alternatives for Shoulder Strength

If you can’t perform the Front Plate Raise, use dumbbell or cable front raises, a landmine press, pike push-ups, or banded single-arm raises to load the anterior deltoid. Cue a slight elbow bend and lift to eye or shoulder height while keeping the scapula stable to maintain targeted deltoid activation and reduce trap recruitment.

Original Exercise: Front Plate Raise

Front Plate Raise
Primary Muscle
Delts
Equipment
Other
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Isolation
How to Perform Front Plate Raise
  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.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Push
  • Movement type: Isolation

Ranked Front Plate Raise Alternatives

Best Match
Front Dumbbell Raise

1. Front Dumbbell Raise

99.9% 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

2. Front Two-Dumbbell Raise

99.9% 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.
Weighted Front Raise

3. Weighted Front Raise

99.9% 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 Dumbbell Straight-Arm Front Delt Raise Above Head

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

99.4% 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.
Side Lateral Raise

5. Side Lateral Raise

96% 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.
Side Laterals To Front Raise

6. Side Laterals To Front Raise

95.4% 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 Scaption

7. Dumbbell Scaption

94.7% 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.
Dumbbell Standing Around World

8. Dumbbell Standing Around World

94.1% 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

9. Dumbbell Upright Row

93.9% 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.
Standing Front Barbell Raise Over Head

10. Standing Front Barbell Raise Over Head

93.1% Match
Delts Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. To begin, stand straight with a barbell in your hands. You should grip the bar with palms facing down and a closer than shoulder width grip apart from each other.
  2. Your feet should be shoulder width apart from each other. Your elbows should be slightly bent. This is the starting position.
  3. Lift the barbell up until it is directly over your head while exhaling. Make sure to keep your elbows slightly bent when performing each repetition.
  4. Once you feel the contraction, begin to lower the barbell back down to the starting position as you inhale.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Why You Might Need a Front Plate Raise Alternative

You might substitute the Front Plate Raise because of wrist discomfort, limited equipment, or a desire for different loading mechanics. Plates create a long lever arm that increases wrist and shoulder torque; switching to dumbbells or cables shortens that lever and lowers joint stress while preserving anterior deltoid loading. For rotator cuff sensitivity, choose controlled, low-load reps and keep the scapula depressed and retracted to center the humeral head in the glenoid. If you want better transfer to pressing strength, landmine or barbell front raises allow heavier progressive loading with more stable spinal bracing. Cue a slight elbow bend and stop at shoulder height to maintain deltoid emphasis.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Match the substitute to your goal: hypertrophy, strength, or rehab. For isolation hypertrophy pick single-arm dumbbell or cable front raises, use a 2-second concentric and 3-second eccentric, keep the elbow ~10–20° flexed, and stop at shoulder height to bias anterior deltoid fibers. For heavier strength work select landmine or seated barbell variations to reduce shear and improve stability. For limited equipment or bodyweight training use pike push-ups; hinge at the hips, keep hands shoulder-width, and lead with the shoulders to increase vertical deltoid loading. Monitor scapular motion and any sharp pain; change variation if you feel compensatory trap or clavicular chest activation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Front Plate Raise work?

The Front Plate Raise primarily targets the anterior (front) deltoid through shoulder flexion and secondarily recruits the clavicular pecs and upper traps for stabilization. Keep a slight elbow bend and lift to shoulder height to maximize anterior deltoid activation and limit trap dominance.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Front Plate Raise?

Pike push-ups are the best bodyweight substitute because they place your torso more vertical, forcing the anterior delts into greater load-bearing work. Set hips high, hands shoulder-width, and lead the movement with the shoulders while keeping elbows tracking slightly forward to emphasize the deltoids.

Can I build muscle without doing Front Plate Raise?

Yes. You can stimulate anterior deltoid hypertrophy with other shoulder-flexion movements like dumbbell front raises, cable front raises, low-incline landmine presses, and progressive pike or handstand push-up work. Focus on progressive overload, controlled tempo, and a full range to shoulder height to maximize muscle tension and growth.

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