10 Best Side Laterals To Front Raise Alternatives for Shoulder Strength

If you can't do Side Laterals To Front Raise, try single-arm lateral raises, cable lateral raises, dumbbell front raises, incline Y-raises, or banded lateral-to-front raises to hit the deltoid heads. For each rep, hinge 15–30° forward, keep a soft elbow, and lead with the pinky to maximize lateral deltoid activation while reducing shoulder impingement.

Original Exercise: Side Laterals To Front Raise

Side Laterals To Front Raise
Primary Muscle
Delts
Equipment
Dumbbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Isolation
Secondary Muscles: Traps
How to Perform Side Laterals To Front Raise
  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.
  6. Lower the weights to the starting position.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Push
  • Movement type: Isolation

Ranked Side Laterals To Front Raise Alternatives

Best Match
Side Lateral Raise

1. Side Lateral Raise

99.4% 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

2. Dumbbell Scaption

99.2% 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

3. Dumbbell Standing Around World

98.7% 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.
Standing Dumbbell Straight-Arm Front Delt Raise Above Head

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

96% 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

5. Front Dumbbell Raise

95.4% 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

6. Front Two-Dumbbell Raise

95.4% 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

7. Front Plate Raise

95.4% 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

8. Weighted Front Raise

95.4% 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.
Dumbbell Lateral Raise

9. Dumbbell Lateral Raise

95% 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.
Dumbbell Lateral To Front Raise

10. Dumbbell Lateral To Front Raise

94.4% 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 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.

Why You Might Need a Side Laterals To Front Raise Alternative

You may need substitutes because of shoulder pain, limited equipment, travel, or to correct imbalances. The combined side-to-front pattern stresses both lateral and anterior deltoids and can irritate the supraspinatus or impinge the subacromial space if mobility is poor. Choose alternatives that preserve humeral abduction for the lateral head or shoulder flexion for the anterior head. For example, use cable lateral raises with a neutral thumb-up grip to reduce torque on the rotator cuff, or perform incline Y-raises to bias scapular upward rotation while unloading the glenohumeral joint.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Match the movement plane, load capacity, and your injury status when selecting a substitute. For lateral head emphasis pick abduction-based moves (cable or single-arm lateral raises) and cue a 90° elbow angle and stop at shoulder height to avoid shrugging. For anterior head work choose front raises or controlled presses with scapular retraction. If you lack weight, use bands or adjust tempo, slow eccentrics increase time under tension. Prioritize exercises that allow full scapulothoracic motion and let you apply progressive overload without pain.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Side Laterals To Front Raise work?

The side-to-front combo primarily targets the lateral deltoid during the lateral phase and the anterior deltoid during the front-raise phase; upper trapezius and supraspinatus assist. Keep elbows level with the shoulders and avoid excessive torso lean to focus load on the deltoid heads rather than the traps.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Side Laterals To Front Raise?

A pike push-up is the best bodyweight option to develop the delts because it loads shoulders in a vertical press pattern, increasing deltoid EMG. Set hips high, lower your head between your hands with a controlled eccentric, and maintain scapular stability to maximize deltoid activation.

Can I build muscle without doing Side Laterals To Front Raise?

Yes, you can build shoulder muscle using alternative isolation and compound lifts such as cable lateral raises, dumbbell front raises, overhead presses, and controlled band work. Apply progressive overload, use full range of motion, and cue a slow eccentric to keep tension on the deltoid fibers.

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