What is the Swiss Ball Seated Dumbbell Front Raise?
The Swiss Ball Seated Dumbbell Front Raise is a shoulder exercise where you sit on a Swiss ball and lift two dumbbells forward to shoulder height. It mainly trains your front deltoids. The ball gives you no back support, so your trunk works to keep you upright.
Quick facts
- Level: Beginner
- Equipment: Dumbbells and a Swiss ball
- Movement pattern: Shoulder flexion (front raise)
- Force: Push
- Type: Isolation
- Sides: Both arms together
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
- Front deltoids
Secondary muscles
- Chest (pectoralis major, upper part)
- Side deltoids
- Serratus anterior
The upper fibers of your chest help lift the arm forward. Your serratus anterior helps your shoulder blade rotate as your arms rise.
How to do the Swiss Ball Seated Dumbbell Front Raise
- Setup: Sit on a Swiss ball with a dumbbell in each hand. Plant your feet on the floor about shoulder-width apart.
- Start: Sit tall with your chest lifted and core braced. Hold the dumbbells in front of your thighs, palms facing your body.
- Move: Keep a slight bend in your elbows. Raise the dumbbells forward until they reach shoulder height.
- Move: Pause briefly at the top.
- Return: Lower the dumbbells slowly back to your thighs. Stay balanced on the ball the whole time.
Coaching cues
- Sit tall and keep the ball still.
- Lift to shoulder height, no higher.
- Lower slower than you lift.
Common mistakes
- Leaning back to swing the weights. Brace your core and keep your torso still. Use lighter dumbbells if you need to rock.
- Shrugging as you lift. Keep your shoulders down, away from your ears, as your arms rise.
- Locking the elbows. Keep a soft bend in your elbows for the whole movement.
- Feet too close together. Set your feet about shoulder-width apart so the ball stays steady.
Easier and harder options
- Easier: Seated dumbbell front raise on a bench. A flat bench does not roll, so you can focus on your shoulders instead of balance.
Training focus and energy demand
This raise is mostly used to build front shoulder strength and muscle size with light weights. Sitting on the ball adds a balance challenge for your trunk.
Your body uses several energy systems together, and the mix changes with load, speed, set length and rest. Short, hard sets lean on fast energy stored in the muscle. Longer sets with short rests lean more on aerobic energy. Hard efforts that last from several seconds to a few minutes also rely heavily on energy your muscles make quickly from carbohydrate.
FAQs
What size Swiss ball should I use?
Pick a ball that lets you sit with your hips level with or slightly above your knees and your feet flat on the floor.
Can I raise one arm at a time?
Yes. Alternating arms can make it easier to stay still on the ball. Keep your torso square as each arm rises.