Front Cable Raise
A standing cable raise that lifts one arm straight out in front of the body using a low pulley, isolating the front of the shoulder. It suits beginners building shoulder isolation strength.
How to do the front cable raise
- Set a low pulley with a single handle attachment and choose your weight.
- Face away from the pulley, holding the handle in front of your thigh with your palm facing back.
- Keeping your torso still, lift your arm forward with a slight bend at the elbow.
- Continue until your arm is roughly level with your shoulder, exhaling as you lift.
- Lower the handle back down slowly as you inhale, then switch arms after your set.
Original library instructions (5 steps)
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Now as you inhale lower the arm back down slowly to the starting position.
- Once all of the recommended amount of repetitions have been performed for this arm, switch arms and perform the exercise with the right one.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the torso to help lift the weight instead of keeping it still throughout the raise.
- Raising the arm above shoulder height, which adds strain without extra benefit for the front shoulder.
- Rushing the lowering phase instead of controlling the handle back down.
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Sets, reps and rest |
|---|---|
| Strength | 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per arm, 60 to 90 seconds rest |
| Muscle | 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per arm, 60 seconds rest |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 sets of 15 reps per arm, 45 seconds rest |
Ranges, not prescriptions. Start at the low end and add a set or a rep when every set feels controlled.
Tips
- Keep your palm facing down through the raise rather than letting your wrist rotate.
- Choose a weight light enough that your torso stays completely still throughout the set.
In the app: this exercise is one of 873 in GymPilot's library, with the same photos, form cues and a link back to the moment in an imported video it came from.
Questions
Is the front cable raise good for beginners?
Yes. The cable provides steady resistance through a simple, single joint movement, which makes it easy for beginners to learn.
What muscles does the front cable raise work?
It mainly works the shoulders, since this record does not list any secondary muscles for the exercise.
