# Seated Front Raise On Chair - Canonical: https://fitwill.app/exercise/10483/seated-front-raise-on-chair/ - Media ID: 10483 - Primary muscle: Shoulders - Body part: Shoulders - Equipment: Bench Or Seat - Video: https://fitwill.app/videos/10483/seated-front-raise-on-chair.mp4 ## Description The Seated Front Raise On Chair is a bodyweight shoulder exercise performed sitting upright on a standard chair with your arms hanging at your sides, then raising both straight arms forward and up to shoulder height. Because there is no external load, the resistance comes from the weight of your own arms and the muscular effort you put into lifting them, which makes the movement easy to scale and gentle on the joints. It is a simple pattern, but sitting down changes the exercise in a meaningful way: with your hips and thighs supported, there is no temptation to swing, lean back, or use your legs to help the arms up. The primary muscle at work is the anterior deltoid, the front portion of the shoulder that lifts the arm forward. The upper chest assists as the arms come up, and the side delts, upper traps, and serratus anterior contribute to stabilizing and controlling the arm throughout the arc. Because the movement is unloaded, the emphasis is on quality of contraction and controlled tempo rather than heavy effort. Squeezing the shoulders actively at the top and lowering slowly turns a light movement into a genuinely useful one. This exercise suits beginners learning what a front raise should feel like, older adults or anyone in rehabilitation-style training who needs a low-load shoulder movement, and more experienced lifters who want a strict, fatigue-free warm-up or a high-rep burnout finisher before or after pressing work. It is also practical for home training or office breaks, since all you need is a sturdy chair. Setup matters more than it looks. Sit tall on the front half of the chair with feet flat on the floor, ribs stacked over the hips, and shoulders relaxed away from the ears. If you slump back against the chair back or arch your lower back, the front delts lose tension and the movement becomes a torso exercise. Keeping the back upright and the core braced ensures the shoulders actually do the lifting. To execute well, raise your straight arms forward to shoulder height with your palms facing down or slightly inward, pause briefly, then lower under control back to your sides. Move at a steady pace, roughly two seconds up and two to three seconds down, and stop at shoulder height rather than lifting higher and letting the traps take over. If the movement feels too easy, slow the tempo, add a pause at the top, or hold light objects such as water bottles. Stop and adjust if you feel any pinching at the front of the shoulder, and keep the range within what feels smooth and comfortable. ## Instructions 1. Sit on a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the floor about hip-width apart and your sit bones planted on the front half of the seat. 2. Sit tall with your chest open, shoulders relaxed down and back, and let both arms hang straight at your sides with palms facing your thighs. 3. Brace your core lightly and keep your ribs stacked over your hips so your torso stays upright for the whole set. 4. Keeping your elbows nearly straight but not locked, raise both arms forward and up in front of your body at the same time. 5. Lift until your arms reach shoulder height and are roughly parallel to the floor, palms facing down or slightly inward. 6. Pause for a moment at the top and actively squeeze the front of your shoulders instead of just holding the position. 7. Lower your arms slowly back down along the same path until they rest at your sides. 8. Exhale as you raise your arms and inhale as you lower them, keeping the breath steady throughout. 9. Complete your repetitions, then relax your shoulders and roll them gently to reset before the next set. ## Tips & Tricks - The most common mistake is leaning the torso backward as the arms rise, which turns the front raise into a hip-hinge cheat. Press your sit bones into the seat and think about staying tall as your arms come up. - Do not lift above shoulder height. Once your hands pass shoulder level, the upper traps shrug and take work away from the front delts. - Keep a small soft bend in the elbows. Fully locked elbows can stress the joint and make the arm swing feel stiff rather than smooth. - If your shoulders shrug toward your ears, consciously pull your shoulder blades down before each rep and keep the neck long. - Because the load is only your arms, tempo is your main tool. A slow three-second lowering phase will make the set noticeably harder without any equipment. - Try turning your palms slightly inward at the top. Some people feel a smoother shoulder path this way compared to strict palms-down raising. - If you feel pinching at the front of the shoulder, reduce the range so you stop a little below shoulder height and check that you are not arching your lower back. - Use this as a strict warm-up before pressing or as a burnout after dumbbell front raises, but avoid rushing high reps with sloppy form just to reach a number. - A cushioned or backless stool works too, but avoid chairs with wheels or anything that could tip as you move. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What muscles does the Seated Front Raise On Chair work? The anterior deltoid, or front shoulder, does most of the lifting. The upper chest assists, and the side delts, upper traps, and serratus anterior help stabilize and control the arms. ### Is the Seated Front Raise On Chair good for beginners? Yes. It is one of the safest ways to learn the front raise pattern because there is no external weight and the chair prevents swinging or leaning. Beginners can focus purely on feeling the front delts work. ### Why do this seated on a chair instead of standing? Sitting removes momentum from the legs and hips, so the shoulders have to do the work. It also makes it easier to keep the torso upright, which many lifters lose when standing front raises get tiring. ### How high should I raise my arms in the Seated Front Raise On Chair? Raise to shoulder height so your arms are about parallel to the floor. Going higher shifts the work to the upper traps and reduces the emphasis on the front delts. ### Can I add weight to this exercise? Yes. Once strict bodyweight reps feel easy, hold light dumbbells, water bottles, or a small plate in your hands and keep the same upright seated position and controlled tempo. ### How many reps should I do? Because the resistance is light, higher rep ranges work well, typically 12 to 20 controlled repetitions per set. Focus on a deliberate pause at the top rather than chasing a heavy load. ### My lower back arches when I raise my arms. How do I fix it? Sit on the front half of the seat, brace your core lightly, and think about keeping your ribs pulled down over your hips. If the arch persists, reduce the range slightly until you can lift without your torso moving. ### What can I substitute if I do not have a chair? Any stable seat works, including a bench, sturdy stool, or the edge of a bed. You can also do the same arm raise standing against a wall to get a similar no-swing effect. ### Is the Seated Front Raise On Chair safe for shoulder pain? It is generally low stress because the load is minimal, but any persistent pinching or pain at the front of the shoulder is a signal to shorten the range or stop. Check with a qualified professional if discomfort continues.