# Cable One Arm Front Raise - Canonical: https://fitwill.app/exercise/8294/cable-one-arm-front-raise/ - Media ID: 8294 - Primary muscle: Shoulders - Body part: Shoulders - Equipment: Cable Machine - Video: https://fitwill.app/videos/8294/cable-one-arm-front-raise.mp4 ## Description The Cable One Arm Front Raise is a single-arm isolation exercise performed standing at a cable machine with a handle attached to the low pulley. You grip the handle with one hand behind your body, then raise your straight arm forward and upward until your hand reaches roughly shoulder height, fighting the backward pull of the cable the entire way. Because the resistance comes from a pulley rather than a dumbbell, the tension stays on the front shoulder at every point of the arc, including the bottom, where a free-weight front raise is easiest. This movement primarily targets the anterior deltoid, the front portion of the shoulder that lifts the arm forward. The clavicular head of the chest assists in the first part of the lift, and the upper traps help control the arm at the top. Because you work one side at a time while standing, your trunk has to resist the rotational pull of the cable, which quietly trains your core and builds the kind of anti-rotation stability that carries over to pressing, throwing, and carrying. The one-arm setup matters more than it might seem. Training each shoulder separately exposes left-to-right strength differences that a barbell or two-dumbbell raise can hide, and the cable's line of pull behind the body creates a slightly longer starting range than most front raise variations. That extra stretch at the bottom is useful for people whose shoulders feel fine but who struggle to feel the front delts working with dumbbells. To execute it well, keep your torso tall and still and let the shoulder joint do the work. The arm stays nearly straight with a soft elbow, the palm faces down or slightly inward, and the hand travels in a vertical plane directly in front of the same-side shoulder. If you find yourself leaning back or twisting toward the cable, the weight is too heavy or the cable path is pulling you out of position. This exercise fits well as an accessory after overhead pressing or incline pressing, when moderate loads and higher reps are appropriate. It is also a practical choice for lifters rehabbing shoulder capacity back up under controlled resistance, since the cable allows small weight jumps and smooth tension. Keep the reps deliberate, stop just short of shoulder height or at it, and avoid turning the raise into a swing. ## Instructions 1. Set the pulley of a cable machine to its lowest position and attach a single handle. 2. Stand facing away from the machine and take a step forward so the cable runs behind your body at a slight downward angle toward the handle. 3. Grip the handle with one hand using an overhand grip, arm hanging straight down behind your thigh, and stagger your feet so the working-side leg is back. 4. Brace your core and keep your torso upright and square; do not rotate toward the cable as you pull. 5. Raise your straight arm forward and upward in a smooth arc, keeping the elbow nearly locked with just a soft bend. 6. Lift until your hand is at about shoulder height, directly in front of your shoulder, with the palm facing the floor. 7. Pause briefly at the top, then lower the handle back behind your thigh under control, resisting the cable's pull through the full range. 8. Exhale as you raise the handle and inhale as you lower it. 9. Complete all reps on one arm, then switch hands and match the rep count on the other side. 10. Reset your stance and brace between sets, and release the handle only after the weight stack has settled. ## Tips & Tricks - The most common mistake is leaning back to help the handle up; if your torso tips backward, drop the weight until the raise comes purely from the shoulder. - Keep the cable path in line with the working shoulder. If the handle drifts across your midline, the chest takes over and the front delt loses tension. - Do not lock the elbow hard at the top. A soft elbow protects the joint and keeps the load on the deltoid instead of the arm structure. - Control the bottom half of the rep. Because the cable pulls the arm behind the body, rushing the descent lets the shoulder get yanked into extension. - Squeeze the working hand firmly around the handle; a loose grip lets the wrist bend back and shifts stress into the forearm. - Stop at shoulder height. Raising higher turns the lift into an upper-trap shrug forward rather than a front raise. - If you feel the front of the shoulder pinching, shorten the range slightly at the top and reduce the weight before abandoning the exercise. - Start with your weaker arm first and match reps with the stronger side so imbalances narrow instead of grow. - Keep the non-working hand at your side or on your hip rather than swinging it, which helps you notice and stop torso twist. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Which muscles does the Cable One Arm Front Raise work? The anterior deltoid, or front shoulder, is the prime mover. The upper chest assists early in the lift, the upper traps help at the top, and the core stabilizes against the cable's rotational pull. ### Why use a cable instead of a dumbbell for a front raise? The cable provides tension through the entire range, including the stretched position behind the thigh where a dumbbell provides almost no resistance. It also allows very small weight increases, which suits an isolation movement like this. ### Is the Cable One Arm Front Raise suitable for beginners? Yes. The movement pattern is simple, and light weight makes it easy to learn. Beginners should start conservative, focus on keeping the torso still, and build control before adding load. ### How high should I raise the handle? Raise to about shoulder height so the arm is roughly parallel to the floor. Going much higher shifts the work to the upper traps and reduces the front delt focus. ### Why does the cable pull from behind my body? Because you face away from the machine, the low pulley's line of pull sits behind you, which lengthens the starting range and keeps tension on the front shoulder even with the arm hanging down. This is the main advantage of the cable setup. ### Why do I feel my core working during this exercise? The cable pulls your working arm backward and toward the machine, so your trunk must resist rotation to keep the arm moving straight forward. That anti-rotation demand is normal and part of the exercise's value. ### What can I substitute if I don't have a cable machine? A single-dumbbell or single-plate front raise is the closest substitute, though the tension at the bottom will be lower. A resistance band anchored behind you and held in one hand also recreates a similar line of pull. ### Should my elbow stay completely straight? Keep it nearly straight with a soft bend. A hard lockout strains the elbow joint, while bending the elbow too much shortens the lever and makes the movement feel like a half raise. ### How many reps and sets should I do? Because it is an isolation exercise with constant tension, moderate loads for 10 to 15 reps per arm over 2 to 4 sets work well. Place it after your main pressing work rather than before. ### Is the Cable One Arm Front Raise safe for the shoulders? For most people, yes, when the weight is controlled and the range stays pain-free. If you have a current shoulder issue or feel pinching at the top, shorten the range, reduce the load, or check with a qualified professional before continuing.