The anterior deltoid muscle is one of three groups of fibers that initiate movement at the shoulder joint. The anterior, or front, deltoid is responsible for shoulder flexion, as in raising your hand to ask a question. Exercises that mimic this movement are preferable when training this muscle. It can be trained as a single-joint exercise involving only the shoulder joint, or as a multi-joint exercise engaging both the shoulder and elbow joints.
Lying Dumbbell Presses
This exercise is similar to the dumbbell press that targets the chest. However, the subtle difference lies in the positioning of the elbows. With the dumbbell press for the chest, your elbows are pointed out to the sides of the body. To execute the presses for the anterior deltoid, pull the elbows into the sides. At the beginning of the move, the elbows should be pointing down to the floor with the palms facing inward. Push the dumbbells up toward the ceiling. Return slowly to the starting position and repeat. This position limits the involvement of the chest muscles and emphasizes the front deltoid and triceps.
Underhand Dumbbell Press
This move is distinguished from the traditional overhead dumbbell press by the hand positioning. Unlike the overhead press where the palms face away from the body, the underhand press requires the palms to face the body to engage or isolate the anterior deltoid. Hold the weights at chin level in this position. Point the elbows forward. Press or extend the arms overhead. Avoid flaring the elbows out at any point during this exercise. The closer the elbows remain to one another, the better the isolation of the anterior deltoid.
Front Raises
This exercise is one of the best at isolating the anterior deltoid. It can be performed using dumbbells, low-pulley cable machines, resistance bands and barbells requiring both arms working simultaneously. Ideally, the resistance is held in your hands with the palms facing down. The hands should be right in front of the thighs. Raise the arm up until it is parallel to the floor. Slowly return the weight back to the starting position. Front raises can be done unilaterally, one arm at a time, or bilaterally where you work both arms together.
Considerations
Exercises that involve one joint, like front raises, are known as single-joint exercises and should be done toward the end of your workout. Single-joint exercises typically involve smaller muscle groups which tend to fatigue faster. Performing front raises first could inhibit peak performance in your overall shoulder routine. Exercises that engage multiple joints, such as the underhand dumbbell press, would be done prior to front raises because they work through the shoulder and elbow joints. These exercises involve more muscle groups, thereby increasing force output.
References
- "Strength Training Anatomy, Third Edition"; Frederic Delavier; 2010
- "Principles of Anatomy and Physiology, 12th Edition"; Gerard J. Tortora, Bryan Derrickson; 2009
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