Shoulders · Cable
Cable Forward Raise
How to do the cable forward raise, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Cable
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- VerticalPush
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand facing away from a low pulley and hold the handle in front of your thigh with a straight arm. Keeping your elbow nearly straight, raise the handle forward and up to about shoulder height, then lower it under control against the cable tension.
- 1Feel your front delts lifting the handle forward and up
- 2Keep your arm nearly straight through the raise
- 3Stop around shoulder height and lower slowly
Common mistakes
- Don't swing your torso to fling the weight up
- Avoid shrugging your traps as you raise
- Don't let the cable yank your arm back down
Muscles worked
The cable forward raise mainly works the front delts, with the upper traps and side delts assisting.
- Front DeltsPrimary
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper ChestMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
Kovo programs the cable forward raise for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.