Shoulders · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Standing Single Arm Cross Raise
How to do the dumbbell standing single arm cross raise, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- VerticalPush
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand holding a dumbbell in one hand at your side. Keeping your arm fairly straight, raise the dumbbell up and across the front of your body toward the opposite shoulder until it reaches about shoulder height. Lower under control back to your side, finish your reps, then switch arms.
- 1Feel the front of your shoulder and upper chest lift the weight
- 2Raise across your body on a diagonal, not straight out front
- 3Keep the movement smooth and controlled both up and down
Common mistakes
- Don't swing or lean to throw the weight up
- Avoid shrugging your trap to assist the raise
- Don't raise far above shoulder height
Muscles worked
The dumbbell standing single arm cross raise mainly works the front delts, with the upper chest and side delts assisting.
- Front DeltsPrimary
- Upper ChestSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Internal RotatorsMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell standing single arm cross 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.