Front shoulder raise.....

[Golden_Muscle]

Should you raise the dumbells only up to shoulder level, or keep going to the straight up position?

I dont want to ruin my joints, but I want to work the whole range of motion. What is best?

Thanks, GM.

 

[Kelzo]

I have always wanted to know this aswell. Some people do them all the way and others stop at shoulder. It seems to be harder to stop at shoulder height as there is less swing and more control of the dumbells.

 

[bigbuffstaples]

Should you raise the dumbells only up to shoulder level, or keep going to the straight up position?

I dont want to ruin my joints, but I want to work the whole range of motion. What is best?

Thanks, GM.

You just answered the question right there,,,, if you DON'T want to ruin your joints, then don't go beyond shoulder level. Some people find that it doesn't hurt them to go all the way up, but the average person will damage their shoulder if they do. It has something to do with the shoulder being a ball and socket joint. You can move it around in circular motions, but because of this, when your performing the exercise with weight going up like that in the front raises, if you go beyond shoulder level, then it's gonna cause a lot more strain and stress on the joints/ligaments/tendons.
BUT,,,, If you look at it this way... some people don't do behind the neck press or pulldowns because it goes beyond the average person's range of motion... so basically you have to try it out, and if you find that it does hurt you from going past the shoulder level, then DON'T do it... if it doesn't bother you, then make the decision yourself. I was told by the instructor of the personal trainer course i'm taking (and as well by a student taking the course who is on her last year of physiotherapy) that you shouldn't go beyond the shoulder level.

Just my 2 cents though.

 

[house1]

shoulder level brother

 

[hornedfrogs07]

Shoulder level is probably best. It's less stress on joints, plus, once you get past it, the emphasis really shifts from the anterior deltoid to other muscles.