Is the Dumbbell Iron Cross the same as the gymnastics iron cross?

No. The gymnastics iron cross is an advanced bodyweight hold on the rings with the arms straight out to the sides, while the Dumbbell Iron Cross only borrows the cross shape at the top of a light squat and shoulder movement that most people with basic squat technique can learn.

How heavy should the dumbbells be?

Much lighter than for a front or lateral raise, because the arms never come down during the set. Pick a weight you could hold out to the sides at shoulder height for every rep without shrugging or bending the elbows, and start with empty hands if even the lightest pair is too much.

How deep should I squat?

Squat until the thighs are about parallel to the floor, or stop higher if you cannot keep your heels down and your chest up. A half squat still works well, since the shoulders do most of the work.

Where does the Dumbbell Iron Cross fit in a workout?

It works best with light dumbbells and higher reps, as part of a circuit, a conditioning block or a shoulder finisher at the end of a session. It is not a lift for heavy, low-rep sets.

Can I do it without the squat?

Yes. Standing tall and sweeping the arms between the front and the sides at shoulder height turns it into a shoulder-only exercise, and the Dumbbell Lateral to Front Raise is a similar option that also lowers the arms between reps.

Dumbbell Iron Cross

What Is the Dumbbell Iron Cross?

Dumbbell Iron Cross is a compound exercise that primarily targets the shoulders and also engages the upper trapezius, serratus anterior, quadriceps and glutes. It is an intermediate-level movement that pairs a squat with a sweep of the arms at shoulder height: the arms come together in front of the body as you squat down and open out to the sides into a cross as you stand back up.

The exercise is built for shoulder endurance and control rather than maximal strength. Because it works the legs and shoulders in one continuous movement, it fits well in circuits, conditioning sessions and light finishers, and with very light dumbbells it can serve as a shoulder warm-up. It shares only its name and the cross shape at the top with the gymnastics Iron Cross, an advanced bodyweight hold on the rings.

The arms never lower during the set, so the deltoids hold the dumbbells against gravity from the first rep to the last. The sideways sweep itself is barely resisted, which means the challenge comes from how long the arms stay up rather than how far they travel. In front of the body the front deltoids and upper chest carry most of the load, and out at the sides with the thumbs pointing up the front and middle deltoids share it. In a study of competitive bodybuilders doing seated dumbbell raises to shoulder height, the front raise drew the most front-deltoid and upper-chest activity, and a lateral raise with the thumbs turned up drew more front-deltoid activity than the same raise with the thumbs pointing forward, which favored the middle deltoid. The squat adds work for the quadriceps and glutes, though the light dumbbells keep the leg load modest.

The Dumbbell Iron Cross suits general fitness clients and anyone who wants to train shoulder endurance alongside the legs in a time-efficient way. Before combining the two halves, it helps to be comfortable with the Bodyweight Squat and with the Dumbbell Front Raise and Dumbbell Lateral Raise on their own. Many people first learn the pattern with no dumbbells at all, then add the lightest pair available.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Deltoid: Primary
Upper Trapezius: High
Serratus Anterior: Medium
Vastus Lateralis: Medium
Vastus Medialis: Medium
Erector Spinae: Low
Gluteus Maximus: Low
Infraspinatus: Low
Pectoralis Major: Low
Rectus Femoris: Low

Instructions

Stand tall with your feet about shoulder-width apart, toes turned slightly out, holding a light dumbbell in each hand.
Raise both arms straight out to the sides to shoulder height so your body forms a cross, palms facing forward and thumbs pointing up. Keep a soft bend in the elbows.
Brace your core and pull your shoulders down away from your ears.
Bend your hips and knees to squat down while sweeping both arms forward at shoulder height, until the dumbbells nearly meet in front of your chest with your palms facing each other.
Lower until your thighs are about parallel to the floor, keeping your chest up, your heels down and your knees in line with your toes.
Drive through your midfoot to stand back up while sweeping your arms back out to the sides at shoulder height, reaching the cross position as your hips and knees straighten.
Keep your thumbs pointing up and your arms level with your shoulders for the whole set.
Repeat for the desired number of reps, then lower the dumbbells to your sides with control.

Common Mistakes

Using dumbbells that are too heavy
The deltoids have to hold the weight at shoulder height for the entire set, so heavy dumbbells force shrugging, bent elbows and sagging arms within a few reps.
Letting the arms drop during the squat
Lowering the dumbbells below shoulder height as you squat splits the exercise into two separate movements and removes the constant shoulder tension it is built on.
Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears
Hiking the shoulders lets the upper trapezius take over from the deltoids and crowds the shoulder joint, so keep the shoulders down and the neck long.
Leaning the torso forward
The weight held in front pulls the chest down, and letting it fold forward shifts load onto the lower back instead of keeping the torso upright.
Turning the thumbs down
Rolling the palms toward the floor as the arms open turns the shoulders inward at shoulder height, a position that can pinch the front of the shoulder.
Swinging the arms open
Flinging the arms out with momentum takes the work off the shoulders, so move the arms smoothly and in time with the squat.

Injuries

Dumbbell Iron Cross is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The shoulders take most of the strain: the arms stay straight and level with the shoulders for the whole set, so even light dumbbells create a long lever, and the deltoids, rotator cuff and upper trapezius tire quickly. The lower back and knees are the other strain points, mostly when the torso tips forward under the weight held in front or the knees cave inward at the bottom of the squat.

Choose dumbbells far lighter than you would use for a lateral raise and warm up the shoulders first. Keep the thumbs pointing up as the arms open, a slightly turned-out position that coaches favor for keeping room at the front of the shoulder, and stop the arms at shoulder height rather than letting them drift higher. Brace the trunk, keep the chest up and squat only as deep as you can with the heels down and the back neutral.

To make it easier, drop the dumbbells and practice the arm sweep and squat together with empty hands, use a shallower squat, or train the parts separately with the Bodyweight Squat and the Dumbbell Lateral to Front Raise. To progress, slow the tempo, pause briefly at the bottom or add reps before reaching for heavier dumbbells, and increase the weight only in small steps.

A burning feeling in the shoulders is normal fatigue. Stop if you feel sharp or pinching pain at the front or top of the shoulder, pain or tingling running down the arm, or pain inside the knee.

Overview

Primary Focus: Shoulders
Equipment: Dumbbell
Modality: Strength
Difficulty: Intermediate

Alternative Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the Dumbbell Iron Cross the same as the gymnastics iron cross?: No. The gymnastics iron cross is an advanced bodyweight hold on the rings with the arms straight out to the sides, while the Dumbbell Iron Cross only borrows the cross shape at the top of a light squat and shoulder movement that most people with basic squat technique can learn.
Q: How heavy should the dumbbells be?: Much lighter than for a front or lateral raise, because the arms never come down during the set. Pick a weight you could hold out to the sides at shoulder height for every rep without shrugging or bending the elbows, and start with empty hands if even the lightest pair is too much.
Q: How deep should I squat?: Squat until the thighs are about parallel to the floor, or stop higher if you cannot keep your heels down and your chest up. A half squat still works well, since the shoulders do most of the work.
Q: Where does the Dumbbell Iron Cross fit in a workout?: It works best with light dumbbells and higher reps, as part of a circuit, a conditioning block or a shoulder finisher at the end of a session. It is not a lift for heavy, low-rep sets.
Q: Can I do it without the squat?: Yes. Standing tall and sweeping the arms between the front and the sides at shoulder height turns it into a shoulder-only exercise, and the Dumbbell Lateral to Front Raise is a similar option that also lowers the arms between reps.