Seated dumbbell shoulder press

The seated dumbbell shoulder press is a popular exercise for building muscle and strength in the shoulders. The triceps also work hard in this lift. Many lifters find using dumbbells to be more comfortable and shoulder-friendly for this press variation than a barbell. This can be the primary pressing movement on an upper-body or shoulder day, or an effective accessory movement later in a workout.

Benefits

  1. Builds shoulder muscle and strength
  2. Greater potential range of motion than a barbell press
  3. Allows natural wrist and arm rotation
  4. Effective in low and high reps
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Seated dumbbell shoulder press Images

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Seated dumbbell shoulder press Instructions

Seated dumbbell shoulder press muscle diagram
  1. While holding a dumbbell in each hand, sit on a military press bench or utility bench that has back support. Place the dumbbells upright on top of your thighs.
  2. Now raise the dumbbells to shoulder height one at a time using your thighs to help propel them up into position.
  3. Make sure to rotate your wrists so that the palms of your hands are facing forward. This is your starting position.
  4. Now, exhale and push the dumbbells upward until they touch at the top.
  5. Then, after a brief pause at the top contracted position, slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position while inhaling.
  6. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Variations: You can perform the exercise standing or sitting on a regular flat bench. For people with lower back problems, the version described is the recommended one.

You can also perform the exercise as Arnold Schwarzenegger used to do it, which is to start holding the dumbbells with a supinated grip (palms facing you) in front of your shoulders and then, as you start pushing up, you align the dumbbells in the starting position described on step 3 by rotating your wrists and touch the dumbbells at the top. As you come down, then you would go back to the starting position by rotating the wrist throughout the lowering portion until the palms of your hands are facing you. This variation is called the Arnold Press. However, it is not recommended if you have rotator cuff problems.