The dumbbell shoulder press is a wonderful train for growing robust, symmetrical shoulders. 

It’s notably efficient for coaching the entrance and facet deltoids, that are most accountable for the scale and form of your shoulders. It’s additionally secure, simple to study, and requires minimal tools.

On this article, you’ll study what the dumbbell shoulder press is, easy methods to carry out correct shoulder press type, the most typical errors and easy methods to repair them, one of the best variations and alternate options, and extra.  

What Is the Dumbbell Shoulder Press?

The dumbbell shoulder press is an upper-body train that primarily trains the deltoids (shoulder muscle tissue) and triceps

Equally to the overhead and military press, it entails urgent weights from shoulder peak overhead, then decreasing them to shoulder peak once more. The distinction is that you just carry out the shoulder press with dumbbells reasonably than a barbell. 

There are two variations of the shoulder press with dumbbells: the seated shoulder press and the standing shoulder press.

Whereas some evidence reveals the standing model prompts your shoulder muscle tissue barely greater than the seated dumbbell press, I like to recommend doing the seated model as a result of it helps you to elevate heavier weights, which seemingly offsets any profit of upper muscle activation.

The seated shoulder press can also be simpler to study, arrange, and carry out.

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Dumbbell Shoulder Press: Muscle tissue Labored

The principle muscle tissue labored by the dumbbell shoulder press are the . . .

It additionally trains the abs, biceps, forearms, serratus anterior, and rotator cuff muscle tissue to a lesser diploma.

Right here’s how the primary muscle tissue concerned look in your physique:


shoulder press


Do the Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press

One of the simplest ways to study correct seated dumbbell shoulder press type is to separate the train into three phases: arrange, press, and descend.


dumbbell shoulder press


1. Set Up

Whereas sitting on an upright bench, maintain a dumbbell in every hand and relaxation them in your thighs. Nudge the dumbbells along with your thighs and hoist them simply above your shoulders along with your palms dealing with away from you.

Press your mid and higher again in opposition to the backrest, push your chest out, and pull your shoulder blades down and collectively.

2. Press

Press the dumbbells towards the ceiling till your elbows are nearly locked, permitting the dumbbells to float towards one another as your elbows straighten.

Maintain your mid and higher again pressed into the backrest, and keep away from excessively arching your decrease again or letting your butt scoot ahead on the bench.

3. Descend

Reverse the motion and return to the beginning place.

Right here’s how correct shoulder press type ought to look whenever you put all of it collectively:


seated dumbbell press


Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press Kind: Frequent Errors

1. Urgent one arm greater than the opposite.

The issue: As a result of most individuals are stronger on one facet of their physique than the opposite, many wrestle to press the dumbbells symmetrically.

The repair: Select dumbbells which are mild sufficient to finish full reps along with your weaker facet. They might really feel too mild to your stronger facet, however over time, your weaker facet will catch as much as your stronger facet in an effort to straighten each arms equally.

2. Slamming the dumbbells collectively.

The issue: As you press the dumbbells, you enable the dumbbells to slam collectively on the prime of every rep, making the train tougher to manage.

The repair: Think about “throwing the dumbbells into the ceiling.” This helps you lift more weight and give attention to urgent the dumbbells straight up, stopping them from smacking into each other.

3. Not utilizing a full vary of movement.

The issue: As you progress to heavier weights, you cheat by shortening the range of motion—solely decreasing the dumbbells to about eye stage. Whereas this makes it simpler to press heavier weights, it additionally makes the train much less efficient. 

The repair: Use weights that help you full full reps earlier than progressing. Give your physique time to develop larger and stronger, and don’t rush the method by compromising your approach.

Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press Variations and Alternate options

1. Arnold Shoulder Press

Due to the way in which you rotate your wrists within the Arnold press, you train your facet delts barely greater than with different overhead urgent shoulder workouts, serving to you develop proportional shoulders.

2. Seated Barbell Shoulder Press

Utilizing a barbell as a substitute of dumbbells for the seated shoulder press permits most individuals to press about 10-to-20% extra weight and progress to heavier weights sooner, which is nice for constructing muscle and energy. The downsides are that it has a shorter vary of movement than the seated shoulder press with dumbbells and doesn’t enable you discover and repair muscle imbalances.

3. Standing Barbell Shoulder Press

Along with bettering upper-body energy and shoulder, lure, triceps, and higher chest dimension, the barbell overhead press develops your whole-body stability and coordination.

4. Machine Shoulder Press

Usually talking, machines aren’t as effective as free weights. Nonetheless, the machine shoulder press may be helpful should you’re working round an injury or are new to weightlifting. 

5. Landmine Shoulder Press

The landmine shoulder press trains only one facet of your physique at a time, so it’s helpful for figuring out and correcting energy and muscle imbalances. The diagonal urgent path additionally makes it extra comfy for these with shoulder points.