Dumbbell Shoulder Press: Benefits and Form Guide and Video
Few muscle groups are as important as your shoulders. The muscles in and around your shoulders—including the rhomboids, deltoids, and trapezius—used in everything from push-ups to carrying groceries.
An exercise that strengthens these core muscles is the dumbbell shoulder press. A staple of any high-caliber fitness routine, the dumbbell shoulder press is a terrific exercise for every athlete, fitness enthusiast, and casual exerciser.
Whether you’re hitting the gym for the first time or looking to improve your form, this guide to the dumbbell shoulder press has everything you need to know.
Shoulder Press Basics
The shoulder press (also called the overhead press) is an upper body exercise that strengthens the shoulders and improves mobility in the rotator cuff. It is performed by lifting weights directly above your head.
Any shoulder press exercise—whether you do it with a machine, medicine ball, or dumbbells—targets several key muscles that support the shoulder, including:
- The deltoids
- The triceps
- The trapeze
- The upper chest (pectoralis major)
Thanks to its versatility and simplicity, the dumbbell shoulder press is popular with beginners and veterans. Besides, no special equipment is required: All you need is a pair of dumbbells.
Benefits of Dumbbell Shoulder Press
If the dumbbell shoulder press isn’t already part of your workout routine, it should be. Shoulder presses can help you:
- Build upper body strength – Every time you lift the dumbbells overhead, you promote the development of the muscles in the shoulders and arms. Not just you see the effects of shoulder presses on your upper body, but you will touch like other upper body workouts it gets easier with continued effort.
- Strengthen shoulder stability – When you perform a dumbbell shoulder press, you’re not just lifting weights — you’re also working to keep them straight and still. This aspect of the exercise engages the small stabilizing muscles in your shoulder joints—the supraspinatus, subscapula, scapula, and teres minor—that hold the shoulder in place. Ultimately, enhancing shoulder stability can reduce the risk of upper body injury.
- Increase overall fitness – As with any exercise, the dumbbell shoulder press burns calories and improves your endurance, contributing to your overall well-being.
How to do a dumbbell shoulder press
Of course, if you want to reap the benefits of a dumbbell shoulder press, you need to perform the movement correctly. Correct form protects you from injury and guarantees the best possible results.
To complete a set of dumbbell shoulder presses, follow these steps:
- Step 1: Choose your dumbbells – Choosing the right weight is crucial. Start with a pair of light dumbbells and then work your way up.
- Step 2: Position yourself – Bring your dumbbells to an open area in the gym, then square your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees slightly, and tighten your core and glutes.
- Step 3: Prepare the dumbbells – One at a time, bring your dumbbells up, palms facing out until they are level with your ears. Bend your elbows at a 90º angle and turn them slightly inward.
- Step 4: Press the dumbbells overhead – With control, raise the dumbbells, straightening your arms without fully locking the elbows.
- Step 5: Slowly lower the dumbbells – With the same control, let the weights return to their original position.
A typical set of dumbbell shoulder presses is 5–10 reps, but you can do as many or as few as you want—whatever feels best for you!
Tips for the perfect shoulder press
Want to maximize muscle growth and avoid progress-stopping injuries? Here are some best practices to keep in mind for shoulder presses:
- Start with lighter weights – While it may be tempting to reach for the impressive 30-pound weights, resist the urge. Even if you’re used to larger dumbbells, we recommend starting small to build shoulder strength. After you spend a few sessions with the lighter weights, you can experiment with heavier dumbbells.
- Focus on technique – The first few times you try shoulder presses, go as slowly as possible and pay attention to how your arms, legs and back are positioned. You may even want to start in front of a mirror without weights. This way, you can perfect your form.
- Keep your elbows in – As mentioned, your elbows should point slightly forward and not straight out to the side. When your elbows flare out too much, you risk putting stress on the shoulder joint and rotator cuff muscles, making injury more likely. Additionally, bringing the elbows in engages the target muscles even more. Aim at a 30–45º angle.
- Avoid leaning back – Leaning back during the shoulder press can put unnecessary stress on the spine, so keep your back as straight as possible. A locator can help you correct your posture.
Dumbbell Shoulder Press Variations
While the standing dumbbell shoulder press is the most common, there is more than one way to engage your shoulder muscles.
Seated shoulder press
To do a seated dumbbell shoulder press, place the back pad of an adjustable weight bench at an upright angle—a “click” or two before the top is usually best.
From there, lean into the pillow, bring the dumbbells to your shoulders and lift them overhead.
Arnold Press
Named after Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Arnold Press incorporates an arm twist. You can do the Arnold press seated or standing.
Here’s how to perform this exercise:
- Bring the dumbbells to shoulder height with your palms facing you
- Raise the dumbbells, rotating your wrists outward as you do
- Lower the dumbbells, reversing the movement so you finish with your palms facing in
Start doing shoulder presses today
Regardless of which variation you prefer, dumbbell shoulder presses can significantly increase your upper body strength, helping you improve and maintain mobility in your arms. You will see results in the gym and in everyday life.
If you’re ready to build strength and promote muscle growth, the shoulder press is a great place to start—and Chuze Fitness is the perfect place to do it. Our five-star facilities have everything you need to start—or accelerate—your fitness journey.
Find your nearest Chuze Fitness and test your new shoulder press knowledge.
Sources:
Cleveland Clinic. Shoulder muscles.
WebMD. How to do a shoulder press.
Reviewed by:
Ani is the VP of Fitness at Chuze Fitness and oversees the group fitness and group training departments. He has had a 25+ year career in club management, personal training, group exercise and instructor training. Annie lives with her husband and son in San Diego, California and loves hot yoga, snowboarding and all things wellness.
