How to Do
How to Do Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
The seated dumbbell shoulder press should begin with a good posture to avoid injury. Brace the spine by drawing your lower abdomen inward. Your core muscles should be activated to support your posture as you perform the exercise.
If any pain is experienced, immediately stop the seated dumbbell shoulder press.
Beginning
Beginning Dumbbell Shoulder Press
With your hands facing ahead and your elbows out to the sides and bent at a 90 degree angle, hold the dumbbells by your shoulders. Extend your elbows to press the weights above your head without leaning back. Return to the starting position carefully.
Movement
Dumbbell Shoulder Press Movement
1. Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Your arms will be hanging at your sides.
2. Tighten up your abdominals to support the back and spine, and then bring the dumbbells up to shoulder height, with your palms facing forward. This will put you in a wide position that should see your upper arms aligned with your shoulders, elbows bent at 90 degrees, and your wrists and the dumbbells directly over your elbows.
3. Pull your shoulder blades back and down, and then press the dumbbells up and over your head by extending your elbows until your arms are directly overhead with your hands next to each other. Your hands will describe a wide arc from the wider start position to the closed end position.
4. Lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height. Repeat for the required number of repetitions.
5. Be sure to check in with your back and to check that you are not arching it at any point during the exercise.
Benefits
Dumbbell Shoulder Press Benefits
Perform this exercise at home or in the gym.
This is a classic exercise for building strength in the shoulder muscles. The back of the arms (triceps) are also activated.
In addition to training the shoulders, your core muscles will also come into play throughout the exercise to support the back and spine.
Exercise Aliases
bench press shoulder, seated dumbbell shoulder press, how to do seated shoulder press, how to workout your shoulders with dumbbells
