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– They are used in everything from push-ups to shopping.
An exercise that strengthens those important muscles is the shoulder shrug with dumbbells. A staple of any high-caliber gym routine, the dumbbell shoulder press is an excellent exercise for every athlete, fitness enthusiast, and casual gym-goer.
Whether you’re hitting the gym for the first time or looking to improve your form, this shoulder press with dumbbells guide has everything you need to know.
Shoulder press basics
The shoulder press (also called the overhead press) is an exercise that strengthens the shoulders and improves mobility in the rotator cuff. It is done by lifting a weight directly above the head.
Any shoulder press exercise—whether you do it with a machine, medicine ball, or dumbbells—targets several key muscles that support the shoulders, including:
- Deltoids
- Triceps
- Trapezius
- Upper chest (pectoralis major)
Thanks to its flexibility and simplicity, the dumbbell shoulder press is popular with beginners. And Veterans. Best of all, you don’t need any special equipment: all you need is a pair of pliers.
Dumbbell shoulder press benefits
If shoulder presses with dumbbells aren’t already part of your workout routine, they should be. Shoulder pads can help you:
- Build upper body strength – Every time you lift the dumbbells up, you encourage muscle growth in your shoulders and arms. You are not alone look out Shoulder compression effects on your body, but you get it Feeling As with other upper body workouts, they get easier with continued effort.
- Improve shoulder stability. – When you press your shoulders with dumbbells, you’re not only lifting the weight, you’re also working to keep it straight. The exercise aspect involves the small stabilizing muscles in your shoulder joints—the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subcapellaris, and teres minor—that hold the shoulder in place. Finally, increasing shoulder stability reduces the risk of upper body injury.
- Increase overall physical activity – Like any exercise, the dumbbell shoulder press burns calories and improves your strength, which contributes to your overall well-being.
How to do a shoulder press with dumbbells
Of course, if you want to reap the benefits of the dumbbell shoulder press, you need to perform the movement correctly. Proper form will protect you from injury and guarantee the best results.
Follow these steps to complete a set of shoulder presses with dumbbells.
- Step 1: Choose your dumbbells – It is important to choose the right weight. Start with a pair of light dumbbells, then work your way up.
- Step 2: Position yourself – Take your dumbbells to an open position in the gym, then stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and your core muscles and glutes tight.
- Step 3: Prepare the dumplings – Raise your dumbbells one at a time, parallel until your palms are level with your ears. Bend your elbows at a 90º angle and turn them slightly inwards.
- Step 4: Press the dumbbells up – With control, lift the dumbbells by straightening your arms without fully locking the elbows.
- Step 5: Lower the pumpkins slowly – With the same control, allow the weights to return to their original position.
A typical set of shoulder presses is 5-10 reps, but you can do as many or as few as you want – whatever feels best!
Tips for a proper shoulder press
Want to maximize muscle growth and avoid growth-stopping injuries? Here are some best practices to keep in mind for shoulder presses
- Start with light weight – Although it may be tempting to reach the amazing weight of 30 pounds, resist this urge. Even if you practice with larger dumbbells, we recommend starting small to build strength in the shoulders. Once you’ve spent a few sessions with lighter weights, you can try heavier dumbbells.
- Focus on technique – The first few times when you try to press the shoulders, go as slowly as possible and pay attention to how your arms, legs and back are positioned. You may want to start without weights in front of a mirror. This way you can fine tune your form.
- Keep your elbows in – As mentioned, your elbows should point slightly forward rather than straight out to the side. When your elbows come out too far, you can put more stress on your shoulder joint and oblique muscles, which can lead to injury. Additionally, bringing the elbows in further engages the target muscles. Apply at an angle of 30–45º.
- Avoid leaning back – Keep your back as straight as possible as leaning back when shoulder pressing puts unnecessary pressure on the spine. Spotler helps you adjust your position.
Dumbbell shoulder press variations
While standing shoulder presses with dumbbells are the most common, there is more than one way to engage your shoulder muscles.
Seated shoulder press
To perform a seated dumbbell shoulder press, set the back pad of the adjustable weight bench to a right angle – a “click” or two from the top is usually fine.
From here, lean back on the mat, bring the dumbbells to your shoulders and lift them up.
Arnold Press
Named after Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Arnold Press incorporates arm rotation. You can do the Arnold press sitting or standing.
Here’s how to perform this exercise:
- Keep the palms at the level of your shoulders and do it with your palms facing you
- Raise the dumbbells as you rotate your wrists outward
- Lower the palms, reverse the movement so that your palms face inward
Start shoulder pressing today
Whichever variation you choose, shoulder presses with dumbbells can greatly increase upper body strength and help 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 try the new shoulder press know-how.
Sources:
Cleveland Clinic. Shoulder muscles. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21798-shoulder-muscles
WebMD How to make a shoulder press. https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/how-to-shoulder-press
#Shoulders #Dumbbells #tips #benefits #video
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