Exercise guide
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Shoulders · Dumbbell
Form cues
- Sit with back support, palms forward
- Press dumbbells overhead until touching
- Lower slowly back to shoulders
How to do Dumbbell Shoulder Press, step by step
- 1While holding a dumbbell in each hand, sit on a military press bench or utility bench that has back support.
- 2Place the dumbbells upright on top of your thighs.
- 3Now raise the dumbbells to shoulder height one at a time using your thighs to help propel them up into position.
- 4Make sure to rotate your wrists so that the palms of your hands are facing forward.
- 5This is your starting position.
- 6Now, exhale and push the dumbbells upward until they touch at the top.
- 7Then, after a brief pause at the top contracted position, slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position while inhaling.
- 8Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Muscles worked
- Main muscle
- Shoulders
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
Sets and reps
How the free programs use it:
- Push / Pull / LegsPush · 3 × 8–10
- Bro SplitBeginner swap for Standing Military Press · 4 × 6–8
- Arnold SplitBeginner swap for Arnold Dumbbell Press · 4 × 8–10
- Upper / LowerBeginner swap for Standing Military Press · 3 × 6–8
- Full BodyFull Body A · 2 × 10–12
- PPL + Upper / LowerPush · 3 × 8–10
- PPL / Arnold HybridPush · 3 × 8–10
- Upper / LowerUpper A · 3 × 8–10
- Lower Body / Glute FocusUpper A · 3 × 10–12
- PPL / Arnold HybridBeginner swap for Standing Military Press · 4 × 6–8
- 2-Day Full BodyFull Body B · 3 × 8–12
- PPL + Upper / LowerBeginner swap for Arnold Dumbbell Press · 3 × 8–10
- Dumbbell Full BodyFull Body A · 2 × 10–12
- Power + Size Upper / LowerBeginner swap for Standing Military Press · 3 × 5–6
Track it in Forged Axis
Log every set, see what you lifted last time, and get a new PR when you beat it. Want Devin to check your form? Higher coaching levels include form-check videos.