Jay Cutler's Training Tips: Dumbbell Shoulder Press Technique, by Muscle & Strength on YouTube. 2 min 54 s.
- Video length
- 2 min 54 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Set the bench backrest to an upright angle, roughly 80 to 90 degrees. Sit down with your feet flat on the floor and your back against the pad.
Pick a pair of dumbbells you can control for 8 to 12 reps. Rest them on your thighs one at a time before lifting them up.
Kick each dumbbell up to shoulder height, one side at a time. Palms face forward and elbows sit under the wrists, slightly in front of your body.
Brace your abs, keep your ribs down and your back on the pad. Press both dumbbells up over your head until your arms are almost straight.
Stop just short of locking out and leave a small gap between the dumbbells at the top. Do not bang them together.
Lower the weights slowly over about 2 to 3 seconds. Stop when your elbows are level with your shoulders, keeping them slightly tucked.
Keep your wrists stacked over your elbows for every rep. Do not let the wrists bend backwards under the load.
After your last rep, lower the dumbbells to your thighs, then set them down on the floor one at a time.
Tips and common mistakes
Do not arch your lower back off the pad to push the weight up; use a lighter pair instead.
Press straight up rather than behind your head, which puts extra strain on the shoulder joint.
Breathe out as you press up and in as you lower the dumbbells.
If you feel pinching in the front of the shoulder, stop and try a lighter weight or a shorter range of motion.
Questions
How heavy should the dumbbells be?
Choose a weight you can press for 8 to 12 reps with the last couple feeling hard but still controlled. Good form with lighter dumbbells beats swinging heavy ones.
Should I do these seated or standing?
Seated with back support is easier to control and protects your lower back. Standing works your core more but lets you cheat by leaning back.
How many sets should I do?
Three or four sets of 8 to 12 reps is a common starting point. Rest around 60 to 90 seconds between sets.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
