Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press

oec:seated-dumbbell-shoulder-press

An overhead pressing movement performed seated on a supported bench to build shoulder and triceps strength and hypertrophy.

Generated by gemini-3.8-flash from the sources below. No person has checked this record. Don't rely on it for safety.

Also called: Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press, Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Dumbbell Overhead Press, Dumbbell OHP, Seated DB Shoulder Press, Military Press with Dumbbells, OHP Dumbbells, Overhead press Dumbbells, Shoulder Press, Dumbbells

How to do it

Setup

Adjust a bench backrest to a nearly vertical position, roughly 75 to 85 degrees.
Sit back firmly against the pad with feet flat on the floor.
Kick the dumbbells up from your knees one at a time to shoulder height, holding them with your elbows positioned slightly forward in the scapular plane.

Movement

Press both dumbbells vertically upward until your arms are fully extended overhead without violently locking your elbows.
Pause briefly at the top while keeping the weights balanced over your shoulders.
Lower the dumbbells in a controlled descent back to just above shoulder level.

Breathing

Inhale before pressing or as you lower the weights, and exhale forcefully as you drive the dumbbells overhead.

Cues

Press yourself down into the seat.
Keep elbows slightly in front of your shoulders, not flared wide.
Control the descent all the way to the shoulders.

Common faults

Excessively arching the lower back off the pad to press at a flatter angle.: Brace your core, keep your ribcage down, and maintain full contact between your upper back, hips, and the seat.
Flaring elbows completely out to the sides.: Tuck elbows roughly 30 to 45 degrees forward into the scapular plane to protect the shoulder joints.
Clanging the dumbbells together at the top.: Press straight up and slightly inward along a natural arc without colliding the weights.

Safety

If you reach failure, lower the dumbbells under control to your knees rather than dropping them to the sides.

Muscles

Front deltoid prime mover
Side deltoid synergist
Triceps brachii synergist
Pectoralis major, clavicular head synergist
Upper trapezius synergist
Serratus anterior synergist
Rotator cuff stabilizer

Joints

Shoulder: Abduction, Flexion
Shoulder blade: Upward rotation, Elevation
Elbow: Extension

Details

Movement: Vertical push, Push
Modality: Strength, Hypertrophy
Mechanics: compound
Force: push
Laterality: bilateral
Kinetic chain: open
Level: beginner
Equipment: Dumbbell; Adjustable bench or Flat bench
Record: Repetitions and Load
Load: external, per implement

substitute for Seated Barbell Overhead Press
substitute for Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press
substitute for Machine Shoulder Press
substitute for Smith Machine Shoulder Press
regression of Barbell Overhead Press

Sources

wger: Shoulder Press, Dumbbells, by wger.de (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

This record: CC-BY-SA-4.0.

Data

seated-dumbbell-shoulder-press.json