Single-Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press
oec:single-arm-dumbbell-shoulder-press
An overhead pressing exercise performed unilaterally with a dumbbell to develop shoulder strength and core stability.
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: Single-Arm Dumbbell Overhead Press, One-Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press, One-Arm Dumbbell Overhead Press, Standing Single-Arm Dumbbell Press
How to do it
Setup
- Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a single dumbbell in one hand.
- Bring the dumbbell up to shoulder level with the elbow directly beneath your wrist.
- Brace your core, squeeze your glutes, and keep the non-working arm extended or resting at your side.
Movement
- Press the dumbbell vertically overhead in a smooth, straight path until the arm is fully extended.
- Pause briefly at the top without shrugging the shoulder excessively toward your ear.
- Lower the dumbbell under control back to the starting position at shoulder height.
- Complete the desired repetitions, then switch hands and repeat on the opposite side.
Breathing
Inhale before pressing, brace your midsection, and exhale as the dumbbell passes the halfway point overhead; inhale as you lower the weight.
Cues
- Knuckles to the ceiling
- Keep your ribs pulled down
- Elbow stacked under the wrist
Common faults
- Leaning sideways away from or toward the loaded side to assist the press.
- Brace the core aggressively to keep your torso completely upright throughout the movement.
- Hyperextending the lower back as the weight goes overhead.
- Squeeze your glutes and lock your ribcage down to maintain a neutral spine.
- Flaring the elbow excessively out to the side during the press.
- Keep the elbow slightly angled into the scapular plane, roughly 30 to 45 degrees in front of the torso.
Safety
- Do not drop the dumbbell from overhead at the end of a set; lower it under control to shoulder height first.
Muscles
Joints
- Shoulder: Abduction, Flexion
- Shoulder blade: Upward rotation, Elevation
- Elbow: Extension
- Lumbar spine: Isometric stabilization
Details
- Movement
- Vertical push, Anti-lateral-flexion
- Modality
- Strength, Hypertrophy
- Mechanics
- compound
- Force
- push
- Laterality
- unilateral
- Kinetic chain
- open
- Level
- beginner
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Record
- Repetitions and Load
- Load
- external, total
Related
- substitute for Barbell Overhead Press
- substitute for Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Sources
- wger: Single-arm dumbbell shoulder press, by evtimovgeorg (CC-BY-SA-4.0)
This record: CC-BY-SA-4.0.