“The seated dumbbell press is a vertical press done with dumbbells, and it’s a great one-sided compound – or multi-joint – exercise for upper body strength and muscle development,” said John Shackleton, CSCS, performance coach for the basketball program of men. at Villanova University.

The movement is aimed specifically at and strengthens all muscles around the shoulder complex. The deltoids – you have two; one that covers each shoulder – are the main muscles that work here as you push the dumbbells overhead. Each deltoid muscle consists of three different parts, all of which are worked on with dumbbell shoulder presses while sitting. The middle deltas (also known as the acromial deltas) are the main movements, while the anterior and posterior deltas support and stabilize the shoulder joint throughout the movement.

“Overall, the seated dumbbell press is a great variation of the press that, if done correctly, will keep your shoulders strong and healthy,” says Shackleton. Would you like to try it out? Here’s a step-by-step guide courtesy of Shackleton.

How to prepare for a seated dumbbell shoulder press

To safely perform this movement, you will need two dumbbells (start with lighter ones for the first time) and a bench.

Start sitting on a bench with your feet just below your knees and your back flat against the cushion. Bring the dumbbells to your shoulders and pull your elbows away from your body in line with your wrists. The heads of the dumbbells should lightly touch the outside of your shoulders. “Think that the rib cage is flared down rather than up to keep the lower back firm and firm against the pad and core,” says Shackleton.

“It is important to make sure the hands are just outside the shoulders and the heads of the dumbbells are touching the head as this is the optimal hand-width placement for shoulder health and performance as the shoulder joint is tightly packed,” he adds.

You will also want to keep your elbows aligned under the dumbbells before you start pressing. “You want the force to go straight into the dumbbells. If the elbows are flared to the side, there is unnecessary strain on the shoulders and you cannot push as much weight and can injure yourself, ”he says.

How to do a seated dumbbell shoulder press

1. From the starting position, take a deep breath through your nose. As you exhale, push the dumbbells straight up. When you’re done pressing, your biceps should be in line with your ears.

2. Hold the dumbbells above your head for 1-2 seconds.

3. Bring the dumbbells in a controlled manner to the starting position for 3-4 seconds of eccentric muscle contraction. “This is gentle on the shoulder joint and lets the shoulder stabilizers do their job,” he says.

4. Repeat.

Check out this video from our friends Livestrong to see exactly how to do an overhead press with dumbbells:

Who is the seated shoulder press with dumbbells best for?

You can adjust the weight of your dumbbells based on your fitness level, which makes this a great way to start off with strengthening your shoulders and arms. (It also requires slightly less core strength than a standing dumbbell shoulder press.) However, if you have a pre-existing shoulder injury, you may not want to do this exercise. “If you lack shoulder mobility, make sure you have a fully functioning shoulder before you push overhead,” says Shackleton.

You can do a mobility test to see how much range of motion you have. Here’s how: Stand up with your arms at your sides, raise your arms straight up, and keep your elbows fully extended throughout the movement. Check how far you can extend. If you can get your biceps in line with your ears without feeling any pain, then you have a good range of motion for that movement.

If you get stuck in front of your ears or head, it means there is weakness and you should work on improving your shoulder mobility before doing overhead presses and trying a seated dumbbell shoulder press. Work on a mobility fitness program with a trainer to progress first and strengthen the shoulder area.

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