Shoulder Press
Equipment Needed
About This Exercise
A compound exercise that targets the deltoid muscles of the shoulders, as well as the triceps and upper chest.
How to Perform
- 1
Setup
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart or sit on a bench with back support. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing forward, elbows bent at about 90 degrees.
- 2
Brace Your Core
Engage your core and maintain a slight natural arch in your lower back. Keep your chest lifted and shoulders pulled back and down.
- 3
Press Up
Press the dumbbells straight up overhead, extending your arms fully without locking your elbows. The weights should come together slightly at the top.
- 4
Lower with Control
Slowly lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height with control, keeping tension in your shoulders throughout. Avoid letting the weights drop quickly.
Form Tips
- •Keep your core engaged to protect your lower back
- •Press the weights straight up, not forward
- •Avoid arching your lower back excessively
- •Control the weight on the way down
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- •Arching the lower back excessively
- •Pressing the weights forward instead of straight up
- •Shrugging shoulders up toward the ears
- •Using momentum by bouncing or jerking the weights
Primary Muscles
Secondary Muscles
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