Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press Guide

This exercise is gonna target your deltoids, with emphasis on the front and medial head.

To initiate the setup, adjust the bench so that the incline is just short of 90 degrees, and place the dumbbells in front. Then hover over the seat of the bench and place your feet just outside and behind the dumbbells. From here, bend over and grab the weight firmly in the palms of your hands with your thumbs wrapped around, and lift them comfortably onto your knees as you sit back onto the bench placing your glutes directly in contact with the crease. Then, straighten out your back, and hoist the dumbbells up one at a time by kicking up your knee. Keep the weight close to your body and tilt your elbows outwards until the dumbbells are just in front and above your shoulders. Then, depress your shoulder blades, contract your abs, and adjust your feet into a comfortable position before planting them firmly into the ground.

The starting position should look something like this where your chest is up, your elbows are angled slightly forward, your entire back is in contact with the bench, your forearms are vertical, and your eyes are pointed directly forward. From the front, the dumbbells should be straight and your elbows should be angled down, but from the side, both should be tilted forward in the same direction.

From here, begin the ascent by pressing the dumbbells straight up directly over your shoulders, while keeping your back straight, your head against the bench, and your elbows tucked in. Keep your forearms vertical and the weight directly over your wrists, and really feel the contraction in your shoulders as you press the weight up. Avoid letting the dumbbells touch, and fully extend your arms at the top without locking your elbows, so that your arms are vertical and the weight is directly above.

From here, begin the descent by controlling the dumbbells straight down directly over your shoulders. Again, keep your back straight, your head against the bench, and your elbows angled forward, as well as your forearms vertical and the weight directly over your wrists, and lower the dumbbells down until they’re just above your shoulders and your elbows are slightly angled towards the ground.

Some things to avoid are pressing the dumbbells in rather than up, flaring your elbows out, pushing the weight forward, arching your lower back, and flexing your neck to push your head against the bench. Instead, keep your spine neutral, your elbows tucked in, and control the weight straight up and down directly over your shoulders.

To incorporate this into your routine, choose a moderately heavy weight for 3-4 sets of anywhere from 8-15 reps.