Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1

   Sit on an upright bench set to 85-90 degrees with feet flat on the floor and back firmly pressed against the pad.

2. 2

   Clean the dumbbells to shoulder height with palms facing forward, elbows directly beneath the wrists at roughly 90 degrees.

3. 3

   Brace your core and press both dumbbells upward in a slight arc, allowing them to converge naturally overhead without clanking together.

4. 4

   Fully extend your arms at the top without locking the elbows aggressively, maintaining tension in the deltoids.

5. 5

   Lower the dumbbells under control until your upper arms are parallel to the floor or elbows reach approximately 90 degrees.

6. 6

   Repeat for the prescribed reps, exhaling on the press and inhaling on the descent.

Common Mistakes

• Arching the lower back excessively off the pad, shifting the load onto the upper chest and increasing spinal compression.

• Flaring the elbows too far behind the torso at the bottom, which places excessive stress on the anterior shoulder capsule.

• Using momentum or a leg drive to initiate the press, reducing time under tension for the deltoids.

• Pressing the dumbbells too far forward instead of directly overhead, turning the movement into an incline press pattern.

About This Exercise

The dumbbell seated overhead press is a foundational shoulder builder that develops pressing strength and deltoid mass from a stabilized seated position. By using dumbbells instead of a barbell, each arm works independently, correcting imbalances and demanding greater stabilizer recruitment from the rotator cuff. This movement primarily loads the anterior deltoid and lateral deltoid with significant triceps involvement during lockout.

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