Arnold press

4 × 8-12  ·  Equipment: No equipment, Dumbbells

Muscle groups: Shoulders · Arms

How to do arnold press

1. Sit or stand holding dumbbells at shoulder height with your palms facing you.
2. Brace your abs and keep your ribs down so you do not arch your back.
3. Press overhead while rotating your palms forward as you pass head height.
4. Extend your elbows at the top without fully locking and squeeze your shoulder for 1 second.
5. Lower with control rotating your palms back to the start.
6. Do 8-12 reps per set.

Mistakes to avoid

• Do not arch your lower back as you press: brace your abs and glutes; use a weight you control.
• Do not raise the weights fast or drop them on the way down; control the rotation.
• Do not force the end range if your shoulder hurts: stop the press where the joint is comfortable.
• Stop at any sharp shoulder or neck pain and reduce the weight or the range.

Progression

• Start with 4 sets of 8-10 with a moderate weight: when you hit 12 clean reps, add 4-5 lbs per dumbbell.
• Increase the weight every couple of weeks in small steps, always controlling the rotation.
• You can also add a 3-second slow lowering phase or shorter rest between sets for more tension.