Dumbbell shoulder press

4 × 8-10  ·  Equipment: Dumbbells, Bench

Muscle groups: Shoulders · Arms

How to do dumbbell shoulder press

1. Sit on the bench with a backrest, set your back firmly and hold the dumbbells at shoulder height.
2. Turn your palms forward and keep your elbows at about 45 degrees from your torso.
3. Brace your abs and glutes to lock the hips and avoid arching your lower back.
4. Press the dumbbells overhead until your elbows are almost straight, without clashing them.
5. Pause briefly at the top with your shoulders kept down.
6. Lower with control until your elbows are just below shoulder level.

Mistakes to avoid

• Do not arch your lower back by pushing your hips forward; keep your core tight.
• Avoid descending too deep with heavy weight if your shoulder hurts; lower until your elbows align.
• Do not forcefully lock your elbows at the top.
• Do not jerk or use leg drive; if you need momentum, the weight is too heavy.

Progression

• Work with a weight you control for 8-10 reps and add reps week by week.
• Once you master 10 clean reps, raise the load by 2-3%.
• Alternate: more weight one week, more reps the next, to keep progressing.
• Add sets with a 1-2 second pause at the top to build strength and control.