Are you struggling to master the dumbbell one arm shoulder press? You’re not alone. Many people find this exercise difficult to perform correctly, leading to poor form and minimal results. The good news is, the reason for this problem is often due to a lack of proper technique and understanding of the muscles involved. Don’t worry, though, because in this post, I’m going to break down the proper form and provide helpful tips to help you master the dumbbell one arm shoulder press and see results in your shoulder strength and size.
Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press Summary
- Primary Muscles: Deltoid – Anterior
- Secondary Muscles: Deltoid – Lateral, Obliques, Pectoralis Major – Clavicular, Psoas major, and Serratus Anterior, Trapezius – Lower, Trapezius – Middle, and Triceps Brachii
- Equipment: Dumbbell
- Mechanics Type: Compound
- Force: Push
- Utility: Basic or Auxiliary
Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press Instructions
- You may start out by selecting a dumbbell.
- You can perform this with just one dumbbell or you can keep a dumbbell in your non-exercising hand.
- First Raise the dumbbell for your active arm to the starting position above your shoulder, you may want to set a wider base to maintain your balance.
- Next, press the dumbbell over your head until your arm is straight, don’t lock your elbow.
- Then lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
- Continue to do the press to obtain your needed total repetitions, then switch arms to complete the set.
Video Tutorial
Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press Muscles
Target (Agonist)
Synergists
- Deltoid – Lateral
- Obliques
- Pectoralis Major – Clavicular
- Psoas major
- Serratus Anterior
- Trapezius – Lower
- Trapezius – Middle
- Triceps Brachii
Dynamic Stabilizers
- Biceps Brachii
- Triceps – Long Head
Stabilizers
- Iliocastalis lumborum
- Iliocastalis thoracis
Antagonist Stabilizers
- None
Benefits of Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press
The Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press is an excellent exercise for strengthening the anterior deltoid muscle. This exercise helps to develop shoulder stability and strength in the anterior deltoid, which can help to improve posture and reduce the risk of shoulder injuries. The Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press also targets the triceps and trapezius muscles, allowing for a comprehensive workout that will help to develop strength and stability throughout the entire shoulder area. Additionally, this exercise is relatively easy to perform and can be modified to accommodate different levels of fitness.
Tips for Performing Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press
Should you desire to have the optimum muscle development, you need to adhere to these straightforward tips. Additionally, when you wish to protect yourself against injuries, you should abide by these tips.
- Start A Proper Warm Up Before You Start Adding Your Heavy Weight. Not appropriately doing a warmup doing a proper warm up is the most common way to injure yourself.
- Concentrate On Your Breathing. For this and most workouts breathing is very important. You have to be breathing out during your target muscle flexing and breathing in when your target muscles are extending.
- Without Exception Incorporate Complete Range Of Motion. Using total range of motion you will ensure that that you strain the whole muscle and that you keep your flexibility.
- Plan Your Workout Before You Get To The Gym. Make sure you arrange your exercise session in advance if you have a target. If perhaps your objective is only to maintain, you need to continue to have a plan when you start your workout.
Benefits and Tips Video
Frequent Mistakes To Avoid
You will want to not make these very common errors to have great technique and strength gains. Additionally, when you steer clear of these issues you will minimize the likelihood of developing injuries.
- Stop Cheating. In the majority of the time, cheating is applying momentum as a substitute for the strain of your primary muscle tissue. Once in a while, some cheating on your last rep can be good to overload your muscle, but not for more than a small number of reps.
- You Must Not Neglect Any Of Your Pains. Sore muscles and an injury pain are definitely not always the same. When you feel agony any time you are performing exercises you should stop, or you could simply make the injury worse yet.
- You Can’t Make It To Easy. The primary way to get stronger is to challenge yourself.
Find More Dumbbell Exercises Here
Variations and Complementary Exercises
This exercise is great for targeting the shoulder muscles, however there are other exercises you can use to work similar muscles. The following list contains variations, complements, and alternatives of the exercise Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press that can be used to target the same muscles.
Dumbbell Palms In Shoulder Press
The Dumbbell Palms In Shoulder Press is an excellent complementary or alternative exercise to the Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press. This exercise works the same muscle groups, but with a different range of motion. The palms in shoulder press involves holding two dumbbells at shoulder level and then pressing the weight above your head. This works the deltoids, triceps, and other shoulder muscles while also engaging the core. It is a great way to add variety to your shoulder workouts and can be done with heavier weights than the one arm shoulder press.
Dumbbell Push Press
The Dumbbell Push Press is a great complementary exercise to the Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press. It works all the same muscle groups, but in a slightly different way. The Push Press is performed by standing upright and pushing the dumbbells over your head as you bend your knees and extend your hips. This adds more power to the lift, allowing you to press more weight than you could with the One Arm Shoulder Press. The Push Press also helps to increase your power, explosiveness, and core strength. As an alternative exercise, the Push Press will help to further develop your shoulder muscles while also providing a full body workout.
Dumbbell W Press
The Dumbbell W Press is an effective alternative or complementary exercise to the Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press. This exercise works the same muscles as the One Arm Shoulder Press, with the addition of engaging the core and stabilizer muscles. It’s a great way to increase shoulder stability and strength while focusing on proper form. To perform the exercise, start in a standing position, with your feet shoulder-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand. Bend your elbows slightly and raise the dumbbells up to shoulder height with your palms facing each other. Then press the dumbbells up and away from each other in an arc, pushing your arms out and above your head. Finally, return to the starting position and repeat for desired reps.
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One Arm Band Shoulder Press
The One Arm Band Shoulder Press is a great complementary or alternative exercise for the Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press. This exercise requires an elastic resistance band and can be performed in a standing or seated position. It works the same muscles as the Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press, but with the added benefit of accommodating different levels of strength. Additionally, it can be easier to control form and intensity with the elastic resistance band due to its variable resistance. With this exercise, you will be able to target the same muscles as the Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press, but with less strain on your joints.
Seated Dumbbell Military Press
The Seated Dumbbell Military Press is an excellent complementary exercise to the Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press. It works the same muscle groups, but in a different way. This exercise requires you to sit on a bench and hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing forward. You then press the weights up and over your head, ending with your arms fully extended. It is important to keep your back straight and maintain proper form throughout the entire exercise. This exercise is great for building shoulder strength, as well as improving muscular endurance.
Seated Dumbbell Parallel Grip Shoulder Press
The Seated Dumbbell Parallel Grip Shoulder Press is an excellent complementary or alternative exercise for the Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press. This exercise focuses on the same muscles, the deltoids, but in a different way. Instead of using one arm, this exercise requires both arms to press the dumbbells up and down in unison. The parallel grip engages more of the shoulder muscles than the one arm shoulder press, and the seated position helps to keep the back straight and stabilize the core. This exercise is ideal for those looking to increase their shoulder strength, as well as to increase shoulder stability and muscle control.
Find More Shoulders Exercises Here
Opposing Complementary Exercises
In order to create a balanced workout routine, it is important to include exercises that work opposing muscle groups. For example, if you are doing the Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press, you should also do exercises that target the opposing muscles. To ensure a balanced workout, try the following exercises that complement the Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press:
Rear Pull Up
Rear Pull Up is a great complement to Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press. This exercise works the opposite muscle group, the back, allowing for a full-body workout. The Rear Pull Up utilizes the latissimus dorsi muscles and the upper back muscles to pull the body up against gravity. This helps to strengthen the back and improve posture, which is essential for good shoulder health. As the opposing muscle group, the Rear Pull Up helps to balance out the shoulder press, making it an important part of any fitness routine.
Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown
The reverse grip lat pulldown is a great complement to the dumbbell one arm shoulder press exercise. This exercise targets the back muscles, specifically the latissimus dorsi, which is an opposing muscle group to the shoulder muscles. By performing the reverse grip lat pulldown in conjunction with the one arm shoulder press, you can effectively build strength and muscle in both areas. In addition, the reverse grip lat pulldown also helps to improve posture, by strengthening the back muscles which can help to keep the shoulders back.
Underhand Lat Pulldown
The Underhand Lat Pulldown is a great complement to the Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press. This exercise works the opposite muscle group, targeting the back and lat muscles. It helps to balance out the shoulder press by strengthening the back muscles and providing support for the shoulder muscles. The exercise is done by sitting on a pulldown machine and using an underhand grip to pull down the bar to chest level. This exercise helps build strength and size in the back and lats, while also helping to improve posture. Additionally, by strengthening the back muscles, it can help to reduce shoulder and neck pain.
Take Your Shoulders to the Next Level with Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press!
If you’re looking to amp up your shoulder workout, try incorporating the dumbbell one arm shoulder press. This exercise is great for targeting specific areas of the shoulder and can help improve overall strength and definition. Plus, using only one arm creates an added challenge for your core and stabilizer muscles. As with any exercise, proper form is crucial to prevent injury and get the most out of your workout. Start with a lighter weight and focus on perfecting your form before increasing the weight.
References: Wikipedia | ExRx.net | PubMed.gov | Comprehensive List of Shoulders Dumbbell Exercises
