Arnold Shoulder Press | Illustrated Exercise Guide

Primary muscles: Shoulders
Secondary muscles: Triceps, upper back
Equipment: Dumbbells

ARNOLD SHOULDER PRESS INSTRUCTIONS

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Position the dumbbells at your shoulders, with your palms facing your body and your elbows bent.
3. Push the dumbbells up, rotate your palms outward, and fully extend your arms.
4. As you lower the dumbbells back to the starting position, rotate your palms inward.
5. Repeat until the set is complete.

PROPER FORM AND BREATHING PATTERN

Face forward, keep your back straight, open your chest, and exhale as you push the dumbbells up and rotate your palms. Give back support by engaging your core, maintain your hands shoulder-width apart and keep your elbows under your wrists.

EXERCISE BENEFITS

The Arnold shoulder press tones and sculpts your arms, shoulders, chest and back. This exercise helps to improve your upper body aesthetics and increases muscle strength and power.

DEMONSTRATION

SETS AND REPS

To build muscle mass and increase strength, grab a set of heavier dumbbells and do 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions. To trim, tone and sculpt your upper body, use lighter dumbbells and do 2 or 3, 30 second to 1 minute sets.

CALORIES BURNED

To calculate the number of calories burned doing the Arnold shoulder press, enter your weight and the duration of the exercise:

RELATED UPPER BODY EXERCISES

Try these other upper body exercises to tone, tighten and sculpt your triceps, biceps, chest, upper back and shoulders:
Asymmetrical push up
Elbow squeeze shoulder press
One arm triceps kickback
Bent over row press

WORKOUT ROUTINES