Shoulder press, the exercise to strengthen and tone

The overhead shoulder press is probably one of the most popular upper body exercises seen in the gym. It is an exercise that develops great strength, muscles and stability in the upper body.

This movement consists of pressing a weight straight above the head. The main muscles that are worked in the shoulder press are the three parts (or heads) of the shoulders, including the anterior (front), lateral (side) and posterior (rear). But it also involves the deep core muscles, upper back muscles, pecs, and triceps.

This movement demands a lot from the mobility of the shoulders. If we feel any discomfort with this move, it’s probably best to skip it. And anyone with previous shoulder injuries should speak to a physical therapist or doctor before trying.

Technique

If we perform the overhead shoulder press in a seated position with our back pressed against the back of a pad, the core activation will disappear. The shoulders and triceps will do all the work. To support the spine, we will place our back against the back of the bench. This can reduce the force with which the abdomen has to work and allows us to really isolate the shoulders.

  1. Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the floor, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Hold the weights at your sides with your forearms vertical, hands in a neutral grip with your fingers toward your face. The arms and shoulders should be slightly in front of the body. Tighten the core.
  3. As you exhale, press both dumbbells up and in toward each other.
  4. Lower the weights back to the starting position with control.

Advantages

There are several positive effects of including the shoulder press in your exercise routine. Pressing weight above the head can improve posture and strengthen the entire body.

Stronger upper body muscles

The dumbbell shoulder press works on all three heads of the deltoid, but it really targets the anterior and lateral delts. These muscles are involved in many of our daily activities, such as lifting a box overhead or putting on a sweatshirt.

Therefore, building shoulder strength through exercise can help make our daily tasks a little easier and (hopefully) painless. But the benefits don’t end there. The muscles of the chest, triceps, upper back, and neck also help the shoulders to press overhead.

Core stability

Whenever we lift something overhead, the deep core muscles work like a weight belt to keep the back safe and stable. They even help prevent weights from falling off.

To avoid an excessive arch in the lower back or the rib cage protruding when pressing overhead, the core must be strong. Using progressive overload when training the shoulder press will not only strengthen your shoulders, but will also improve core strength and stability.

To get the most benefit from dumbbell shoulder presses, it is recommended to tuck in your tailbone and press your lower back behind you. Also, doing the standing version requires more stability of the abdomen compared to the seated movement.

Balanced muscles and better posture

Most people have a dominant arm (right or left) that is stronger than the other. Over time, these muscle imbalances can lead to poor posture, especially if your exercise routine doesn’t include a lot of one-sided exercises. Because dumbbell shoulder presses load each arm separately, they help level out imbalances.

Overhead shoulder presses are a posture change if done right. Core weakness and muscle imbalance are the cause of poor posture in many people. But considering that this exercise addresses both factors, it can also help improve posture.

Advice

Performing the same exercise repeatedly can lead to boredom, overuse, and a decrease in performance and progress. Therefore, if we are looking to train the same muscles required in the overhead press but want to vary the workouts, you should keep these tips in mind.

Keep your shoulder blades back and down

It is common for people to shrug their shoulders while lifting the dumbbells. But doing so can add tension to your neck and minimize many of the benefits of strength-building exercise. After all, when you shrug, it means that we are concentrating the weight on the upper traps, rather than on the shoulders.

As we prepare for a shoulder press, imagine pulling your shoulder blades away from your ears and lowering them. Maintain this position throughout the exercise.

Use a comfortable grip

There are different ways we can hold the dumbbells during this exercise. For beginners, holding the dumbbells with your fingers towards your face (also known as a neutral grip) is probably the most comfortable. But we can also grip the weights at an angle with the fingers midway between a neutral and pronation grip (fingers facing outward). For many people, this angle feels more comfortable on the shoulders. Sometimes people start the bottom of each rep with an overhand grip and end overhead with a neutral grip.

Lastly, another popular grip you see for this move is the full pronation grip, which is another option to consider. This places the greatest emphasis on the lateral delts.

Squeeze your core and tilt your pelvis

When doing dumbbell shoulder presses, we may feel the arch of our lower back and chest stick out. But the body should be in a relatively straight line from head to hips.

Everyone’s back has a little natural curve, but we shouldn’t push our chest out while doing this exercise. When we push the chest, we put your back in a compromised position. When your lower back arches too much, it puts unwanted pressure on your spine.

To help fix this shoulder pressure error, it is recommended that we squeeze the abdomen and give the tailbone a little crease. This will push your lower back back and help keep your spine in proper alignment.

Get down all you can

We are all different in how low the dumbbells can (and should) drop with each rep. Some people will be able to lower themselves until their upper arms are almost parallel to the ground. Others may go lower, until the weights are in line with their shoulders.

The best range of motion that suits us is determined by the unique shape of the shoulder joint. It should never be lowered to the point of feeling discomfort.

Use a light weight

We don’t need very heavy dumbbells to strengthen our shoulders. In fact, starting with lighter dumbbells can help you build more muscle.

Technique is important in all exercises, but it is a great focal point with this particular movement. In order for the shoulder muscles to receive the attention they deserve, we must perform a full and comfortable range of motion. That can be difficult if we use weights that are too heavy.

Using too heavy a pair of weights can also be tough on your shoulders. When we push a weight that is too much, we will add stress to the joints and may begin to falter in technique. This can cause discomfort during exercise and can even lead to injury later in life. It is recommended to start super light with a weight that we can press for 12 repetitions without much difficulty.

pesas para press de hombros

Variants

In addition to controlling the strict shoulder press, there are some variations and modifications. They don’t necessarily have to be easier, but we can use different types of training materials.

Standing neutral shoulder press

Working the upper body from a standing position implies less stability, which means that we will exercise the abdomen more intensely. Due to this instability, we will likely need to use lighter weights than with seated reps.

  1. Stand with your feet flat on the floor, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Grab the weights at the sides with your forearms vertical and your palms facing each other. The arms should be slightly in front of the body. Tighten the core.
  3. As you exhale, press both dumbbells up and in toward each other.
  4. Lower the weights back to the starting position with control.

Standing pronation dumbbell press

If we have a high level of mobility in the shoulders, this grip in pronation helps to put more emphasis on the lateral delts. Only do this shoulder press variation if you feel comfortable.

  1. Stand with your feet flat on the floor, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Keep the weights at your sides with your forearms vertical and your palms facing forward. The arms should be slightly in front of the body. Tighten the core.
  3. As you exhale, press both dumbbells up and in toward each other.
  4. Lower the weights back to the starting position with control.

One-arm landmine press

Rather than forcing us to press directly overhead, the landmine shoulder press causes us to move at an angle. This is a more comfortable position for many people and does not require a lot of shoulder mobility to do it correctly. We can also do this movement by holding the bar with both hands. This requires less shoulder stability and can be a good option when starting shoulder press exercises.

  1. Stand in front of a landmine with a barbell attached.
  2. Grab the free end of the barbell in one hand at shoulder height with the elbow pointing downward.
  3. Press the bar up in front of the body until the arm is fully extended.
  4. Lower the bar to shoulder height.

Dumbbell Push-Press

The push-press is a full-body movement that works all the usual shoulder press muscles along with the quads and glutes. Because the lower body helps, it is likely that more weight can be used than with strict presses.

  1. Stand with your feet flat on the ground, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Hold the weights at your sides with your forearms vertical and your palms facing each other. The arms and shoulders should be slightly in front of the body. Tighten the core.
  3. Slightly bend your knees, then immediately exhale and press both dumbbells overhead.
  4. As you extend your arms, straighten your knees.
  5. Slightly bend your knees again and lower the weights back to the starting position with control.

Resistance band press

Having no dumbbells shouldn’t be a problem doing this exercise. When doing this variation of the resistance band, it is advisable to start with a light band since as we press the band, it will become “heavier”.

  1. Stand up with a long loop resistance band anchored under your feet.
  2. Grab the other end of the band in each hand with the band behind your back.
  3. Raise your hands until your elbows are in line with your shoulders. Squeeze your abdomen.
  4. As you exhale, press the band up over your head.
  5. Lower your back to the starting position.