Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press
How to do it
Starting position
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand and set your feet hip-width apart.
- Raise the dumbbells to the sides of your shoulders to get into the starting position.
- Keep your elbow slightly in front of your torso.
- Keep your ribs down and squeeze your glutes and abs.
Movement
- Press the dumbbell straight up overhead.
- At the top, bring the two dumbbells close together.
- Pause briefly when your arm is almost fully extended.
- Slowly lower it to the side of your shoulder.
Breathing
Exhale as you press up, and inhale as you lower.
Trainer tips
- Brace your abs to keep your torso from swaying
- Press the dumbbells together toward a single point overhead
Cautions
- If you arch your lower back as you press, your lower back works instead of your shoulders.
- If your elbows flare completely out to the sides, the front of your shoulders gets pinched.
- If the weight is heavy and your body sways, switch to a seated variation.
- If raising your arms overhead is uncomfortable, start with an incline press at a lower angle.
- Using lower back momentum to push up
- Having the dumbbells at uneven heights
Exercise info
| Primary muscles |  Front delts Side delts |
|---|---|
| Secondary muscles | Triceps · Abs |
| Equipment |  Dumbbell |
| Movement pattern | Vertical push |
| Rep range | 8–12 reps |
11 similar exercises
Representative exercise: Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press
- Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
- Bottle Weighted Shoulder Press
- Dumbbell Standing Palms In Press
- Dumbbell Standing Behind Back Shoulder Press
- Dumbbell Seated Neutral Grip Shoulder Press
- Dumbbell Alternate Shoulder Press
- Dumbbell Half Kneeling Military Press
- Dumbbell Seated Alternate Shoulder Press
- Dumbbell Standing Alternate Overhead Press
- Dumbbell Standing Close Grip Shoulder Press
- Dumbbell Single Leg Standing Shoulder Press
Exercise GuideDoes your lower back arch as you press?Watch the video and see how to fix it
How GYMKC sets the weight for this exercise
For example, if you do 8 reps with 12 kg in each hand and log that you could have done about 2 more, GYMKC estimates your 1RM per hand at about 16.2 kg.
With the dumbbell, each step is 2 kg (5 lb), so the next weight is 14 kg per hand. Within your 8–12 reps target, the sets you log decide whether to add reps first or add weight.
These numbers are an example of how the calculation works. Your actual prescription is recalculated every set from your own records. See how the calculation works
Related exercises
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder PressEasierMachine Military Press (Plate Loaded)EasierDumbbell Variable PressHarderDumbbell Kneeling One Arm Bottoms Up PressHarderBarbell Overhead PressSimilar exerciseSmith Standing Military PressSimilar exerciseParallette Pike Push-UpSimilar exerciseLandmine Single Arm PressSame muscle · different equipmentBand Shoulder PressSame muscle · different equipment
This information is based on our analysis of public content from evidence-based training experts in Korea and abroad. It is not a substitute for medical advice.
Weights and sets differ from person to person. The GYMKC app uses the sets you log to calculate the weight and reps for your next set.