Shoulder Press (Dumbbell)
Press two dumbbells from the shoulders to arm's length overhead. Also called DB Shoulder Press, Seated Dumbbell Press and Dumbbell Overhead Press.
- Pattern
- Press overhead
- Equipment
- Dumbbells
- Works
- Front delt, side delt, triceps
- Loads
- Shoulders, elbows, wrists
If something hurts
Not medical advice. Sharp pain, numbness or swelling needs someone qualified to look at it.
Each swap below spares one joint.
Shoulder Landmine PressTry it if it feels okay
Angled press, so the shoulder never goes overhead and the wrist stays neutral.
Elbow Front Raise (Dumbbell)
A raise's elbow stays fixed, so no elbow bend loads it.
Wrist Landmine Press
Angled press, so the shoulder never goes overhead and the wrist stays neutral.
When it stalls, these usually help
The top of a press is triceps work, and close-grip bench trains it with more weight.
Direct side-delt work, which pressing only partly covers.
Holds the shoulder blades steady so the press has a solid base.
How Swolver coaches it
This lift is read from your own sessions. When it goes flat for four weeks, Swolver names the likely cause in plain words, such as weekly sets that dropped, and the one change to make. The rules are all on the method page.