Muscle Groups
- Shoulders
Purposes
- Deltoid strength
- Triceps strength
Overview
The alternating dumbbell shoulder press performed standing works on the shoulders and triceps. Using dumbbells while standing allows you to cheat a little and therefore use more weight. This is important if you are trying to build strong shoulders. By alternating each arm you allow the muscles just enough rest to squeeze out a few extra reps. Using dumbbells requires you to recruit more stabilizer and core muscles and therefore you work more of the shoulder muscles during the workout.
Description
- Standing tall, hold the dumbbells in both hands at shoulder level, palms forward.
- Keep your back straight and your chest up at all time.
- Press one dumbbell up until your arm is straight and the elbow is in line with your ear, then return to shoulder level.
- Repeat with the other side.
Mistakes
- Excessive arching of the back
- Pressing the dumbbells too far in front of the head, instead of directly overhead
- Torso bending to the sides
