Dumbbell Exercises For The Shoulders: Overhead Press, Palm-In Press, Arnold Press

Related Articles

Dumbbell Exercises For The Shoulders: Overhead Press, Palm-In Press, Arnold PressThe shoulders serve as one of the major exercises that people train in their workout program. Along with a defined chest, massive back, huge arms, chiseled abs, and muscular legs, a well-trained shoulder complex adds aesthetics to a person’s overall physique. While the barbell, Smith machine, and cables can all be used to train the shoulders, the dumbbells also serve as portable and flexible tools maximize shoulder development.

The following are some dumbbell exercises that a person can do to improve the shoulders.

Overhead Shoulder Press

One of the dumbbell exercises for the shoulders is the overhead shoulder press, also known as overhead press. According to Men’s Fitness, it is the safest way to do any pressing movement.

The exercise is done, with the use of utility bench, each hand holding a dumbbell on top of each thigh. Then, the dumbbells are raised to shoulder height, one at a time, using the thighs to lift them up into position. After that, the wrists are rotated so the palms of the hands are facing forward. Then, the person breathes out and pushes the dumbbells up until they touch at the top. The person pauses at the top of the contracted position and then breathes in while gradually lowers the weights back down to the starting position. The exercise is done for the recommended number of repetitions.

Palm-In Dumbbell Press

As a variation of the overhead shoulder press, the palm-in dumbbell press is also a compound pushing exercise for the shoulders.

According to Body Building, the person starts the exercise by holding dumbbells while the arm completely extended to the side. Then, he gradually lifts the dumbbells up until he forms a 90 degree angle with the arms. A good practice is that the forearms should be perpendicular to the floor in the starting position. Once ready, the person gradually lifts the dumbbells up until the arms become fully extended, maintaining a neutral grip throughout the whole exercise. Then, he breathes in while lowering the weights down until the arms are at a 90 degree angle.

See also  5 Effective Home Remedies to Keep Mosquitoes Away

Arnold Press

The Arnold Press is another dumbbell exercise that hits the three heads of the deltoid, according to Men’s Health Fitness Director BJ Gaddour. Gaddour said that most guys got plenty of work on the anterior or front deltoids (also known as delts) from pushups and bench presses, but many are missing the medial (lateral) and the posterior (back) heads. As per the publication, the lateral head adds thickness and width to the shoulders and makes a person appear bigger, even when in a sleeveless shirt or shirtless. Meanwhile, the posterior deltoid head is responsible for stabilizing the shoulder joint and improving posture. It also helps major pulling muscle groups during exercises like pullups, deadlifts, farmer’s walks, and rows.

To perform the exercise, the person sits on an exercise bench with back support and then holds two dumbbells in front of him at upper chest level with the palms facing the body, with the elbows slightly bent. A good practice is to keep the arms next to the torso. For the starting position, the person does the contracted part of the dumbbell curl. Once ready, the person raises the dumbbells as he rotates the palms of his hands until they are facing forward. Then, he continues lifting the dumbbells until the arms become extended above him in straight arm position, exhaling as he does the movement. The person pauses at the top of the movement and then inhales as he lowers the dumbbells to the initial position by rotating the palms of the hands towards him. A good practice is to rotate the left arm counterclockwise while the right arm clockwise. The exercise is done for the recommended number of repetitions.

Overall, the shoulders add width to a person’s physique and dumbbells, barbells, and cables can be used to make it happen. Still, maximum shoulder development is achieved with constant training, proper nutrition, and adequate rest.

More on this topic

Comments

Popular stories