Arnold Press (Dumbbell)
ShouldersCompoundPushDumbbellsIntermediate
Shoulder press with a twist: start with palms facing you and the dumbbells in front of your chest, rotating to palms forward as you press. The twist lengthens the path and spreads the work across all three deltoid heads.
Visual guide
Reference photo — start and end of the movement.
How to perform
- 1.Seated with back support, dumbbells in front of your chest with palms facing you.
- 2.Press upward while rotating the wrists outward.
- 3.Finish with arms extended and palms facing forward.
- 4.Lower while reversing the twist back to the start.
Common mistakes
- ●Arching the lower back as you press
- ●Rotating only the wrists at the end instead of through the whole path
- ●Lowering without control
- ●Using a weight that breaks the twisting technique
Proper technique
The rotation accompanies the entire path — it is not a finishing gesture. Elbows travel from the front out to the sides. Slightly less weight than a regular press: the path is longer.
Base exercise
← Dumbbell Shoulder PressVariants
Other exercises that work the same primary muscle.
muscle map
primary
secondary
Primary
- Front deltoid
- Side deltoid
Secondary
- Triceps brachii
- Serratus anterior
- Upper traps
- Mid traps
- Lower traps