Dumbbell Shoulder Press

The dumbbell shoulder press is a vertical push exercise where you press two dumbbells from shoulder height to overhead. It mainly trains your shoulder muscles and triceps, and it also challenges your core because you have to stay tall while both arms move at the same time.

Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level, palms facing forward or slightly inward. Your elbows should be under or just in front of the dumbbells, not flared straight out to the sides. Brace your midsection and keep your ribcage down.

Press both dumbbells straight up. Keep the weights balanced over your forearms. Lock your elbows at the top without shrugging your shoulders toward your ears. Lower the dumbbells under control back to shoulder height. Repeat for the set.

Breathe in at the bottom and brace your core before each rep. Exhale as you press the weight overhead. For an easier option, sit on a bench with back support. For a harder option, press from a standing position without back support, or alternate one arm at a time.

Fault: Lower back arches heavily as the weight goes up. Fix: Squeeze your glutes and keep your ribcage down; press lighter until you can stay neutral from start to finish.

Fault: Elbows flare out to the sides like a goalpost. Fix: Tuck your elbows slightly forward so they stay under or in front of the dumbbells at the bottom.

Fault: Dumbbells drift forward or back instead of traveling in a straight line. Fix: Look straight ahead, keep your wrists stacked over your forearms, and press the weights directly over the middle of your shoulders.