Dumbbell One-Arm Shoulder Press

How to perform

1. 01Grab a dumbbell and either sit on a military press bench or a utility bench that has a back support on it as you place the dumbbells upright on top of your thighs or stand up straight.
2. 02Clean the dumbbell up to bring it to shoulder height. The other hand can be kept fully extended to the side, by the waist or grabbing a fixed surface.
3. 03Rotate the wrist so that the palm of your hand is facing forward. This is your starting position.
4. 04As you exhale, push the dumbbell up until your arm is fully extended.
5. 05After a second pause, slowly come down back to the starting position as you inhale.
6. 06Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions and then switch arms.

Form cues

• —Brace your core before the first rep and keep it braced.
• —Drive through the full range — do not cut the lockout short.
• —Control the lowering phase — that is where most of the growth stimulus lives.

Common mistakes

• —Using momentum instead of the target muscle.
• —Cutting the range of motion short to add load.
• —Adding weight before the movement pattern is clean.