Shoulders
Dumbbell Military Press
The Dumbbell Military Press is a strength exercise with dumbbells for your shoulders. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: front delts 31%, side delts 17% and triceps (lateral head) 9%.
How to do it
- Stand with your heels close together and a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, palms forward.
- Squeeze your glutes and brace your abs so the body is stiff from feet to shoulders.
- Press both dumbbells straight up until the arms are straight overhead.
- Let the dumbbells come slightly toward each other at the top without touching.
- Lower them under control back to shoulder height.
Tips
- The narrow stance forces you to stay rigid, so keep the ribs down.
- Keep the forearms vertical under the dumbbells at the bottom.
Common mistakes
- Arching the lower back to finish the press.
- Letting the dumbbells drift forward in front of the face.
- Bending the knees to add a push from the legs.
Muscles worked by the Dumbbell Military Press
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
Dumbbells travel wider and need more stabilising (Saeterbakken 2013). Pressing overhead is shoulder flexion and abduction with elbow extension: the front delt leads, the lateral delt and triceps assist, and the upper traps and serratus rotate the shoulder blade up.
Dumbbell Military Press alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
Easier
No equipment
Make it harder
Make it easier
- Band Shoulder Press
- Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press
- Hammer Strength Shoulder Press
- Plate Loaded Shoulder Press
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Dumbbell Military Press work?
Mainly the front delts. The side delts, triceps (lateral head), triceps (long head) and triceps (medial head) assist.
Is the Dumbbell Military Press good for beginners?
The Dumbbell Military Press is rated intermediate. If you are new, learn the Band Shoulder Press first and build up from there.
What is a good alternative to the Dumbbell Military Press?
For example the Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Kettlebell Double Press and Band Shoulder Press. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
How do you make the Dumbbell Military Press harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Barbell Z Press and Z Press.
Sources
- Saeterbakken and Fimland 2013, JSCR 27(7):1824-1831 (standing, seated, barbell, dumbbell)
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