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Shoulders

Single Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press

The Single Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press is a strength exercise with dumbbells for your shoulders. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: front delts 29%, side delts 16% and triceps (lateral head) 9%.

Level: IntermediateEquipment: DumbbellMulti-joint (compound)Unilateral: one arm or leg at a time

How to do it

  1. Stand with feet hip-width and hold one dumbbell at shoulder height, palm facing in.
  2. Put your free hand on your hip and brace your core.
  3. Press the dumbbell straight up until the arm is straight overhead.
  4. Keep the torso upright without leaning to the other side.
  5. Lower it under control back to the shoulder, then switch sides after the set.

Tips

  • Squeeze the glutes and the obliques on the non-working side to stay level.
  • Let the palm turn slightly forward at the top if that feels natural.

Common mistakes

  • Bending sideways away from the dumbbell.
  • Shrugging the working shoulder up.
  • Letting the dumbbell drift out wide.

Muscles worked by the Single Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press

  • Front delts Primary29%
  • Side delts Secondary16%
  • Triceps (lateral head) Secondary9%
  • Triceps (long head) Secondary7%
  • Triceps (medial head) Secondary6%
  • Upper traps Minor6%
  • Upper chest Minor5%
  • Obliques Minor5%
  • Serratus anterior Minor5%
  • Rotator cuff Stabilizer5%
  • Spinal erectors (lower back) Stabilizer3%
  • Upper abs Stabilizer2%
  • Rear delts Stabilizer2%

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). An offset load has to be resisted by the trunk. 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.

Single Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press alternatives

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Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Single Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press work?

Mainly the front delts. The side delts, triceps (lateral head), triceps (long head) and triceps (medial head) assist.

Is the Single Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press good for beginners?

The Single Arm Dumbbell Shoulder 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 Single Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press?

For example the Kettlebell Press, Kettlebell Double Press and Single Arm Overhead Press. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.

How do you make the Single Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press harder?

Add weight or reps, or move on to the Kettlebell Bottoms Up Press and Barbell Z Press.

Sources

  • Saeterbakken and Fimland 2013, JSCR 27(7):1824-1831 (standing, seated, barbell, dumbbell)

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