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Shoulders

Single Arm Machine Shoulder Press

The Single Arm Machine Shoulder Press is a strength exercise on a machine for your shoulders. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: front delts 33%, side delts 17% and triceps (lateral head) 10%.

Level: BeginnerEquipment: MachineMulti-joint (compound)Unilateral: one arm or leg at a time

How to do it

  1. Set the seat so the handles start at about shoulder height and select a light weight.
  2. Sit tall with your back against the pad and hold the frame or seat with your free hand.
  3. Grab one handle with the palm facing forward.
  4. Press the handle up until the arm is nearly straight.
  5. Lower it under control back to shoulder height, then switch sides after the set.

Tips

  • Keep both shoulders against the pad so the torso does not twist.
  • Use this to even out a stronger and a weaker side.

Common mistakes

  • Leaning away from the working arm.
  • Letting the free shoulder come off the pad.
  • Using the same weight as for a two-arm press.

Muscles worked by the Single Arm Machine Shoulder Press

  • Front delts Primary33%
  • Side delts Secondary17%
  • Triceps (lateral head) Secondary10%
  • Triceps (long head) Secondary8%
  • Upper traps Minor7%
  • Triceps (medial head) Secondary6%
  • Obliques Minor6%
  • Serratus anterior Minor6%
  • Upper chest Minor5%
  • 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.

Seated removes most of the trunk demand. An offset load has to be resisted by the trunk. Fixed path, little stabilising. 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 Machine Shoulder Press alternatives

Same equipment

Different equipment

No equipment

Make it harder

Similar exercises

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Single Arm Machine 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 Machine Shoulder Press good for beginners?

Yes. The Single Arm Machine Shoulder Press is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.

What is a good alternative to the Single Arm Machine Shoulder Press?

For example the Single Arm Smith Machine Press, Single Arm Overhead Press and Machine Overhead Press Seated. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.

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

Add weight or reps, or move on to the Single Arm Smith Machine Press and Single Arm Overhead Press.

Sources

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

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