Arnold Press

How to Perform the Arnold Press

Sit on a bench with back support set to 90 degrees, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height with palms facing you.
Brace your core and plant your feet firmly on the floor for stability.
Begin pressing the dumbbells upward while simultaneously rotating your palms outward.
Continue pressing until your arms are fully extended overhead with palms facing forward.
Pause briefly at the top with the dumbbells slightly in front of your head, not directly over your ears.
Reverse the motion by lowering the dumbbells while rotating your palms back to face you.
Return to the starting position with control and repeat for the prescribed number of reps.

Arching the lower back excessively

Keep your back flat against the bench and engage your core throughout the movement.

Rushing the rotation

Perform the rotation smoothly and gradually throughout the entire range of motion rather than flipping the wrists at the bottom or top.

Using too heavy a weight

Start lighter than your standard overhead press weight since the rotation and increased range of motion make this exercise more demanding.

✓Targets all three deltoid heads more effectively than a standard overhead press.
✓Increases shoulder time under tension due to the extended range of motion.
✓Improves shoulder mobility and rotational control under load.

●Use a controlled tempo, especially during the rotation, to maximize muscle engagement.
●Keep your elbows slightly in front of your body rather than flared out to protect the shoulder joint.
●Exhale as you press up and inhale as you lower the dumbbells.

Strength

4-5 sets of 5-6 reps at 75-85% 1RM

Hypertrophy

3-4 sets of 8-12 reps at 65-75% 1RM

Endurance

2-3 sets of 15-20 reps at 50-60% 1RM

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