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Front Delts

Arnold Press

Intermediate Dumbbell Compound Front Delts

How to do it

  1. Sit upright with a pair of dumbbells in front of your shoulders, palms facing you like the top of a curl.

  2. Brace the abs with your back against the pad.

  3. Begin pressing while rotating your wrists outward so the palms face forward at the halfway point.

  4. Continue until the elbows are nearly locked overhead, without clanging the dumbbells.

  5. Reverse the path: lower while rotating the palms back toward you.

  6. Keep the rotation smooth and controlled instead of snapping it at the end.

Common mistakes

  • Snapping the wrist rotation at the end instead of blending it through the press.

  • Going too heavy so the rotation jerks the shoulder.

  • Arching the back off the pad.

  • Letting the elbows drop too low at the start and compressing the shoulder.

Tips

  • Use roughly 20 percent less weight than your regular dumbbell shoulder press.

  • 8-12 reps feels best; the path is long and demands control.

Secondary muscles

Alternatives

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