• About
  • FREE Downloads
  • Exercise Database
  • Programs
  • Blog

  • PLAN
  • DIET
  • SUPPLEMENT
  • TRAIN
  • TRACK

gymJP.com

  • PLAN
  • DIET
  • SUPPLEMENT
  • TRAIN
  • TRACK
You are here: Home / Weight Training Exercises Database / Arnold Press

Arnold Press

by JP – Updated: 09/24/2016

Muscles Used    •    Exercise Type    •    Form Instruction    •    Tips and Techniques    •    Recommended Reps    •    Common Variations    •    Substitutions    •    Equipment Needed

Arnold Press - Bottom of ExerciseArnold Press - Top of Exercise
BottomTop
Primary
Mover(s)
Muscles Used:Secondary
Mover(s)
Delts (F)Muscles Used in the Arnold PressDelts (S)
Triceps
Other
Mover(s)
Traps, Delts (R)

See all the exercises at the:
Weight Training Exercises Database

– Dumbbell Arnold Press –
AKA: Arnold Shoulder Press

Exercise Type:

Compound Exercise, Push Movement

Form Instruction:

Seated, grasp dumbbells with an underhanded grip and elbows flexed, palms facing in towards your chest with dumbbells at or slightly below shoulder level. Raise overhead while rotating shoulders (turning thumbs inward). At the middle stage of the exercise, elbows should be at shoulder level and forming right angles with palms facing each other. At the top, palms are facing forward with elbows nearly locked. Lower back down along the same path.

Tips and Techniques:

Make sure to keep your back straight as you perform this lift. Some people have the tendency to arch their backs as they raise which can prove problematic. Seated with appropriate back support may be the safest way to perform the exercise. It can also be done standing.

Because you are rotating your shoulders, the rotator cuff muscles are involved. This can make this a somewhat dangerous exercise as these muscles are often underused and therefore weak and prone to injury. Those that have had rotator cuff problems want to take it easy and everyone should start out a little light and gradually increase poundages to build up the stabilizer muscles necessary to avoid such problems.

Keeping the weights manageable as well as keeping good form and controlled motion (avoiding jerky movements) are especially important with the arnold press and can help you avoid a silly injury.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

The “Arnold Press” gets its name from Arnold Schwarzenegger. While he likely didn’t invent it, he did popularize it in his Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding and it it has been a favorite for shoulder workouts ever since.

The Arnold Press is often championed as the only shoulder exercise that hits all three heads of the deltoids. However, the bulk of the work is done by the front delts with the side delts also working some. The rear delts have minimal involvement.

Recommended Reps For Muscle Building:

6-12 the majority of the time, trying higher or lower reps on occasion.

Common Variations:

  • Partial Arnold Press – Done the same but the starting position is the middle stage (elbows forming right angles at shoulder height with palms facing each other).

Substitutions:

For targeting the front delts, the Dumbbell Military Press and Military Press are your best choices. Lateral Raises target the side delts and Bent-Over Lateral Raises target the rear delts.

Bodybuilding Equipment:

Dumbbells and Weights

See all the exercises at the:
Weight Training Exercise Database

The Get Big Ezine
I agree to have my personal information transfered to AWeber ( more information )
Push Ups Muscle
We hate spam. Your email address will not be sold or shared with anyone else.

Couple more articles you may like…

Bodybuilding Equipment

Buyer’s Guide: Bodybuilding Equipment For The Home Gym

Discover the most important pieces of equipment your home gym will need, everything from power racks to weight lifting gloves.

Read More
Bodybuilding Checklist

The Bodybuilding Tips Checklist: 21 Tips for Bigger Results

Check your program against this checklist and see if you are doing as much right as possible and getting the best possible results.

Read More

See all the articles from the Guide to Mass Gain Training

Just like in bodybuilding, failure is also a necessary experience for growth in our own lives, for if we're never tested to our limits, how will we know how strong we really are? How will we ever grow?
- Arnold Schwarzenegger

The Get BIG Ezine

  • Site updates, tips, articles.
  • Direct to your in-box.
  • Gain muscle. Gain it faster.

About | Contact | Sitemap
Privacy Policy | Affiliate Disclosure | Disclaimer


Copyright © 2002-2016 JP Clifford, www.gymJP.com, All Rights Reserved

Do Not Copy. All Images, Illustrations and Text Copyrighted.
Any and all reproduction without EXPLICIT permission strictly prohibited.