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Dumbbell Bench Seated Press animation

How to do the Dumbbell Bench Seated Press

ShouldersDeltsDumbbellIntermediate

The seated dumbbell shoulder press is one of the most effective tools for building dense, three-dimensional delts because it demands independent strength from each arm while eliminating leg drive. Master the mechanics here and you build the kind of shoulder width and stability that transfers to nearly every upper-body lift you do.

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Muscles worked

Primary
Deltoids
Secondary
TrapeziusTriceps

Step-by-step

  1. Sit tall on a bench set to 90 degrees, plant your feet flat, and clean the dumbbells to shoulder height with palms facing forward and elbows just below shoulder level.
  2. Brace your core and press both dumbbells simultaneously upward in a slight inward arc until your arms are fully extended without locking out your elbows.
  3. Pause briefly at the top with the dumbbells close but not touching, keeping tension in the delts rather than resting at lockout.
  4. Lower the dumbbells under control back to the starting position, letting your elbows drop to just below shoulder height before driving the next rep.

Common mistakes

  • Flaring the elbows too wide at the bottom, which stresses the rotator cuff — keep elbows angled slightly forward at roughly 30 degrees from the frontal plane.
  • Using excessive back arch to grind out reps, which shifts load off the delts onto the upper chest — keep your lower back lightly in contact with the pad and your ribs down.
  • Rushing the descent and losing tension on the way down, which throws away half the stimulus — take at least two seconds to lower the dumbbells and own every inch of the range.

Pro tip — At the top of each rep, think about pushing the dumbbells apart laterally rather than just up — this subtle external rotation cue keeps the shoulder in a safer position and increases medial delt recruitment throughout the entire set.

Sets & reps by goal

Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps

Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.

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