- EquipmentDumbbell
- PatternPush
- Reps6 to 15 reps
- Joint loadShoulder
Sit on a bench with back support holding two dumbbells in front of your shoulders, palms facing you.
First cueMake the turn smooth and continuous.
How to do the Arnold Press
Set up. Sit on a bench with back support holding two dumbbells in front of your shoulders, palms facing you.
- Press the dumbbells up while turning your palms to face forward.
- Finish with straight arms overhead.
- Lower while turning the palms back toward you.
Form cues
- Make the turn smooth and continuous.
- Keep your back against the pad.
- Control the lowering.
Common mistakes
- Rushing the rotation so the dumbbells wobble.
- Arching the back.
Muscles worked
Main target: Front delts. The front head of the deltoid caps the front of the shoulder. It raises the arm forward and helps in every press, which is why it is often trained more than its two neighbours.
On the way: Side delts and Triceps.
Its other side: Upper back, Lats and Rear delts, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
Its other side: Rear delts, in the front and rear shoulder pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Arnold Press, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Rear Delt Fly Superset partner: it trains the other side of the front and rear shoulder pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Dumbbell Bench Press Same push session: it trains the chest.
- Dumbbell Shrug Often left out: it trains the traps, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Arnold Press first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Arnold Press 3 × 6 to 15 reps
- Rear Delt Fly 3 × 12 to 20 reps
- Dumbbell Bench Press 3 × 6 to 15 reps
- Dumbbell Shrug 3 × 8 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Pike Push-Up
Bodyweight
Gym or cable swap
Machine Shoulder Press
Machine
Less load on the shoulder
Landmine Press
The Arnold Press loads the shoulder by the catalog's joint rule, the one the app's workaround mode uses; this one does not.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Dumbbell Shoulder Press.
Other variations of the Dumbbell Shoulder Press: Single-Arm Overhead Press.
Do before it: Shoulder Dislocate (shoulder range), Wall Slide (shoulder blades) and Thoracic Rotation (upper back range).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Arnold Press is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Arnold Press?
Set up: Sit on a bench with back support holding two dumbbells in front of your shoulders, palms facing you. Steps: 1. Press the dumbbells up while turning your palms to face forward. 2. Finish with straight arms overhead. 3. Lower while turning the palms back toward you. Form cues: Make the turn smooth and continuous. Keep your back against the pad. Control the lowering. Common mistakes: Rushing the rotation so the dumbbells wobble. Arching the back.
What muscles does the Arnold Press work?
It trains the front delts as its main target and works the side delts and triceps on the way.
What can I do instead of the Arnold Press?
At home: Pike Push-Up. In a gym: Machine Shoulder Press. With less load on the shoulder: Landmine Press. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Arnold Press with?
Good partners in the same workout are Rear Delt Fly, Dumbbell Bench Press and Dumbbell Shrug.
How heavy should the Arnold Press be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.