Arnold Dumbbell Press
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using dumbbells.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Arnold Dumbbell Press
- Sit on an exercise bench with back support and hold two dumbbells in front of you at about upper chest level with your palms facing your body and your elbows bent. Tip: Your arms should be next to your torso. The starting position should look like the contracted portion of a dumbbell curl.
- Now to perform the movement, raise the dumbbells as you rotate the palms of your hands until they are facing forward.
- Continue lifting the dumbbells until your arms are extended above you in straight arm position. Breathe out as you perform this portion of the movement.
- After a second pause at the top, begin to lower the dumbbells to the original position by rotating the palms of your hands towards you. Tip: The left arm will be rotated in a counter clockwise manner while the right one will be rotated clockwise. Breathe in as you perform this portion of the movement.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Arnold Dumbbell Press
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Kettlebell Arnold Press
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a kettlebell.
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2
Dumbbell One-Arm Shoulder Press
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using dumbbells.
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3
Standing Palms-In Dumbbell Press
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using dumbbells.
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4
Alternating Kettlebell Press
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a kettlebell.
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5
Barbell Shoulder Press
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a barbell.
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6
Bench Press
The bench press is the most popular upper body exercise for building chest strength and muscle mass. It's a compound movement that also develops the triceps and anterior deltoids.
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7
Double Kettlebell Push Press
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a kettlebell.
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8
Kettlebell Seated Press
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a kettlebell.
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9
Kettlebell Seesaw Press
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a kettlebell.
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10
One-Arm Kettlebell Military Press To The Side
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a kettlebell.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do arnold dumbbell press work?
Arnold Dumbbell Press primarily works the shoulders. The triceps assist as secondary muscles.
What equipment do I need for arnold dumbbell press?
Arnold Dumbbell Press uses dumbbells.
Arnold Dumbbell Press: is it suitable for beginners?
Arnold Dumbbell Press is rated intermediate. Movements that assume you already own the basic pattern and are ready to load it.
What can I do instead of arnold dumbbell press?
Kettlebell Arnold Press, Dumbbell One-Arm Shoulder Press, Standing Palms-In Dumbbell Press train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
Can Fitnit count my arnold dumbbell press reps automatically?
Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; arnold dumbbell press can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
Track Your Arnold Dumbbell Press with AI
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