Beginners How to Do a Dumbbell Overhead Press: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes By Paul Rogers Paul Rogers Paul Rogers is a personal trainer with experience in a wide range of sports, including track, triathlon, marathon, hockey, tennis, and baseball. Learn about our editorial process Updated on November 08, 2021 Reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Heather Black, CPT Reviewed by Heather Black, CPT Heather Black, CPT is a NASM-certified personal trainer and owner of Heather Black Fitness & Nutrition where she offers remote and in-person training and nutrition coaching. Learn about our Review Board Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Instructions Benefits Variations Common Mistakes Safety and Precautions Try It Out The dumbbell overhead press can be done in either a sitting or standing position and with dumbbells held horizontally at the shoulders or rotated in a hammer grip. You can use this exercise in any upper body strength workout. Also Known As: Dumbbell shoulder pressTargets: ShouldersEquipment Needed: DumbbellsLevel: Beginner How to Do the Dumbbell Overhead Press Ben Goldstein / Verywell Stand upright and keep the back straight. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, at the shoulders, with an overhand grip. Thumbs are on the inside and knuckles face up. Exhale as you raise the weights above the head in a controlled motion. Pause briefly at the top of the motion. Inhale and return the dumbbells to the shoulders. Benefits of the Dumbbell Overhead Press This exercise works the deltoid muscle of the shoulder. In addition to increasing shoulder strength, the standing dumbbell overhead press engages the core for stability throughout the movement. While you can do an overhead press with an exercise machine, barbell, or kettlebells, using dumbbells offers unique benefits. For instance, research has found that using a dumbbell provides more activation of the anterior (front) deltoid than using a kettlebell. Performing this move also helps identify whether you have an imbalance in shoulder strength. One sign is if you can lift a certain amount of weight more easily with one arm than the other. Muscle imbalances can affect how you move, limiting your mobility and movement efficiency. In daily life, you may need to place objects on shelves above your head or your luggage in the overhead compartment on a plane. This exercise helps build the strength you need to do these types of tasks safely. Other Variations of the Dumbbell Overhead Press You can perform this exercise in several different ways depending on your fitness level and goals. Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press While the standing overhead press is a classic move, you can also perform it seated. A seated dumbbell overhead press is a better option for individuals who are getting started in strength training or for those with back issues or injuries. A sitting position helps stabilize the back. To do the overhead press in a seated position, sit on a bench and follow the same steps. You can also do a seated overhead press while sitting in a chair (this option also offers more back support). Or, for more of a challenge to the core muscles, sit on an exercise ball. Alternating Arms Another variation is to alternate your arms. Press up with one arm and then the other instead of working both at once. Research shows that this option is better at activating the core muscles—especially when the exercise is performed in a standing position. Hammer Grip This dumbbell overhead variation, sometimes called a hammer shoulder press, involves changing your hand position into a hammer grip (palms facing each other) like you do in a hammer curl. A hammer grip is also called a neutral grip. Changing the grip activates different muscles in the shoulders. Verywell / Ben Goldstein Barbell Overhead Press If you have access to a barbell, you can use it instead of using dumbbells. Lowering the bar in front of the head is recommended if you have a reduced range of motion in the shoulder as this can reduce injury; otherwise, it is considered safe to lower the bar either in front of or behind the head. Dumbbell Squat to Overhead Press Make this exercise more challenging by adding a squat to the overhead press. To do it, lower into a squat position every time you lower the dumbbells to your shoulders and return to a standing position when lifting the dumbbells back up. The dumbbell shoulder squat works the upper and lower body at the same time. Ben Goldstein / Verywell Common Mistakes To get the most out of this exercise, avoid these common errors. Flared Elbows Don't point your elbows straight out from your sides, as this will put stress on your rotator cuff muscles. Locked Elbows Locking your elbows when you reach the top of your lift will transfer tension from your deltoids to your triceps, which aren't the target. Hunched Shoulders For added stability, keep the shoulder blades down and back during the press. Pressing Too Fast Don't push up explosively—press slowly and smoothly. Control the motion of the weights and don't allow them to stray too far forward or back during the press. Try to keep them slotted in a path above the head. Arched Back Avoid arching your lower back too much while raising the dumbbells overhead. Excessive arching can be a sign that your weight is too heavy. Shift to a lighter weight to practice holding your back in a safe position while you build up to the greater weight. Lowering Dumbbells Too Far During the exercise, lower the dumbbells only to your shoulders before pressing again. If you lower them more, you increase the risk of straining your shoulders. Safety and Precautions If you have a shoulder, neck, or back injury, talk to your doctor or physical therapist to find out whether this exercise is appropriate. It is possible to injure your shoulders when doing this exercise, especially if you are using heavy weights or poor technique. If you feel any pain during the exercise, slowly lower the weights and end the exercise. Only use a weight you can press with good form. Aim to do 8 to 12 repetitions. Beginners should pick a light weight to start, increasing it until you find a weight that you can lift for 10 repetitions (you should feel fatigued at the final rep). Women might start with 5-pound dumbbells and men with 10-pound dumbbells. Try It Out Incorporate this move and similar ones into one of these popular workouts: Basic Full Body Home Workout with Dumbbells Shoulder Strength and Flexibility Workout Squat, Curl, and Press Workout Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get exercise tips to make your workouts less work and more fun. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 5 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Keogh JW, Aickin SE, Oldham AR. Can common measures of core stability distinguish performance in a shoulder pressing task under stable and unstable conditions?. J Strength Cond Res. 2010;24(2):422-9. doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c7c6b9 Dicus J, Homstrup M, Shuler K, Rice T, Raybuck S, Siddons C. Stability of resistance training implement alters EMG activity during the overhead press. Int J Exerc Sci. 2018;11(1):708-16. McCall P. Muscle imbalance: 6 things to know about muscle imbalances. American Council on Exercise. Saeterbakken A, Fimland M. Muscle activity of the core during bilateral, unilateral, seated and standing resistance exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2012;112:1671-1678. doi:10.1007/s00421-011-2141-7 McKean M, Burkett B. Overhead shoulder press — In-front of the head or behind the head?. J Sport Health Sci. 2015;4(3):250-7. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2013.11.007