Shoulders & arms · Vertical push
Seated dumbbell shoulder press
Check the setup, practice a controlled repetition, then use your program’s sets, reps and rest.
Return to My Training →
- Equipment
- Dumbbells and supported bench
- Muscles worked
- Shoulders, triceps
- Movement
- Vertical push
How to perform
- Sit tall with back support.
- Start dumbbells at a comfortable shoulder level, palms angled as comfortable.
- Press overhead only through a pain-free range without arching the back.
- Lower slowly.
Three cues to remember
- Keep ribs over hips.
- Use a comfortable overhead range.
- Lower slowly to shoulder level.
Common mistakes
- Arching the low back.
- Forcing a painful overhead position.
- Shrugging aggressively.
Slow the movement and reduce load or range if your position changes. Stop for pain rather than forcing the repetition.
Make it easier
Light neutral-grip press through a smaller pain-free range, or incline push-up if overhead work is uncomfortable.
Progress when ready
Add repetitions before load.
Practice with a light load. Diagrams show general positions, not an assessment of your form. Use the written setup and equipment instructions; get qualified coaching for unfamiliar lifts.
Find it in your program
Exercise guides explain the movement. Your training program sets the workload; an alternative replaces a movement rather than adding another one.
Instructional references
Original Physiforge instructions and diagrams use established movement principles. General references are not endorsements or individualized coaching.
ACE exercise library ↗