Arnold Press
Arnold Press turns independent dumbbell loading into overhead strength that holds up — the middle rung where progress speeds up.
How to do Arnold 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.
Arnold Press Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
4 sets of 4-6 reps with 3 minutes of rest. Start each set with the weaker arm and match it.
Hypertrophy
4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Add reps on the smaller bell before you size up.
Endurance
3 sets of 15-20 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Size up only when both sides finish equally strong.
Common Arnold Press Mistakes
Dropping the bells hard at the end of a set
Lower them under control so the last rep still counts as training.
Driving the ribcage forward to fake overhead range
Squeeze the glutes and keep the ribs stacked over the hips.
Easier and Harder Than Arnold Press
Swap Arnold Press For
Arnold Press — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Arnold 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. Use dumbbells and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Arnold Press work?
The Arnold Press primarily targets the delts. It is classified as a shoulders exercise and is performed with dumbbells.
How many sets and reps of the Arnold Press should I do?
For muscle growth: 4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Add reps on the smaller bell before you size up. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Arnold Press good for beginners?
It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic shoulders patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.
What can I do instead of the Arnold Press?
Try the Barbell Standing Close Grip Military Press, Cable Kneeling Rear Delt Row (with Rope) (male) or the Kettlebell Alternating Press. Each trains the delts with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
