Dumbbell Arnold Press
Dumbbell Arnold Press turns independent dumbbell loading into round, durable shoulder caps — built for your first months of training.
How to do Dumbbell Arnold Press
- Sit on a bench with back support and hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level, palms facing your body and elbows bent.
- Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended and your palms are facing forward.
- Rotate your wrists as you lift, so that your palms are facing forward at the top of the movement.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Arnold Press Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
3 sets of 5-6 reps with 2-3 minutes of rest. Start each set with the weaker arm and match it.
Hypertrophy
3 sets of 10-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Add reps on the smaller bell before you size up.
Endurance
2-3 sets of 15-18 reps with 45-60 seconds of rest. Size up only when both sides finish equally strong.
Common Dumbbell 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.
Shrugging the traps up to finish the last few reps
Keep the shoulder blade down and end the set when the shrug appears.
Easier and Harder Than Dumbbell Arnold Press
Swap Dumbbell Arnold Press For
Dumbbell Arnold Press — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Dumbbell Arnold Press?
Sit on a bench with back support and hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level, palms facing your body and elbows bent. Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended and your palms are facing forward. Rotate your wrists as you lift, so that your palms are facing forward at the top 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 Dumbbell Arnold Press work?
The Dumbbell 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 Dumbbell Arnold Press should I do?
For muscle growth: 3 sets of 10-12 reps with 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 Dumbbell Arnold Press good for beginners?
Yes. The Dumbbell Arnold Press is a beginner-level movement, so it is a reasonable place to start. Keep the load light enough that you can control every rep and stop 2-3 reps short of failure while you learn the pattern.
What can I do instead of the Dumbbell Arnold Press?
Try the Lever Seated Reverse Fly, Resistance Band Seated Shoulder Press or the Cable Standing Shoulder External Rotation. Each trains the delts with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
