Dumbbell Cuban Press
Use independent dumbbell loading to build delt size from every angle: Dumbbell Cuban Press belongs in your shoulder rotation.
How to do Dumbbell Cuban Press
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height with your palms facing down.
- Keeping your core engaged and your elbows slightly bent, press the dumbbells up and overhead until your arms are fully extended.
- Rotate your wrists so that your palms are facing forward.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position, rotating your wrists back to the starting position as you do so.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Cuban 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 Cuban Press Mistakes
Dropping the bells hard at the end of a set
Lower them under control so the last rep still counts as training.
Swinging more weight than the delts can actually control
Drop the load until the arm rises without help from the torso.
Easier and Harder Than Dumbbell Cuban Press
Swap Dumbbell Cuban Press For
Dumbbell Cuban Press — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Dumbbell Cuban Press?
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height with your palms facing down. Keeping your core engaged and your elbows slightly bent, press the dumbbells up and overhead until your arms are fully extended. Rotate your wrists so that your palms are facing forward. 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 Cuban Press work?
The Dumbbell Cuban 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 Cuban 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 Cuban Press good for beginners?
Yes. The Dumbbell Cuban 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 Cuban Press?
Try the Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise, Band Y-raise or the Left Hook. Boxing. Each trains the delts with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
