Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press

The seated version takes leg drive and lower-back English out of the equation — what you press is what your shoulders actually earned.

Tips

• Set the bench just short of vertical (one notch back) — it keeps pressure off the lower back without turning it into an incline press.
• Start with dumbbells at shoulder height, palms forward or slightly turned in — whichever your shoulders like better.
• Press up and slightly together until arms are straight, without clanking the weights at the top.
• Lower until your elbows are just below shoulder level — that's a full rep. Deeper isn't better here.
• Keep ribs down and abs braced; the arch stays in the bench, not your spine.

Common Mistakes

• Turning it into an incline press — leaning way back to press more weight shifts the work to the chest.
• Flaring the lower back — ribs pop up, back arches off the pad, spine takes the load.
• Half pressing — stopping short of lockout keeps tension but skips the triceps and overhead stability the lift should build.
• Getting stuck getting started — kick the dumbbells up with your knees one at a time. Wrestling them into position wastes strength.