Military Press (Dumbbell)

Performance Description
  1. Sit or stand being sure to keep the back straight and grasp the dumbbells. If seated, carefully rest them on the knees.
  2. From the seated position, if the weight is heavy, you may have to knee the weights into position.
  3. Move the weight to shoulder level with the palms facing forward.
  4. Press the weight vertically until the arms are extended and in line with the shoulders, exhaling throughout the movement.
  5. Slowly lower the weight to near the start position (horizontal with the floor), inhaling throughout the movement.
  6. Repeat steps 4-5.

Various Methods of Exercise: Dumbbell

Video
Primary Muscle(s)
Shoulders (Deltoid: Anterior)
Shoulders (Deltoid: Lateral)
Shoulders (Deltoid: Posterior)
Secondary Muscle(s)
Triceps (Triceps Brachii: Lateral Head)
Triceps (Triceps Brachii: Long Head)
Triceps (Triceps Brachii: Medial Head)
Tertiary Muscle(s)
Serratus (Anterior)
Upper Back (Trapezius)
Further Clarification

Using a back rest will help to prevent injury by providing lower back support and reducing improper arching of the back.

It is possible to do military dumbbell presses from a standing position, but the core must be kept very tight so as not to strain the lower back. To create a greater challenge yet, do the presses one arm at a time. When doing one-arm presses, the free hand can be placed akimbo - that is, pressed firmly against the hip with the elbow pointing outward. This creates a block that will help to prevent injury. Even still, it is imperative that the core is flexed throughout the exercise.

Things To Look Out For

A false grip - that is, a grip where the thumbs are not wrapped around the bar - can provide additional power and enable more weight to be lifted. However, a potential consequence of using this grip could be injury. If the hands are sweaty or form falters the weight may fall at the peril of you or others. Many claim that it is more comfortable to hold the bar in this manner, but for most a false grip begs for wrist hyperextension and falling weight injuries. Unless you are a professional, a false grip should prove unnecessary.

Level
Beginner
Exercise Position(s)
Seated, Standing
Considered An Exercise In The Following Categories