dumbbell w-press: technique and muscles worked

Animated demonstration of dumbbell w-press

How to do this exercise

Step:1 Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
Step:2 Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height, elbows bent and palms facing forward.
Step:3 Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended overhead.
Step:4 Lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height.
Step:5 Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Equipment: Dumbbells
Body part: Arms Shoulders
Target muscle: Anterior deltoid Lateral deltoid Posterior deltoid
Secondary muscle: Triceps Trapezius

Hypertrophy grade

Good7 / 10

Nemeo’s take

Popularized by Arnold Schwarzenegger, this movement is one of the most complete for building massive and shapely shoulders. Unlike a classic military press, it incorporates a rotation of the wrists which allows you to use the three fascicles of the deltoid (anterior, middle and posterior) in a single fluid movement. It is the “big brother” of the classic press: the starting point with the palms facing you allows a greater stretch of the anterior deltoid, while the final rotation maximizes the contraction of the middle deltoid.

This catalog score reflects Nemeo’s assessment of the exercise’s muscle-building potential. It is not a standardized scientific rating or a personalized recommendation.

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dumbbell w-press

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