Dumbbell press up abduction to the side while sitting. Seated dumbbell press: develop shoulders in the shortest possible time

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Genus. 1984 Trained since 1999. Trained since 2007. CCM in powerlifting. Champion of Russia and the South of Russia according to AWPC. Champion Krasnodar Territory according to IPF. 1 rank by weightlifting. 2-time winner of the championship of the Krasnodar Territory in t / a. Author of over 700 articles on fitness and amateur athleticism. Author and co-author of 5 books.


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Date of: 2012-05-29 Views: 1 897 117 Grade: 4.4

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Dumbbell press sitting and standing - video

Weight and reps for beginners

For men: 10 - 15 reps of 7 - 10 kg (each dumbbell). 2 - 3 approaches.
For women: 10 - 15 reps of 3 - 5 kg (each dumbbell). 2 - 3 approaches.

Load on muscle groups

The load is indicated on a 10-point scale (the total load is summed up)

Description of the exercise

Like any exercise with dumbbells, it is more difficult to do than with a barbell. Therefore, practice with a barbell first. The advantage is that dumbbells can be deployed, both at the bottom and at the top. More a good option- press the dumbbells alternately. When pressing dumbbells, it works a little more middle delta, since the dumbbells below are located (with the right technique) on the side of the head.

Main chips

1. If at the bottom of the arms turn palms to each other, then the load will fall more on the front delta. 2. You can pause at the top, but you don't need to pause at the bottom. As soon as lowered down - immediately press. This is due to the fact that all muscles, reflexively, in response to stretching, tend to contract more strongly. If you pause at the bottom, this effect will disappear. 3. It is desirable to lower it low enough. So that the edges of the dumbbells touch the shoulders. And you have to push it to the end. Remember, the greater the amplitude, the greater the efficiency. 4. The bench press with support on the back of the bench is desirable for those who have problems with the spine. Of course, this will not remove the axial load from the back, but at least it will fix your back in a fixed position. 5. Pressing alternately with each arm is good for beginners. This is technically easier to do. However, when big scales this option is not very convenient. 6. Alternatively, you can take kettlebells instead of dumbbells. Then the weights below can be put on your chest (as weight lifters do). This will increase the amplitude and force your shoulders to work harder.

The seated dumbbell press is a very popular delt exercise. Most professional athletes consider it basic in pumping gigantic shoulders. This exercise loads all three bundles of deltas, however, the front and middle bundles receive the main load deltoid muscles. In this case, the most massive rear beam is loaded only indirectly.

Seated Dumbbell Press Technique

  • Sit on a bench with a vertical back and take dumbbells in your hands.
  • Place your elbows strictly vertical to the hands. This position should be maintained throughout the working repetition.
  • On an arc path, start squeezing the dumbbells up, while feeling the work of the deltoid muscles. At the top of the amplitude, the dumbbells should be close to each other.
  • Without extending your arms to the end and without pausing, begin to lower yourself to the starting position.
  • Seated dumbbell press is performed simultaneously with both hands.
  • Exhale as you push the dumbbells up, and inhale as you lower them.
  • During the exercise, do not unfold the brushes. Do the bench press as if you have a barbell instead of dumbbells.
  • Lower your arms until your elbows are parallel to the floor. When lowered too low, delta weights are placed at a very disadvantageous position, which lowers their power potential.
  • Try not to push your elbows forward, do not bend over and do not backbend.
  • Before performing the dumbbell shoulder press, accurately select your optimal working weight.
  • Do not make jerky movements, maintain a moderate pace of the exercise. Too sudden movements can lead to elbow injury.

Related videos: "Correct technique sitting dumbbell press (shoulders)"

Say what you like, but the position you have in this variation of the presses is “what you need” - you can distract yourself from thoughts about maintaining the “straightness” of the body. Here, the back of the bench, which insures your lower back, will take care of this.

Replacing the bar with dumbbells also promises considerable benefits - single shells give a wider and safer range of motion for the joint.

  • Fatigue sets in, but in the sitting dumbbell press exercise, the execution technique lies in this - you resist it: do not “relax” your elbows at the bottom point - this removes tension from the deltoid. And your task is to make them constantly "resist" the weight.
  • Use your legs as an additional point of support, firmly resting your feet on the floor.
  • In this exercise, the dumbbell bench press sitting on the shoulders is more important than ever to “keep in check” your ardor: sharp, impulsive movements are a direct path to injury. In addition, "self-control" will prevent the occurrence of inertia, which reduces the efficiency of movement.
  • At the top, the dumbbells should not “noisily” meet - with a controlled effort, soften the moment of contact. If it doesn't work, reduce the load.

Features of the exercise dumbbell press up while sitting

The classic version of the dumbbell press up sitting exercise involves a wide spread of the elbows to the sides, which allows you to create the maximum working tension in the middle bundles. By shifting your elbows slightly forward, you will instantly shift the accents in favor of the front head.

For a change, sometimes change the grip to neutral - it is more anatomical for the shoulder joints. But keep in mind that in this case, the front delta head works harder.

Dumbbell bench press sitting on the shoulders - contraindications

Fresh "combat" injuries of the shoulder (especially the rotator cuff) are very likely to remind you of yourself in this exercise. Refrain from such loads until the disappearance pain in articular joints. But after the recovery period, join the training and start with the exercise on how to properly do the dumbbell bench press while sitting, if necessary, working in a “comfortably” reduced amplitude!

Seated dumbbell press will help to effectively and efficiently pump your shoulders. This is one of the main exercises designed to increase our deltoids, make them stronger and more voluminous.

Strength or volume?

On the one hand, the shoulders must be strong. On the other hand, inflated shoulders look very nice. What is better - strength or volume - is an ambiguous question.

And you also need to have a strong shoulder. To do some work above the head, to hold something for a long time and the like. Only power in this case is not enough.

Let's agree that deltoids need to be developed from all sides - so that they are strong, voluminous, and hardy. To do this, we will perform the sitting dumbbell bench press in different ways.

Strategy for developing endurance

Lifting dumbbells up in sitting position is considered a more gentle exercise than, for example, an army bench press, which cannot be done every workout. Everything is simpler here - you can take light dumbbells and “drive blood” at least every day.

The strategy for developing endurance will be as follows - dumbbell overhead press is done several times a week in 5 sets of 25 times with a weight that does not cause you severe fatigue during work. For example, if in power mode you press dumbbells of 25 kg, here you can take a weight of 15–16 kg. We work through burning.

Naturally, this scheme applies only to those who believe that the shoulders are not strong enough.

We develop the volume and strength of the deltoids

Seated dumbbell press - second after army press an exercise that can increase the mass of the deltoids. To achieve strength and mass growth, we will perform this exercise once a week for 4 sets of 8 times. And you have to work hard. Then you will achieve the maximum effect.

The choice of weight is one of the main tasks. What weights to take: pick up such dumbbells so that for 7-8 times the bench press is very difficult, and you could no longer do the ninth on your own. For girls, this is not particularly relevant.

How to do a dumbbell press

Find a free bench, bring 2 dumbbells of 2–10 kg with you (an easy option for girls). It is advisable to turn the bench in such a way that when you sit on it from one side, you are opposite the mirror. This is very important when you do overhead dumbbell presses.

If you plan to work with more weight, you can use a bench with a back. Sit on the edge of a bench with your feet slightly apart for a more stable position.

Take dumbbells in both hands, spread your elbows to the sides. Your palms should be positioned as if you were holding a barbell with them. If you look at you from the side, then the elbows during the exercise will walk strictly along the vertical axis (OY):

  1. Sit up straight with your lower back slightly arched forward. The shoulder blades are brought together, the shoulders are straightened.
  2. Take dumbbells from the floor, spread your arms with them as mentioned above. Dumbbells should be at shoulder level. This is the starting position.
  3. Raise the dumbbells up as you exhale, you can touch each other with them (do not hit hard, after all, you don’t need to spoil the property of the gym).
  4. Lower the dumbbells to ear level or just below. Here is a nuance - when you lower the weight below the back of the head - it starts to work top part trapezoid. If you want to use it, lower the dumbbells as far down as possible. If you are pumping deltoids ( great option for girls) - the dumbbell should not be lowered below the back of the head.
  5. Do 15 warm-up reps.
  6. Further, if the weight is large (25–40 kg), you can use an athletic belt.

Ask a trainer or more experienced lifter to watch over you - it's important that the dumbbell overhead press is performed correctly.

Alternatives - doing standing

For fans of the army press, we can offer a standing dumbbell press - base element, designed to work out the anterior and middle bundles of the deltoid muscles. These muscles form a beautiful rounded volume of our shoulders. Athletic appearance- not the only plus of the exercise. Other benefits:

  • development of power characteristics;
  • strengthening small stabilizing muscles;
  • improving results in pushing exercises;
  • relative safety for the shoulder joints.

The standing dumbbell press technique is similar to the military bench press and others. similar exercises, but has a number of nuances. Instead of a barbell, you guessed it, you need to take dumbbells. Consider correct execution, recommendations and common mistakes.

  1. Get into an upright stance.
  2. Grab dumbbells and raise them up to shoulder height. Straight grip (palms turned away from you).
  3. With an exhalation, squeeze the dumbbells up.
  4. Inhaling, lower the projectiles to their original position.

The exercise requires a solid preparation of the whole body. So that you do not fall, keep your balance, the technique must be strictly correct. Incorrect execution is dangerous for beginners.

  • At the top point, do not straighten your arms to the end, always leave a slight bend in your elbows. This will help maintain tension in the deltoid muscles.
  • At the bottom point, do not relax your hands. This will lead to a partial payload and degrade the overall performance of the element.
  • Squeezing the shells up, slightly take them back. Literally 3–5 ° from the plane of the body. This will create a stronger peak contraction of the deltoids.
  • Select the weight of the weights so as to achieve failure in the target muscles at 7-8 repetitions. The recommended number of approaches is 3-4 per workout.
  • sharp shocks of shells;
  • deviation of the body back when lowering the dumbbells;
  • strong deflection in lumbar;
  • inertial assistance with legs.

Weights can be used instead of dumbbells. The technique will be absolutely identical. The only thing to pay attention to is the location of the projectiles. Weights are taken with a direct grip (palms turned away from you), the main parts of the shells should be behind the raised forearms. Performing a kettlebell press with such a grip is considered the most convenient and safe for the joints of the hands.

Basic Mistakes

No warm up

For the thousand and first time, let's name the most common mistake beginners when they do, including sitting dumbbell raises - no warm-up. Before performing the exercise, it is required to thoroughly warm up the joints and muscles of the shoulders.

If necessary, you need to lubricate the skin around them with a warming ointment (follow the instructions so as not to get a negative effect from using warming ointments, for example, a strong burning sensation during exercise). Then you have to do warm-up approach with light weight. Then start working.

If this is not done, you can get injured and forget about any chest and shoulder exercises for six months. Unless, you will not perform these elements with a healthy hand.

Pressing with one hand

Lifting dumbbells while sitting is sometimes called otherwise - an army bench press with dumbbells. This name reflects the whole point - the word "dumbbells" is used in the plural. Just like in the name "seated dumbbell press".

Some try to perform this element with one hand. In this case, a traumatic load occurs on the side of the spine adjacent to the working arm.

There are times when one shoulder is injured. It is not possible to perform a dumbbell overhead press in such a situation. Then the person tries to download only the second, healthy delta. This leads to unilateral hypertrophy of the shoulder muscle. It will look funny, but that's all. We do not recommend doing this.

There is an alternate lifting of dumbbells up, called (in honor of the same actor who played the role of "Terminator"). But even there, the exercise is performed with two dumbbells.

With one hand, you can perform various abductions of the hands.

Breath

With improper breathing, you will not be able to ensure one hundred percent work of the shoulder muscle.

Until the moment you take the starting position, breathe as you like. As soon as you sit down on the original, prepare to exhale. You need to lift the weight exactly when you exhale the air.

At the final top point, when the arms are straightened (by the way, they should not be completely straightened), the exhalation should be completed. As soon as you start lowering the dumbbells, inhale the air. At the bottom point (when the arm with the dumbbell reaches the shoulder), prepare to exhale again.

Make sure you don't hold your breath. Only continuous, rhythmic "inhale-exhale" for the duration of the load.

Jerks, cheating, "walking" elbows and back

Especially the following applies to beginners, as experienced athletes do not make such mistakes during the bench press.

Snatches occur when a beginner chooses a weight that is too heavy or too light for them. If the dumbbell is heavy, he cannot lift it without a jerk. If it is light, the excess force pushes the weight with more force than required. In both cases, the technique is wrong. There is a risk of injury.

If you decide to cheat, ask a partner to help you lift the dumbbells. This is better than you will bring them to the top position due to a jerk to work out the negative.

If you do heavy dumbbell curls without back support, your body will move back and forth slightly. Why do you need an extra load on the spinal column?

Beginners often do not understand the meaning of the exercise, their elbows "walk" in different sides during execution. Ask a partner to make sure that the elbows move strictly vertically (correct technique).

The nuance here is this - during the dumbbell press, triceps, trapezium and deltoids work. If the elbows are not fixed, the load goes to the triceps (incorrect technique). This means only one thing - the shoulders will be pumped much worse. You will waste your time and get no result.

Another side of the coin is the load on the deltoids themselves. If the elbows are not fixed during the exercise, the chance of damage to the bundles of the shoulder muscle increases. Anyone who knows anatomy will easily explain this.

And yet, watch your hands so that they move in sync. By the way, sit down so that there is a mirror on one side (not just in front of you). Look sideways sometimes. The rest of the time, keep your head straight.

Overtraining

The shoulder muscles are involved during the bench press, push-ups from the floor and uneven bars. When you do dumbbell raises, keep this in mind. Do not combine seated dumbbell press and barbell press on the same day. Just like any other exercise shoulder muscles, push-ups from the uneven bars, wiring dumbbells and more. These muscles are fragile, they are easy to "score" and damage.

And finally, we recall once again that the standing dumbbell press is more suitable for experienced athletes. Don't hurt yourself!

Seated dumbbell press is an exercise for the development of the deltoid. The predominant load falls on the front and middle delta. Exercise variations vary depending on the inclination of the bench. The more vertical angle tilt is applied, the more the middle delta is loaded, and the less the anterior and chest muscles are loaded. A slope of 30 degrees and below shifts the focus to the pectoral muscles. Part of the weight of the dumbbells rests on pectoral muscles. Then the exercise is used as a special preparation for the bench press in order to develop synergy (simultaneous work) of the muscles of the chest and shoulders. In all other cases, the bench press serves to increase the volume of the shoulders and muscle strength.

In fact, it all depends on the sport. In tennis, team game types sports, rowing and other sports that require muscle endurance and joint health, usually develop strength during the off-season, and use a supportive mode of work during the competitive period.

In bodybuilding, they work either in cycles for “mass and drying”, or simply in a maintenance mode, they perform exercises for as many repetitions as are optimal for the recovery of a particular athlete.

A normal life requires a moderate combination of joint mobility, muscle endurance and strength. The fact is that holding weights above your head, lifting objects, and even simply holding a handrail on a transport requires a combination of strength and endurance.

Important: shoulder muscle training should combine both strength and endurance elements. There is no universal set-repeated mode for everyone. Some athletes initially have more developed strength, while others have endurance.

How to develop endurance

Endurance for athletic purposes develops during the off-season. For “life” it’s enough just to choose 1-2 months when you don’t gain mass and can afford to work in a multi-rep mode. You usually need to work 2-3 times a week, but you can bring up to 5 workouts.

A regular seated bench press is performed with a weight that is 60% of the worker or slightly higher. Let's say you do 12 reps with a weight of 25 kg, for endurance work with 12-15 kg. You need to do about 25 reps per set, and work with a rest of 30-60 seconds between sets. The number of approaches is at least 4.

In the process of such training, the muscles feel a burning sensation, it is necessary to endure it. Stamina is not built daily workouts if it is about strength endurance. Still, this is not cycling, the shoulder can become inflamed from an atypical load. You need to start with 3 workouts per week, and gradually increase to 5. Again, frequency indicators in training are individual and determined by the speed of recovery. According to the "textbook" between endurance workouts should be from 24 to 36 hours.

Many people think that this is not true, but training for strength and hypertrophy is fundamentally different. Strength training takes place in the repetition mode from 1 to 6, and is extremely rarely done with dumbbells, and even while sitting. This is contrary to the main goal of the strength cycle - to develop overall strength, including the muscles of the stabilizers and the core. Usually for strength training choose something like an army bench press. Dumbbells press for 5-6 repetitions to work out the muscles in isolation. But this is an extremely rare practice. A really strong athlete will require the help of two spotters, and a beginner risks injury when performing this exercise.

The mode of work for hypertrophy is 8-12 repetitions. Do 3-4 working approaches. The fundamental difference between strength training and "volume and mass" training is that strength develops only if the weights in the working sets do not cause significant fatigue. But for hypertrophy, it makes sense to work to failure, while in strength training, failure is not allowed at all.

Important: the strength cycle and the hypertrophy cycle are different periods of time. Usually, first they gain strength and endurance, and then they “swing”, but this is true for sports. There are many options in fitness. Impressive strength is usually not needed, just tone and volume is enough.

There are many technical details. This exercise is performed by the vast majority not correctly. People start benching with raised shoulders, and all because they don’t know how to bring dumbbells to their shoulders correctly.

So, to shake dumbbells while sitting, you need:

  • Arrange them so that you can do a sitting on the hips from the floor, that is, put dumbbells on your hips, holding them with your hands;
  • With your feet, push the weights to your shoulders;
  • Extend your elbows so that the dumbbell bars are in a plane parallel to the floor;
  • The bench press itself begins with lowering the elbows down and placing the forearm perpendicular to the floor;
  • At the same time, it is recommended to bring the shoulder blades together and lower them down to the pelvis;
  • A slight deflection in the lumbar spine is allowed, but it is not necessary to emphasize it;
  • By turning on the muscles of the shoulder and triceps, the dumbbells are brought up;
  • The elbows are unbent in a plane perpendicular to the floor; it is not recommended to “bevel” them forward or backward;
  • Lower the dumbbells to your shoulders, and perform the desired number of repetitions

This exercise is performed first with warm-up weights, then with a worker. No need to rush, or try to push the weight away from you so that the dumbbells go forward. If heavy weights are used, an athletic belt can be used, just enough to remove excess mobility in the lumbar spine.

Alternatives - Standing Dumbbell Press

There are a lot of alternatives to the classic bench press. In women's training, bench presses are often used while sitting on a fitball to turn on the stabilizers, but it is better to choose an easier option to load them - just shake a barbell or standing dumbbells.

The second variation of the "alternative bench press" is the kneeling stand. It is intended strictly for those people who do not know how to turn off their legs, and are constantly trying to shvung, that is, push the working weight due to sharp bending at the knees. This does not make you feel isolated work, and develops completely different qualities - explosive force and footwork.

The standing dumbbell press option allows you to:

  • Take more weight, as the position of the body is more stable and more natural for weight lifting;
  • Develop stabilizers from the muscles of the feet to the muscles of the body;
  • To help develop strength in barbell presses, clean and jerks, and jerks;
  • Work in a plane that is natural for human anatomy and does not damage the joints

The technique of stabilizing the center of the body is used. The athlete strains the quadriceps, buttocks, as if resting on the floor with his feet, pulls abdominal wall to the spine, draws in the stomach and brings the shoulder blades together, lowering them to the spine. At the same time, the trapezium and shoulders remain relaxed.

Technique

  • Dumbbells are brought to the shoulders by taking into the rack, that is, the knees are slightly bent and the weight is brought to the shoulders in one powerful movement;
  • The athlete stabilizes the body as above;
  • Due to extension in the shoulder and elbow joint brings the dumbbells up;
  • Lowers them smoothly to the shoulders;
  • The peculiarity is that the dumbbells move along a more “flat” trajectory than the barbell;
  • It is not necessary to start them behind the head, as it is accentuated in the movement with a barbell.

Important: you need to avoid pushing with your feet, and rolling from heel to toe in order to perform the exercise technically correctly.

  • For bodybuilding and fitness purposes, it is not recommended to fully “stick” your elbows at the top point;
  • It is necessary to avoid a flat trajectory, and try to bring the dumbbells slightly to the top of the head, and not to the forehead;
  • Complete relaxation of the hands, as well as "release of tension" from the center of the body due to relaxation of the abdomen, is not allowed;
  • Weight for strength training is lifted no more than 5-6 repetitions, approaches should be no more than 5.

Errors:

  • Shvung weight, that is, dispersing it and pushing it with your feet;
  • The buildup of the body back and forth;
  • "Strong" technique "in which the athlete, as it were, "rolls" the dumbbells over his shoulders in each repetition, and "pushes" the dumbbells with his stomach and chest at the start

Important: standing dumbbell raise is an exercise for experienced athletes, it is better not to perform it if you are a beginner and your back is still weak.

Dumbbells can be replaced with kettlebells. In this case, you need to start from shoulder level, but the palms should be directed towards each other. In the process of moving up, the shells turn like in the Arnold press. Some athletes initially press their palms forward, but this position is quite traumatic for the wrists.

Common Dumbbell Press Mistakes

Work without warm-up

Even if your shoulders are in plan after your legs, you still need to shake the warm-up weight. Or rather, start with a minimum weight, and approach the worker in increments of 3-5 kg. This will not only help you prepare well for training weights, fill your muscles with blood, and warm up the ligaments, but also allow you to gain additional work to work out the technique.

Always needs to be done joint warm-up before the main workout. And if the athlete was injured before, then work with rubber. The rubber must be pulled to the face, as in the exercise on back delta, and not stretch in front of you, as many mistakenly do.

This version of the press creates an increased load on the pelvis and spine, if the athlete is not standing on one knee of the opposite leg, in a position resembling a deep lunge. Beginners should not perform this movement while seated, as this can lead to poor posture.

The one-arm press is performed when necessary due to muscle imbalances, but for most people it is completely unnecessary, and should not be replaced with a regular bench press.

Important: the Arnold press version, which is performed one arm at a time, involves holding a dumbbell in a non-working hand to stabilize the body, this is important in order to maintain balance and not overload target muscles.

Breath

Usually athletes tend to hold it when the going gets tough. This is not correct and can even lead to loss of consciousness when lifting dumbbells overhead. The dumbbell press while sitting obeys the usual rule - exhalation occurs for effort, inhalation - for lowering the shells.

By the way, you should not drop the dumbbells on yourself and quickly and superficially inhale. You need to gently lower the dumbbells to your shoulders and inhale quite volumetrically.

Jerks, pushes and cheating

Snatching and other ways to push more weight up without straining your muscles shouldn't affect the quality of your lifts. Avoiding them is quite simple - learn to collect the center of the body and do not let your ego lift the weight for you. Yes, you need to choose adequate weights, and strive to load only the target muscles. Jerks and jerks can be performed as independent technique in the speed-strength training of a weightlifter or strongman, but in bodybuilding they are not always needed.

Important: the elbows should bend and unbend at the same speed in the same amplitude. No need to let them "walk" back and forth. This will help make the movement technically correct and safe.

All beginner bodybuilders suffer from this. They try to repeat training plans professionals, and load the muscles with large volumes and significant weights. There are lovers of "collecting workouts" from the plans of professionals, combining several into one. Say, I want legs like one Mr. Olympia, and shoulders like another. This useful activity leads to nothing but overtraining.

Usually the shoulders are trained 1-2 times a week. Moreover, it is advisable to repeat the methods of weightlifters, that is, apply periodization. When you reach the limit of the weights, you need to increase the number of repetitions and reduce the weight. In addition, a workout with heavy presses and pulls is best alternated with a light one, which is dominated by swings and abductions.

It is also not worth overestimating the number of exercises on the shoulders. For beginners, one movement for each beam is generally enough, more experienced athletes- by two. You can progress quite successfully by training your shoulders once a week. This approach is recommended for beginners and intermediate athletes.

In addition, it is necessary to take into account the specifics of recovery. When it is not possible to eat and sleep normally, it is better to reduce the load. If there is such an opportunity, but the athlete cannot activate all muscle fibers due to injury - replace the exercise with isolated swings. Constant control of breathing and technique will help maintain health. Training should be approached rationally, and then sports results will be achieved faster.