Cuban Press

A intermediate strength exercise for the shoulders, done with a dumbbell.

Main muscles: Shoulders
Also works: Upper back
Equipment: Dumbbell
Level: Intermediate
Type: Compound
Movement: Push

How to do the Cuban Press

Take a dumbbell in each hand with a pronated grip in a standing position. Raise your upper arms so that they are parallel to the floor, allowing your lower arms to hang in the "scarecrow" position. This will be your starting position.
To initiate the movement, externally rotate the shoulders to move the upper arm 180 degrees. Keep the upper arms in place, rotating the upper arms until the wrists are directly above the elbows, the forearms perpendicular to the floor.
Now press the dumbbells by extending at the elbows, straightening your arms overhead.
Return to the starting position as you breathe in by reversing the steps.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Sets and reps

Strength	3–5 sets of 3–5 reps, rest 2–3 minutes
Muscle	3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, rest about 2 minutes
Endurance or fat loss	2–3 sets of 12–15 reps, rest 60–90 seconds

Log every set in MyoStats and it works out your estimated one-rep max and suggests the next weight or rep target, so you keep progressing without guessing.

Alternatives to the Cuban Press

Questions

What muscles does the Cuban Press work?

Mainly the shoulders, with the upper back helping.

Is the Cuban Press good for beginners?

It's rated intermediate. Beginners can build up to it with a simpler variation first.

What can I do instead of the Cuban Press?

Good alternatives that train the shoulders: Arnold Dumbbell Press, Dumbbell One-Arm Shoulder Press, Dumbbell One-Arm Upright Row or Dumbbell Shoulder Press.

How many sets and reps of the Cuban Press should I do?

Strength: 3–5 sets of 3–5 reps, rest 2–3 minutes. Muscle: 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, rest about 2 minutes. Endurance or fat loss: 2–3 sets of 12–15 reps, rest 60–90 seconds.

Exercise steps and photos: free-exercise-db (public domain).