Seated Dumbbell Press

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

Seated Dumbbell Press: finishing position

Main muscles: Shoulders
Also works: Triceps
Equipment: Dumbbell
Level: Beginner
Type: Compound
Movement: Push

How to do the Seated Dumbbell Press

Grab a couple of dumbbells and sit on a military press bench or a utility bench that has a back support on it as you place the dumbbells upright on top of your thighs.
Clean the dumbbells up one at a time by using your thighs to bring the dumbbells up to shoulder height at each side.
Rotate the wrists so that the palms of your hands are facing forward. This is your starting position.
As you exhale, push the dumbbells up until they touch at the top.
After a second pause, slowly come down back to the starting position as you inhale.
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 Seated Dumbbell Press

Questions

What muscles does the Seated Dumbbell Press work?

Mainly the shoulders, with the triceps helping.

Is the Seated Dumbbell Press good for beginners?

Yes. It's rated a beginner exercise: start light and learn the movement before adding weight.

What can I do instead of the Seated Dumbbell Press?

Good alternatives that train the shoulders: Dumbbell Raise, Standing Alternating Dumbbell Press, Standing Dumbbell Press or Standing Palm-In One-Arm Dumbbell Press.

How many sets and reps of the Seated Dumbbell 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).