Dumbbell w-press
Exercise details
- Target muscle: Anterior Deltoid
- Synergists: Lateral Deltoid, Clavicular (Upper) Pectoralis Major, Supraspinatus, Serratus Anterior, Middle and Lower Trapezius
- Mechanics: Isolation
- Force: Push
Starting position
- With a dumbbell in each hand, stand with your arms in a ‘W’ position.
Execution
- Keeping your elbows fixed, exhale as you raise the dumbbells in a circular motion until they nearly touch each other over your head.
- Inhale as you return the dumbbells to the starting position.
- Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.
Comments and tips
- Keep your elbows locked. They must neither flex nor extend.
- The dumbbell w-press is quite a rare exercise but very effective at overloading the anterior and lateral deltoids. Because the elbows are kept fixed, there is no involvement of the triceps brachii.
- If experienced and struggling to get more growth in your shoulders, you can use the dumbbell w-press to pre-exhaust your shoulders before hitting them with the dumbbell or barbell overhead press.
- Do not confuse the dumbbell w-press with the dumbbell Arnold press or the dumbbell Scott press.
Dumbbell w-press video
This is a decent demonstration of the seated dumbbell w-press.
