Shoulders · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Scott Press
How to do the dumbbell scott press, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- VerticalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand or sit holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height with your palms facing you and elbows in front of your body, as if at the top of a curl. Press the dumbbells up and overhead, rotating your palms to face forward, then lower back to the front-of-shoulder start under control. The elbows-forward start keeps constant tension on the front delts.
- 1Feel the front delts work from the elbows-forward start
- 2Press smoothly overhead and keep tension on the shoulders
- 3Brace your core and keep your ribs down as you press
Common mistakes
- Don't arch your lower back to drive the weight up
- Avoid letting your elbows fall back behind your body
- Don't use leg drive or momentum to press
Muscles worked
The dumbbell scott press mainly works the front delts, with the triceps, side delts, and upper traps assisting.
- Front DeltsPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper ChestMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell scott press for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.