Shoulders · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Seated Shoulder Press
How to do the dumbbell seated shoulder press, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- VerticalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Sit upright on a bench with back support, a dumbbell in each hand racked at shoulder height with palms facing forward. Brace your ribs down and press both dumbbells overhead in a smooth arc, stopping just short of locking out hard. Lower slowly until you feel a stretch in the shoulders, then repeat.
- 1Feel your front and side delts drive the press, triceps finishing the
- 2lockout
- 3Stay stable through your trunk with a clean overhead path
- 4Lower slowly to a stretch before pressing the next rep
Common mistakes
- Avoid overarching your lower back or flaring your ribs
- Don't bounce out of the bottom of the press
- Don't let your elbows drift too far behind you
Muscles worked
The dumbbell seated shoulder press mainly works the front delts, triceps, and side delts, with the forearms, upper chest, upper traps, and upper abs assisting.
- Front DeltsPrimary
- TricepsPrimary
- Side DeltsPrimary
- ForearmsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower TrapsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell seated shoulder 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.