Shoulders · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Standing Shoulder Press to Pec Dec
How to do the dumbbell standing shoulder press to pec dec, 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 tall holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, elbows out. Press the dumbbells overhead, lower them back to shoulder level, then bring your elbows together in front of your chest in a pec-dec squeeze before opening back out. Combine the two motions into one flowing rep and keep your core braced.
- 1Your delts driving the overhead press and your chest squeezing as the
- 2elbows meet
- 3A controlled path on both the press and the front squeeze
- 4A tall, braced trunk throughout the combined movement
Common mistakes
- Overarching your lower back during the press
- Rushing the two motions and losing control of the dumbbells
- Shrugging your shoulders up into the press
Muscles worked
The dumbbell standing shoulder press to pec dec mainly works the front delts, with the triceps, upper chest, mid chest, side delts, upper traps, and upper abs assisting.
- Front DeltsPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Mid ChestSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Lower ChestMinor
- Lower BackMinor
- Lower TrapsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- Internal RotatorsMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell standing shoulder press to pec dec 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.