How to Arnold Press
In the starting position, your back should be straight, the dumbbells should be at shoulder level and the palms should be facing the body. Then raise the dumbbells as you rotate the palms of your hands until they are facing forward, keeping your elbows in. Lower the weight slowly and in a controlled manner with your palms facing your body.
Arnold Press Benefits
- The seated Arnold press is one of the rare shoulder exercises developed by Arnold Schwarzenegger that works the 3 heads of the deltoids (front of your shoulders, lateral deltoids, posterior deltoids). This exercise is done with dumbbells to work the triceps muscle group in your upper arms, including the trapezius, rotator cuff, and delts in your upper body.
- Remember that the Arnold press is a more advanced variation on the overhead press. This exercise works many muscles in the shoulder, but because of the rotation it requires, it may be a more risky exercise than a overhead press if you have shoulder discomfort. Be careful not to increase the weight too much to get efficient results with Arnold press. If you experience shoulder pain or shoulder injury consult your doctor or a personal trainer before continuing the exercise.
Arnold Press Muscles Worked
In a study on the Shoulder press alternatives, the Overhead press and the Arnold press, it was concluded that the Arnold dumbbell press is a more effective exercise for activating the Anterior and Medial deltoid muscles compared to the Overhead Dumbbell Press. It was also found that the anterior deltoid muscle activation was much higher than the Medial Deltoid while performing both exercises.
Arnold Press Variations
Source:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322132613_Comparison_among_the_EMG_Activity_of_the_Anterior_Deltoid_and_Medial_Deltoid_During_Two_Variations_of_Dumbbell_Shoulder_Press_Exercise