Back to library
Exercise Library
Dumbbell Standing Palms in Press
A standing two dumbbell overhead press performed with a neutral grip, which keeps the elbows forward and is gentler on cranky shoulders.
ShouldersDumbbellVertical press
GoLightWeight mediadumbbell-standing-palms-in-press
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
Anterior deltoids
Secondary
Lateral deltoidsTricepsUpper trapeziusCore
Equipment
Dumbbell
Pattern
Vertical press
Setup
- 01Stand with feet hip width apart and clean two dumbbells to the shoulders.
- 02Turn the palms to face each other with the elbows pointing forward.
- 03Brace the trunk and squeeze the glutes to lock the torso.
- 04Keep the dumbbells close to the sides of the head.
Execution
- 01Press both dumbbells straight up while keeping the palms facing in.
- 02Lock the elbows with the biceps near the ears.
- 03Lower under control back to shoulder height.
- 04Keep the grip neutral for the entire range.
Checkpoints
- -Palms stay facing each other from bottom to top.
- -Elbows stay in front of the torso, not flared out.
- -Torso stays vertical with no lean back.
- -The dumbbells travel in a straight vertical line.
Common mistakes
- -Rotating the palms out at the top and losing the neutral grip.
- -Flaring the elbows wide, which defeats the purpose of the variation.
- -Arching the low back to grind out reps.
- -Bouncing the dumbbells off the shoulders.
Programming notes
- -Use 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
- -Pick this over a pronated press when the shoulders complain about the standard grip.
- -Pairs well with lateral raises since the neutral grip biases the front delts.
Related exercises
Almost there
Coming soon to iOS & Android
GoLightWeight is in the final stretch. Free to download, no account required to start.
Coming soonApp Store
Coming soonGoogle Play