‘I’m A Trainer And This Is My Go-To Move For Toned Shoulder And Back Muscles.’
If you're looking to tone your arms and back, improve posture, and get stronger, it’s time to add the Arnold press to your library of upper-body exercises. And before you ask, yes, the exercise gets its name from Arnold Schwarzenegger (a.k.a. The Terminator). No, it will not pump you up like the former bodybuilder-turned-actor-turned-governor of California.
What it will do? Challenge your upper body strength and stability by targeting your back, shoulders, and core all at once. Given all of the above, this is a compound movement that's complex and, therefore, requires proper form and control to execute safely and reap the benefits. That's why we recruited Kara Liotta, CPT, co-founder of KKSWEAT a digital fitness platform for live and on-demand classes, to teach you everything you need to know about the Arnold press, including technique, modifications, and more.
Meet the expert: Kara Liotta, CPT, co-founder of KKSWEAT (a digital platform for live and on-demand boutique fitness classes), is a powerhouse celebrity trainer, master instructor, and fitness model based in NYC.
How To Do The Arnold Press
Stand with your feet hip-width, holding a pair of dumbbells at shoulder height. Your elbows should be bent and your palms should face your body.
In one motion, open your elbows to the sides, rotate your forearms so palms face forward, and press the dumbbells overhead until arms are straight and biceps are by your ears.
Pause briefly at the top, then reverse the movement to return to start. That's 1 rep.
Form tips:
Keep abs engaged by drawing your navel toward the spine as you lift weights overhead to avoid overarching low back. If you can't do this, your dumbbells are a little too heavy, so reduce the load. Think of vertical stacking (head over ribs, over hips, over knees, over ankles!).
Don’t forget to breathe! Exhale on the overhead press part of the move, and inhale as you bring your arms back down to the starting position.
Benefits Of The Arnold Press
The Arnold press involves moving in multiple planes of motion, which means you'll get the benefit of targeting several areas of the muscles involved instead of just one. Think of it as a leveled-up shoulder press that gets you more bang-for-your-buck when it comes to targeting the deltoids (the triangular muscles on top of your shoulders). You'll also be forced to develop engaging your back and core to stabilize throughout the move!
How many reps and sets of Arnold presses should you do?
For toning: If your goal is to gain upper body strength and tone the arms and shoulders, focus on moderate to high repetitions with moderate weights.
Do 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 12 reps.
Rest for 60 to 90 seconds between sets.
For muscle growth: If hypertrophy is your goal, focus on lifting heavier weight with lower repetitions to maximize the amount of total force your muscles can produce.
Do 3 to 4 sets of 3 to 6 reps.
Rest 2 to 5 minutes between sets.
Pro tip: The weight should feel challenging but manageable for the last 1 to 2 reps. If it feels easy, it might be time to go heavier!
How To Modify The Arnold Press
Adjust the load: 10 to 15 pounds is typically a good starting weight for most people, but if that feels heavy, drop down in weight. If that feels light, level up to heavier ‘bells. The goal is to find a weight that you can Arnold press with for 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps without leaning backwards during the move.
Alternate arms: Instead lifting both arms up at once for the total number of reps, lift one arm up at a time to perform half the total reps on each side. This way you're completing less reps total, but you should still make sure to maintain form. This is also a great modification to utilize when you’re aiming to challenge yourself with heavier weights.
How To Add The Arnold Press To Your Workout
Put it in a shoulder-focused circuit: You can try plank shoulder taps, followed by shoulder raises and then the Arnold press, doing each move for a minute. This creates a circuit that hits all of the key upper body muscles (think: shoulders, back, abs, chest, arms).
Combine it with a lower body move: Like a squat or lateral lunge! Because these moves use so many joints (hello, compound movements!), it’s an efficient use of time to target your glutes, core, and shoulders at the same time. A day at the gym that includes both the Arnold press and a compound lower-body move equals a total-body workout!
Arnold Press Variations
1. Overhead Press
How to:
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, holding a dumbbell in each hand, arms bent at 90-degree angles, elbows wide and in line with shoulders, palms facing forward.
Press the weights up until arms are straight overhead.
Hold for one second, then take three seconds to lower the dumbbells back to start. That’s 1 rep.
2. Banded Shoulder Press
How to:
Place a resistance band under your feet and hold the other end with both hands at chest height.
Lift your arms to press the band up and overhead.
Pause, then return to start. That’s 1 rep.
3. Seated Overhead Press
How to:
Sit with legs extended, butt on ground, back straight, and a kettlebell in each hand, arms bent, elbows narrow, palms facing inward, and weights resting against upper arms.
In one motion, rotate palms away from body and press the kettlebells overhead until arms are straight and biceps are by ears.
Reverse motion and lower weights to start. That's 1 rep.
4. Hammer Shoulder Press
How to:
Stand with feet under shoulders, soft bend in knees, holding a pair of dumbbells at chin height, arms narrow in front of body and bent, palms facing inward.
Press weights up overhead until biceps frame face.
Hold for one second, then take three seconds to lower the dumbbells back to start. That’s 1 rep.
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