The Arnold Press is a compound exercise that targets the biceps brachii, triceps brachii, deltoids, and trapezius muscles. Named after the Mr. Olympian himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger, this exercise is perfect for building muscle and definition within your arms and shoulders.
To perform the traditional Arnold Press, sit on a bench (with or without back support) with a dumbbell in each hand, and start with performing a bicep curl. At the top of the bicep curl movement, your palms should be facing inwards towards you. Here is where you will develop better grip strength.
Next, simply press the weight above your head while simultaneously rotating the dumbbells so that your palms are facing away from you. Reverse the entire movement and that is one repetition of the Arnold Press.
While the Arnold press is typically performed sitting with dumbells, there are three variations of the movement that can also be utilized. These Arnold press variations include the standing Arnold press, single-arm kettlebell Arnold press, and the half-kneeling single-arm Arnold press.
For the easiest approach, start with the traditional Arnold press. If you are looking for a moderately difficult exercise, try the standing or single-arm variation to activate more muscle groups or isolate a single side of the body. For the most advanced variation, try the half-kneeling single-arm variation which will target most of the upper body.
As with any weight-lifting exercise, proper form is essential to avoiding injury and getting the results you want. The most coming injury seen with the Arnold press is elbow and shoulder pain. Whether it be from using too much weight, going too fast, or going too slow, it is important to focus on form and using less weight.
To master this exercise, you need optimal Arnold press techniques, which you will learn by reading this article.
How to Perform Arnold Press with Proper Form?
Using proper form is essential to get good results and for your safety. If you do not employ proper form when you exercise, you can get injured and not dominate the Arnold press. This shoulder exercise is best performed by those who have some experience with weight lifting.
To master the Arnold press, you must make sure that you keep your chest up and do not slouch or arch your back. You should also make sure that you focus on your shoulder muscles performing the movements.
Ensure that your stance and your grip are steady and firm. Your lower back and spine should be neutral and without too much tension in that area. Keeping your abs engaged will help with this. Following all these suggestions will help you master Arnold press.
What are the benefits of Arnold Press?
There are several benefits of the Arnold press when done with proper Arnold press form. It is a great all-around exercise for strengthening your body and building muscle.
- Encourages the Development of Lean Mass
- Strengthens Shoulder Stability
- Improves Posture
- Maintains and enhances shoulder mobility
1. Encourages the Development of Lean Mass
This exercise is fantastic for muscle growth because the Arnold press engages many different muscles, encouraging muscular hypertrophy and the production of growth hormones.
2. Strengthens Shoulder Stability
Unlike other exercises, the Arnold press strengthens several shoulder muscles. Similar moves only engage some of the shoulder muscles. By encouraging balanced shoulder muscles, the Arnold press improves shoulder stability.
3. Improves Posture
It is vital to engage core muscles and avoid shrugging. This core engagement can improve your posture. Arching your back while performing this exercise can damage your posture.
4. Maintains and enhances shoulder mobility
Since this exercise strengthens all the shoulder muscles, it improves overall shoulder health including shoulder mobility. Failing to stretch properly can impede shoulder mobility. So, make sure that you stretch properly before and after your workout.
What are the mistakes in Arnold Press form?
Here you can see the mistakes for the Arnold Press form.
- Tension in the neck
- Fully straightening arms
- Not stretching
- Not engaging abs
- Working too fast
- Starting with too much weight
1. Tension in the neck
Having too much tension in your body can be dangerous for your safety. Keep your neck and shoulder muscles relaxed and avoid shrugging your shoulders. Taking this care will reduce strain.
2. Fully straightening arms
Straightening your elbows too much puts a lot of pressure on your bones and joints. Doing this can injure you and cause you to do less work. Get good Arnold press form by keeping your elbows somewhat bent.
3. Not stretching
Not stretching can be harmful to you with any exercise and, this is true of the Arnold press. By stretching before exercising, you can get more mobility and get better results. Stretching after your workout can also keep your muscles warm and loose while increasing your blood flow.
4. Not engaging abs
Use your abdominal muscles to add support so that your arm muscles are the only ones moving. Engaging your abs will also help you not arch your back.
5. Working too fast
Going slow and steady is the best way to get the benefits you want from this exercise. Going too fast can make the results unbalanced and, this can also cause injuries.
6. Starting with too much weight
The Arnold press is the kind of exercise that requires a reasonable amount of weight. Too much weight can cause injury. Lower weight allows you to concentrate on proper Arnold press form.
How to Determine Proper Weight for Arnold Press?
The exact weight you use will depend on your weight and experience level. If you are a beginner, start with dumbbells that are around a tenth of your body weight per dumbbell. If you are experienced with weight-lifting, you can add about 10 pounds for each of your experience levels.
It is a good idea to start this exercise with less weight than you think you can lift. By doing this, you can focus on practicing the movements and perfecting your form before adding weight. You should be able to do about ten reps with your selected dumbbells.
What is the importance of grip for Arnold Press?
A grip is how you hold on to the weights you are lifting. Components of the grip include the direction your palms are facing, the distance between hands, and the width of the weight you are gripping. Your grip strength can also be a factor.
The specific grip that you use is worth considering because a good grip allows proper rotation. You should aim for a grip just wider than your shoulder width. Avoid a narrow grip to protect the health of your shoulders.
Which muscles are involved while performing Arnold Press?
This exercise aims to engage all of the shoulder deltoid muscles. A few other muscles also get engaged.
- Anterior deltoid
- Lateral deltoid
- Serratus anterior
- Triceps
- Forearm muscles
The first three muscles are those that are the target of this exercise. Triceps and forearm muscles are not the focus of this exercise, but they do receive benefits from this exercise.
How to do Arnold Press?
To dominate Arnold press exercises safely, you should follow these instructions carefully, using proper form.
- Set your arms bent, palms towards the torso
- Bring your elbows wide to the sides in one motion
- Press the dumbbells over your head
- Straighten your arms and biceps up near your ears
- Maintain a neutral spine and a strong core throughout
1. Set your arms bent, palms towards the torso
Having a good initial setup is key for proper Arnold press technique. Dumbbells are used in this exercise since they allow mobility. Ensure that your feet are set firmly and that only your arms move during the press.
With dumbbells in your hands, bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle. Make sure that your arm and shoulder areas are comfortable. The dumbbells should be at the same level as your ears with your palms facing you.
2. Bring your elbows wide to the sides in one motion
Focus on pushing the weights with only the muscles you are targeting. Do not simply push the weights up vertically. It is crucial to bring your arms wide to get a full rotation.
3. Press the dumbbells over your head
Push the weights up as you twist your wrists so that your palms are now facing away from you. Be careful to not lock your elbows.
4. Straighten your arms and biceps up near your ears
Hold this position for a second, keeping your arms mostly straight but with slightly bent elbows and your muscles engaged.
5. Maintain a neutral spine and a strong core throughout
To protect your back and get the best results, you will need to keep your core engaged while ensuring that your spine is relaxed.
What are the Arnold Press Variations?
The Arnold press is itself a variation of the Scott press. However, it also has variations of its own. In some cases, you may use slightly different equipment or you may modify a body position. You may choose these Arnold press techniques in the interest of safety or results optimization.
- Standing Arnold Press
- Half-Kneeling Single-Arm Arnold Press
- Single-Arm Kettlebell Arnold Press
1. Standing Arnold Press
Standing while performing the Arnold press can use more upper-back muscles. This variation should only be performed by weight-lifters with experience since it is less safe than a seated Arnold press.
2. Single-Arm Kettlebell Arnold Press
This variation works in much the same fashion as the original exercise. The only difference is that a kettlebell is used. Using a kettlebell is a way to rotate higher and be safer.
3. Half-Kneeling Single-Arm Arnold Press
Less stress is put on the lower back in this variation compared to other variations. Your abs and glutes will naturally become engaged in a kneeling or half-kneeling position.
What is the necessary equipment for Arnold Press?
The Arnold press requires very little equipment. You only need two dumbbells and a bench for a seated press. If you do the kettlebell variation, you will use kettlebells instead of dumbbells. If you are standing, you only need dumbbells.
What is the origin of Arnold Press?
The Arnold press is a variation on other shoulder presses. The press was initially developed by Vince Gironda to help Larry Scott build his deltoid muscles. Arnold Schwarzenegger later altered it to work more muscles and popularized the move. The press has not changed much since its inception beyond the creation of variations.
What is the effectiveness of the Arnold Press for muscle growth when compared to the military press?
Both the military press and the Arnold press are some of the most effective exercises for building upper body muscles. However, the Arnold press helps build muscle a bit more since it targets all of your deltoid muscles, as well as the biceps.
What are some Arnold Press-related facts
Does Arnold Press affect hormones?
The Arnold Press affects a few different types of hormones. These exercises increase levels of anabolic hormones including estrogen, testosterone, insulin-like growth factor, and growth hormone. The exact hormones produced will depend on sex since lifting weights can help balance sex hormones.
Lifting weights causes damage to the muscles you target. This promotes muscular hypertrophy which is when your muscle cells grow and your overall muscles grow. Lifting weights also increases the production of growth hormones.
Does Arnold Press Increase Testosterone?
Yes, the Arnold press helps boost your testosterone. Testosterone gets produced as a result of the homeostatic disruption, and this is optimized if you work out as many different muscle areas as possible.
Does Arnold Press affect mood?
Yes, the Arnold press affects mood in a positive manner. Lifting weights in general can put you in a better mood. These exercises produce endorphins, a group of peptide hormones that make people feel happy. The Arnold press is no exception. Lifting weights regularly can also reduce anxiety and reduce symptoms of depression according to a study from 2018.
Is Arnold Press practiced within CrossFit?
Yes, the Arnold press exercise can be used as part of CrossFit.
Is Arnold Press a military movement?
No, the Arnold press exercise is not commonly practiced by the military.
Is Arnold Press dangerous?
No, the Arnold press is not particularly dangerous, though just like any exercise, proper form and safety measures are essential. You should avoid this exercise if you have previous shoulder issues.
Is Arnold Press push or pull?
The Arnold press is a “push” exercise. A push exercise is when you push the weight away from your body.
Is Arnold Press essential?
No, the Arnold press is not one of the core lifts that people do.
Is Arnold Press an Olympic lift?
No, the Arnold press is not done in the Olympics.
Is Arnold Press a compound exercise?
A compound exercise targets multiple muscle groups simultaneously. So, yes, the Arnold press is a compound exercise since it targets the shoulders, biceps, back, and chest.
What can replace Arnold Press?
Many exercises can target similar goals as the Arnold press. These include the incline Cuban press, military press, Bradford press, Leapfrog push-ups, chin-ups, planks, and the Lex press.
Is Arnold Press a beginner-friendly exercise?
The Arnold Press is technically beginner-friendly, though it is slightly more challenging than some similar exercises. If you know how to curl a dumbbell and perform a shoulder press with dumbbells, you can do the Arnold press.
What are the differences between Arnold Press and Shoulder Press?
Both the Arnold press and shoulder press use dumbbells and can be done sitting or standing, and both exercises target adding bulk to the shoulders. The main difference between these two exercises is that the Arnold press focuses on building bulk while the shoulder press is a bit better if you just want to build strength.
Does the Arnold Press target the same muscle as the Shoulder press?
The Arnold press and shoulder press target the same muscle groups, but the Arnold press targets a few extra muscles. The Arnold press targets lateral deltoids, anterior deltoids, and Serratus anterior, as well as the biceps brachii.
