How many sets and reps of the Arnold press should you do when you are new to the exercise?

Start with 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps using a weight noticeably lighter than your seated dumbbell shoulder press, since the rotation adds a stability demand the standard press does not have. Add weight only once you can complete the full rotation smoothly on every rep without the elbows flaring out before the press starts or the lower back arching.

What can you do instead of the Arnold press with no dumbbells?

A standing or seated barbell or plate press covers the same overhead pressing pattern without needing the rotation, and a resistance band overhead press works if no weights are available at all, anchoring the band underfoot and pressing straight up.

What is the Arnold press good for, and when should you pick a different press instead?

The added rotation extends time under tension across more of the deltoid, which suits lifters chasing shoulder hypertrophy and a stronger mind-muscle connection. It is a poor choice when you need to move maximal weight or are new to overhead pressing, since the rotation is one more thing to coordinate; a standard dumbbell or barbell press builds the same strength base more directly.

Intermediate

Arnold Press

Named after the man himself, this press starts with palms facing you and rotates out as you drive up, adding a bit of front-to-mid delt sweep to the standard movement. The extra rotation increases time under tension and hits more of the deltoid, at the cost of using slightly lighter weight. Use it as an accessory press when you want a strong mind-muscle connection with the shoulders.

Equipment: Bench, Dumbbell
Body part: Shoulder
Type: Strength
Browse by muscle: Deltoid Anterior
Browse by movement: Vertical Press

How to do it

1
Sit tall on an upright bench holding dumbbells in front of your upper chest with palms facing you and elbows tucked.
2
Brace your abs and begin pressing up while rotating your palms to face forward.
3
Continue the rotation smoothly so the palms face away as the dumbbells reach overhead.
4
Lock out with the arms nearly straight, then reverse the path, rotating the palms back toward you.
5
Return to the tucked start position under control and repeat.

Tips

Keep the rotation slow and deliberate; rushing it turns the lift into a sloppy swing.
Do not let the dumbbells drift far in front of you at the bottom; keep them close to your face.
Use lighter weight than your standard press since the rotation adds a stability demand.

Variations

Common mistakes

The rotation finishes before the arms lock out, leaving the shoulders to grind through the last few inches with the palms already facing forward instead of still turning.
Arching the lower back at the top to gain those last inches of lockout replaces shoulder work with a lumbar strain.
Elbows flare wide at the very bottom, before the press has started, instead of starting tucked in front of you; they should open out to the sides only as the dumbbells rise and the palms turn.
Once the weight starts to feel heavy, the rotation gets skipped altogether and the set turns into a plain dumbbell press.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of the Arnold press should you do when you are new to the exercise?: Start with 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps using a weight noticeably lighter than your seated dumbbell shoulder press, since the rotation adds a stability demand the standard press does not have. Add weight only once you can complete the full rotation smoothly on every rep without the elbows flaring out before the press starts or the lower back arching.
What can you do instead of the Arnold press with no dumbbells?: A standing or seated barbell or plate press covers the same overhead pressing pattern without needing the rotation, and a resistance band overhead press works if no weights are available at all, anchoring the band underfoot and pressing straight up.
What is the Arnold press good for, and when should you pick a different press instead?: The added rotation extends time under tension across more of the deltoid, which suits lifters chasing shoulder hypertrophy and a stronger mind-muscle connection. It is a poor choice when you need to move maximal weight or are new to overhead pressing, since the rotation is one more thing to coordinate; a standard dumbbell or barbell press builds the same strength base more directly.

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