Shoulders · Beginner–Intermediate
AI Shoulder Press Counter
The dumbbell shoulder press drives a weight from your shoulders to overhead, building round, strong shoulders and stronger pressing power for everyday life. It works standing or seated with dumbbells or anything you can hold. REP RUSH counts each overhead press through your webcam so you can just move and lift.
- In the app
- Counted for you
- Muscles worked
- Deltoids (shoulders), Triceps, Upper chest, Core
- Equipment
- Dumbbells (or any weight)
- Also called
- dumbbell shoulder press, overhead press, military press, arnold press
How to do shoulder press with proper form
- 1 Rack the weights. Sit or stand tall with a weight in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing forward and elbows bent.
- 2 Brace. Tighten your core and keep your back straight — don't lean back or arch to start the lift.
- 3 Press overhead. Drive the weights straight up until your arms are fully extended, stacked over your shoulders.
- 4 Lower with control. Bring the weights back down to shoulder height under control. That's one rep.
Popular variations
Arnold press
Start with your palms facing you at shoulder height, then rotate them outward as you press overhead. The rotation works the front and side of the shoulder through a bigger range — a favorite for well-rounded delts. REP RUSH counts the overhead press portion.
Seated shoulder press
Press from a seated position with your back supported. Taking your legs and core out of the lift isolates the shoulders and is a good way to press strictly when standing feels shaky.
Single-arm press
Press one dumbbell at a time. Working one side at a time evens out strength differences and forces your core to resist twisting.
Muscles worked
Primary
Deltoids (shoulders)
Supporting
Triceps, Upper chest, Core
Common mistakes
Arching your back
Leaning back to muscle the weight up. Brace your core and press with your shoulders, not your spine.
Flaring the elbows
Letting elbows point straight out to the sides. Keep a slight forward angle for healthier shoulders.
Pressing forward
Pushing the weight out in front of you. Drive it straight overhead, finishing over your shoulders.
Short lockout
Stopping before your arms are extended. Reach the full overhead position each rep.
How many reps & sets
Do 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps for size and strength. Start lighter than you expect — the shoulders fatigue quickly and form matters here. Rest 60–90 seconds between sets and train shoulders about twice a week.
Shoulder Press FAQ
What muscles does the shoulder press work?
The overhead press mainly targets the deltoids (shoulders), with the triceps, upper chest, and core assisting to control and stabilize the lift.
What's the difference between a dumbbell shoulder press and an Arnold press?
The Arnold press adds a palm rotation on the way up, which works more of the front shoulder through a larger range. A standard dumbbell press keeps the palms facing forward the whole time. REP RUSH counts both.
Should I do the shoulder press standing or seated?
Both work. Standing recruits more core and full-body stability, while seated isolates the shoulders. Pick what feels strong and controlled.
How much weight should I use for the shoulder press?
Start with a weight you can press 10–12 times with clean form, then add load gradually as it gets easier.
Count your reps, hands-free
REP RUSH watches through your webcam and counts every shoulder press rep on-device — no wearables, no signup, and your video never leaves your machine.
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