Who Should Do?
Bodybuilders
Bodybuilding involves training to develop muscles through diet and exercise. This form of training is often incorporated to promote general health and fitness and instigate muscular development.
The alternating dumbbell press works multiple upper body muscles, promoting improvements in muscle strength and growth. Both are desirable attributes that bodybuilders seek to improve their physique and physical well-being.
Bodybuilders would benefit from the alternating dumbbell press to address potential muscular imbalances in the shoulder muscles. It’s also a great way to build the anterior and lateral deltoids, improving the shoulders as a whole.
Individuals Seeking Shoulder Mobility Improvement
The alternating dumbbell press is an excellent exercise for improving shoulder mobility. It actively engages each shoulder one at a time in a unilateral movement. This encourages a mind-to-muscle connection and targets any imbalances in mobility.
Inserting this exercise into your training routine can be productive in addressing any mobility concerns and weaknesses.
Individuals Looking To Improve Shoulder Strength
Prioritizing shoulder strength is vital for supporting everyday movements like lifting groceries, opening doors, and pushing a cabinet closed.
The alternating dumbbell press engages numerous muscles around the shoulder joint, like the serratus anterior. These muscles stabilize the shoulder joint; without them, the shoulder would not function properly.
In a weakened state, these muscles are more likely to be injured or unable to take increased stress. Therefore, it is essential to maintain strength in the shoulder joint and muscles through exercises like the alternating dumbbell press.
Who Should Not Do?
Anyone With Shoulder Injuries
If you have a current shoulder injury, it is recommended not to perform an alternating dumbbell press. This is because this movement can aggravate or worsen the injury by placing strain on the shoulder joints and muscles.
Unless you receive the go-ahead from your doctor to perform shoulder exercises, you should not do the alternating dumbbell press.
Benefits Of The Exercise
Boosted Muscle Activation
The alternating dumbbell press is excellent for boosting muscle activation thanks to its alternating unilateral movement. It helps the lifter focus on mind-to-muscle connection and engage the correct muscles throughout the movement.
Shoulder And Upper Back Strength
The alternating dumbbell press is a compound movement that incorporates various upper body muscles, like the lateral deltoid. These muscles are used to press the dumbbell upward and lower the weight back down.
Consistently incorporating this exercise into your training regimen can promote improvements in shoulder and upper back strength.
Enhanced Core Stability
The alternating dumbbell press requires you to lift one arm at a time. Because of this, your core works to keep a stable body position. Regular performance of this exercise can enhance core stability and strength.
Improved Coordination
Due to this exercise’s alternating unilateral movement, the lifter must prioritize the coordination of various limbs and muscle engagement.
The core must be actively engaged to maintain the stability of the upper body. The arms must move in a controlled movement pattern, ensuring the shoulder muscles are activated to press the dumbbell. Because of this, regularly performing the alternating press may improve limb coordination.
Frequently Asked Questions
The alternating dumbbell press is a good exercise to incorporate into anyone’s training regimen. It activates various upper body muscles, including the deltoids, to perform the upward pressing movement.
The single-arm shoulder press may be better for beginners or individuals looking to practice muscle engagement. The double-arm press’s alternating movement may be better for experienced athletes who can learn the alternating movement without compromising form.
Shoulder presses primarily target the anterior deltoid and lateral deltoid. For the posterior deltoid, it might be best to use an exercise like the cable machine high pull.
Resources
Endomondo.com refrains from utilizing tertiary references. We uphold stringent sourcing criteria and depend on peer-reviewed studies and academic research conducted by medical associations and institutions. For more detailed insights, you can explore further by reading our editorial process.
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