The Dumbbell Push Press is a intermediate-friendly dumbbell strength exercise that targets the shoulders, with the triceps, quadriceps and abdominals working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesShoulders
Secondary musclesTriceps, Quads, Abs
EquipmentDumbbell
LevelIntermediate
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Dumbbell Push Press
Stand with feet hip-width apart and bring a dumbbell to each shoulder with the palms facing in.
Brace your abdominals and glutes and keep the torso vertical.
Dip a few inches by bending the knees while keeping the chest tall and the elbows up.
Reverse the dip explosively by extending the ankles, knees and hips.
Let the leg drive carry the dumbbells up, then finish the lockout with the shoulders and triceps.
Lower the dumbbells back to the shoulders and absorb the load with soft knees.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Allows heavier overhead loading than a strict press by adding leg drive.
Trains the transfer of force from the lower body through a braced trunk to the arms.
Loads each side independently, so side to side differences cannot hide.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Dipping too deep, which turns the movement into a squat and kills the elastic drive.
Leaning the torso forward in the dip, which sends the dumbbells out in front of the shoulders.
Starting the press with the arms before the legs finish, which wastes the leg drive entirely.
Catching the dumbbells on locked legs, which sends the impact straight into the knees and spine.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Dumbbell Push Press, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
