Shoulders · Compound

Single Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press

A unilateral overhead pressing exercise that targets the deltoids and triceps while challenging core stability with an offset load. Pressing one dumbbell makes the obliques fight the sideways pull the whole set, so the trunk gets trained as hard as the shoulder. It also isolates each side's pressing strength, revealing gaps a two-dumbbell press hides.

By Macros Inc Team Verified by Alex Dedmon Updated August 2026

Intermediate Dumbbell Compound Push
single-arm-dumbbell-shoulder-press-poster
  • Level Intermediate
  • Equipment Dumbbell
  • Primary Muscles Front Delts, Obliques, Side Delts, Triceps
  • Movement Compound Push

Demonstration

Watch the Form Demo

Technique

How to Do the Single Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press

  1. Stand tall holding one dumbbell at your shoulder, palm forward, free arm at your side.
  2. Brace your core hard against the uneven load.
  3. Press the dumbbell straight up until your arm is locked out beside your ear.
  4. Hold the top for a beat, staying perfectly upright.
  5. Lower under control to your shoulder.
  6. Complete the set, then switch arms and match the reps.

Anatomy

Muscles Worked

shoulders
Primary muscles
Front Delts Side Delts
Secondary muscles
Obliques Triceps

Do This

Form Cues

  • Brace the core hard. The offset load will try to bend you sideways.
  • Keep the free hand at your side rather than holding onto anything.
  • Press in a straight line with the ribs down.
  • Stay stacked: shoulder over hip over ankle on the working side. The fight to stay vertical is half the exercise.

Avoid This

Common Mistakes

  • Leaning away from the working arm to gain leverage.
  • Arching the lower back at lockout.
  • Rotating the torso as the dumbbell passes the head.
  • Bracing the free hand on your hip or a rack, which quietly deletes the core work.

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