Which Shoulder Press Makes Your Muscles Work Hardest?
Effects of Body Position and Loading Modality on Muscle Activity and Strength in Shoulder Presses
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Standing dumbbell presses had the highest muscle activation but the lowest 1-RM strength.
Most people assume lifting heavier = more muscle growth, but this shows the opposite: less weight can mean harder muscle work.
Practical Takeaways
Use standing dumbbell shoulder presses if your goal is maximum deltoid muscle activation.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Standing dumbbell presses had the highest muscle activation but the lowest 1-RM strength.
Most people assume lifting heavier = more muscle growth, but this shows the opposite: less weight can mean harder muscle work.
Practical Takeaways
Use standing dumbbell shoulder presses if your goal is maximum deltoid muscle activation.
Publication
Journal
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Year
2013
Authors
A. Saeterbakken, M. Fimland
Related Content
Claims (3)
When healthy guys do shoulder presses, standing with dumbbells makes their shoulder muscles work harder (based on electrical activity), even though they can lift heavier weights when sitting with a barbell.
If you're a healthy guy doing seated shoulder presses with heavy weights, using dumbbells probably works your front shoulder muscles a bit more than using a barbell.
If you're a healthy guy doing dumbbell shoulder presses, sitting down might work your rear shoulder muscles a bit more than standing up—about 15% more, according to muscle activity readings.