Dumbbell Seated Cuban Press

DeltoidsDumbbellIntermediate

The Dumbbell Seated Cuban Press targets the shoulders and upper back while improving shoulder mobility.

  1. Sit on a bench with your back straight and feet flat on the floor.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing you.
  3. Rotate your arms outward, keeping your elbows bent, until your palms face forward.
  4. Press the dumbbells overhead while maintaining the rotated position.
  5. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position and repeat.

How to perform the Dumbbell Seated Cuban Press

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Dumbbell Seated Cuban Press using your dumbbell.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your deltoids.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your deltoids rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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