Dumbbell Standing Alternate Overhead Press

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level, palms facing forward. Press one dumbbell overhead, extending your arm fully. Return the dumbbell to shoulder level, then repeat with the opposite arm. Alternate between arms for each repetition.

How to perform the Dumbbell Standing Alternate Overhead Press

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Dumbbell Standing Alternate Overhead 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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