The Arnold Press Mistakes That Are Stopping Your Shoulder Growth

You know you’ve made it in the strength and bodybuilding world when an exercise is named after you. Such accolades are not given lightly, and, really, there are only a handful of lifters with namesake exercises. These include:

• The Bradford press – Jim Bradford
• The Gironda curl – Vince Gironda
• The Hack squat – George Hackenschmidt
• The Hatfield squat – Fred Hatfield
• The Jefferson deadlift – Charles Jefferson
• The Meadows row – John Meadows
• The Pendlay row – Glenn Pendlay
• The Reeves deadlift – Steve Reeves
• The Steinborn squat – Henry Steinborn
• The Tate press – Dave Tate
• The Yates row – Dorian Yates
• The Zercher squat – Ed Zercher
• The Zottman curl – George Zottman

However, arguably the most well-known and popular exercise named after a famous bodybuilder is the Arnold press. Created by 7-time Mr. Olympia winner Arnold Schwarzenegger, this compound shoulder exercise is designed to hit all three deltoid heads in one time-efficient movement.

Schwarzenegger credits this exercise for his otherworldly shoulder development, and given his legendary bodybuilding status, it’s hard to argue with his point of view.

However, despite Arnold’s glowing endorsement, some lifters struggle with the Arnold press. They say it’s not as effective as they hoped it would be or that it bothers their joints.

I’m a veteran personal trainer, and I’ve seen plenty of people attempt the Arnold press. Unfortunately, many of them fail to perform this classic exercise correctly, which is why a lot of them don’t get the results they expected.

In this article, I share the right way to do the Arnold press and highlight the common mistakes that are undermining your shoulder growth.

Make Arnold Proud with Your Pressing Technique

Contrary to appearances, the Arnold press is quite a technical lift. It combines several different motions into each rep, making it harder to perform than the conventional dumbbell overhead press.

Using the correct technique will ensure that the Arnold press delivers the results you want while protecting your joints and minimizing the risk of injury.

So, follow these steps to master the Arnold press and get the most from this classic shoulder-builder.

1. Set up your seat: Use a bench with back support set to an upright or slightly reclined position. This helps protect your lower back and keeps the focus on your shoulders.
2. Grab your dumbbells: Hold a dumbbell in each hand and sit with your back firmly against the bench. Start with the weights at shoulder height, palms facing your body, and elbows bent and close to your waist.
3. The twist and press: As you press the dumbbells upward, rotate your wrists so your palms face forward at the top of the movement. Your arms should be fully extended, but without locking your elbows.
4. Control the descent: Reverse the motion as you lower the weights, rotating your wrists so your palms face you again at shoulder height. This controlled rotation engages all three deltoid heads and adds time under tension.
5. Keep your form tight: Keep your core braced to stabilize your torso and pull your shoulders down and back to stabilize your arms. Avoid arching your back or using momentum—the movement should be smooth and deliberate.

Arnold-Approved Tips for Bigger, Healthier Shoulders

Get even more from this stupendous shoulder-builder with tips that Arnold would undoubtedly approve of…

• Prioritize form over ego: Forget “go heavy or go home” for Arnold presses. Lighter weights done with perfect form will hit your delts far harder than heavy loads with poor technique.
• Don’t rush the twist: The wrist rotation is the secret sauce in the Arnold press. Rotate deliberately throughout the lift to fully engage the front, side, and rear delts.
• Keep your elbows in check: Start with your elbows in front of your body, not flared out. This position reduces shoulder strain and makes the press more efficient.
• Control the tempo: A steady 2-3 second lowering phase increases time under tension and gives your muscles more growth stimulus.
• Mix seated and standing variations: Seated presses lock in your form and protect your back. Standing presses challenge your core and mimic functional and athletic movement patterns. Switch between them for balanced development.

The Arnold Press Mistakes You Need to Fix Right Now!

So, now you know how to perform the Arnold press correctly. Follow the instructions above and you’ll soon be on your way to building Olympian shoulders of your own.

But even the best exercise can fall short if your form slips or you pick up bad habits along the way. Before you start repping out, make sure you’re not making any of these common Arnold press mistakes—they could be the reason your delts aren’t growing as fast as they should.

1. Setting the Bench Too Far Back

Leaning back turns what should be a shoulder exercise into something more akin to an incline press, shifting the work onto your upper pecs and deloading your posterior deltoids. Ideally, your torso should be vertical, so set your bench backrest to 90 degrees.

However, it’s worth noting that if this feels uncomfortable, you may lack the thoracic spine or shoulder mobility to do Arnold presses correctly.

2. Excessive Lower Back Arch

Leading on from the point above, if you have tight shoulders or an immobile upper back, you may inadvertently arch your lower back so you can keep your arms vertical. Needless to say, this puts a lot of stress on your intervertebral discs and ligaments, increasing your risk of injury.

Actively brace your core and press your lower back into the bench. If this forces your arms to move forward instead of up, you should also take steps to improve your shoulder and upper back mobility.

Related: The 12 Best Thoracic Spine Stretches for a Healthier, More Mobile Upper Back

3. Uneven Arm Action

Pressing one weight faster than the other will throw off your balance and will make your reps feel awkward rather than silky-smooth. Set your bench up in front of a mirror so you can track your movements and ensure your arms are in sync.

4. Not Using a Full Range of Motion

One of the reasons that the Arnold press is so effective is that it takes your deltoids from a stretched position to full contraction—or at least, they should.

Some lifters start each rep with the dumbbells too high or fail to press the weights all the way up to just shy of full arm extension. Both form faults will take work away from your deltoids and make your workout less effective.  

However, to ensure you keep the tension on your deltoids and don’t inadvertently rest between reps, you should avoid locking your elbows at the end of each press. Doing so will not only hurt your gains but could also cause elbow problems.

5. Holding your Breath

While it may be tempting to hold your breath during an intense set of Arnold presses, doing so will cause a significant spike in your blood pressure, could leave you feeling faint or dizzy, and will starve your muscles of the oxygen they need to keep working.

Integrate your breathing with the motion of your arms, inhaling as you lower the weights and exhaling as you press them back up.

6. Lowering the Weights Too Fast

Almost every strength training exercise comprises two phases—the concentric or lifting phase, and the eccentric or lowering phase. Studies suggest that lowering the weight is more important for building muscle than lifting (1), so it makes sense to emphasize the eccentric phase of Arnold presses, as well as almost all the other exercises in your workout.

While you don’t need to adopt a strict tempo, e.g., 2:4 or 1:3, you will get better results from the Arnold press if you lower the weights more slowly than you lift them.

7. Improper Elbow/Wrist Alignment

Your elbows should remain directly below your wrists during every stage of the Arnold press. This is not just safer for your joints but also optimizes muscle mechanics and leverage so you can handle more weight. So, do not allow your elbows to flare outward or your wrists to collapse inward. Instead, keep your forearms vertical throughout.

8. Using Too Much Weight

Arnold presses require a lot of control and great technique. However, if you let your ego run wild and try to use dumbbells that are too heavy, you won’t be able to control them as precisely as you should, and your form is sure to suffer.

So, keep your ego in check and, rather than focusing on how much weight you can lift during Arnold presses, pay more attention to how you lift and lower the weights, your tempo, and your mind-muscle connection. Save your heavy pressing for simpler exercises, such as the conventional dumbbell or barbell overhead press.

By addressing these mistakes, you’ll not only maximize your shoulder gains but also reduce joint stress. If the Arnold press still isn’t a perfect fit for your body, there are several alternative exercises that can target your delts just as effectively.

Arnold Press Alternatives

As good as Arnold presses are, they aren’t the only exercise that targets all three deltoid heads. Here are three of my favorite similarly effective all-around shoulder builders.

Victory Raises

The victory raise is a dumbbell exercise that combines front and overhead raises with shoulder abduction using a resistance band. Don’t worry if that all sounds a little complicated, because in reality, victory raises are as straightforward as they are useful.

This exercise is one of the most joint-friendly shoulder builders I know. You only need light dumbbells and a mini-band to do them, so they’re ideal for home lifters, too.

Read all about this lesser-known exercise in this detailed guide.

Cuban Press

Cuban presses are an assistance exercise from the world of Olympic weightlifting. Combining an upright row with an overhead press, they hit all three deltoid heads plus your biceps, triceps, and upper traps. While not as joint-friendly as victory raises, if your joints are healthy, you’re bound to enjoy the challenge of this intense, hardcore exercise.

Learn how to do the Cuban press here.

Bradford Press

Named after 1960s Olympic weightlifter James (Jim) Bradford, the Bradford press combines conventional and behind-the-neck presses to hammer your deltoids from all the available angles. While you will need excellent shoulder mobility to do this exercise, if you’re ready for an old-school challenge, this exercise could be right up your alley.

Discover more about Bradford presses in our in-depth guide.

Closing Thoughts

The Arnold press is a classic for a reason—when done correctly, it can build powerful, well-rounded shoulders. But as you’ve read, small mistakes in form, tempo, or load can seriously hamper your results and put unnecessary strain on your joints.

Take the time to apply the tips and corrections outlined above. Focus on proper setup, controlled motion, and mindful wrist and elbow alignment. Prioritize technique over ego, and you’ll trigger far more growth than chasing heavier weights with sloppy form.

Don’t let bad habits hold your shoulders back. Whether you stick with the Arnold press or utilize alternatives like victory raises, Cuban presses, or Bradford presses, perfecting your technique is the key to stronger, healthier, better-developed delts.

So, grab your dumbbells, check your form, and get pressing the Arnold way—your shoulders will thank you.

References:

1. Azevedo PHSM, Oliveira MGD, Schoenfeld BJ. Effect of different eccentric tempos on hypertrophy and strength of the lower limbs. Biol Sport. 2022 Mar;39(2):443-449. doi: 10.5114/biolsport.2022.105335. Epub 2021 Jun 1. PMID: 35309524; PMCID: PMC8919893.

---