Two-time Figure Olympia Erin Stern combines her expertise and enthusiasm to craft the perfect workout for individuals, regardless of their fitness level. In a recent YouTube video, Erin Stern gave a step-by-step guide on how to perform the Arnold press, describing it as the ‘perfect shoulder exercise.’
“Does the perfect shoulder exercise exist? One that’s going to hit all three heads of the delts? Yes! And today we are going to do a deep dive on it. That exercise is the Arnold Press. Created by none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger.”
Erin Stern brings a plethora of skills and knowledge to the fitness community. Having earned the Figure Olympia title twice (2010, 2012), Stern later decided to test her prowess by competing in the Bikini category. Unsurprisingly, Stern excelled and secured a victory at the 2022 Republic of Texas Pro.
Since then, Erin Stern has become a successful entrepreneur and published author. Additionally, Stern provides her fans with easy-to-follow workout routines, training tips, and motivation that she shares through social media. With well over 300,000 subscribers, it’s safe to say her advice is coveted.
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Erin Stern Shares Step-by-Step Instructions On How To Perform the Arnold Press
In a recent YouTube video, Erin Stern revealed that the Arnold press may very well be the best shoulder exercise. However, she explains that it can seem tricky at first glance.
“It is a bit of a complicated move, from the surface, but we’re going to make it simple by breaking it down into a couple of different movements. Now, anytime you are starting a new exercise, I suggest either doing just body weight to get the range of motion down or using very light weights.”
She emphasizes that it’s much easier to learn how to perform the exercise properly rather than instilling bad habits that you eventually have to undo.
“It’s the type of thing that practice makes perfect. And it is a lot easier to start out doing the technique correctly than it is to form bad habits and try to undo those bad habits as you move forward.”
Making it less confusing, Stern breaks down the Arnold press into two simple movements. But before she jumps into the exercise, she explains that you will need a half bench and describes how to hold the dumbbells with an underhand grip.
“You will use the half bench, something that has a back that is about perpendicular to the floor, and using light dumbbells, you’ll kick them up to your starting position, which is an underhand grip, thumbs wrapped around the dumbbells, and the dumbbells should be touching or just about touching right in front of the clavicle.”
The first movement begins with rotating the dumbbells out and away from one another. This gets the dumbbells into the proper pressing form.
“Now, the first move to this exercise is simply taking the dumbbells and rotating to an overhand grip as you move the dumbbells away from each other to get into your pressing form. “
From there, she shares that you will push the dumbbells up before slowly bringing them back down. On the way down, you will rotate the dumbbells back into the starting position.
“Step number two, you are going to focus on pressing the dumbbells up. Keeping them just in front of your face as you press up. Now, as you press the dumbbells up and slowly lower those dumbbells down, I want you to think about rotating back to your underhand grip while bringing the dumbbells together to that starting position. And that is one rep.”
Erin Stern reiterates that proper form is important and that the dumbbells should remain a little wider than shoulder-width apart and in front of the face. Also, make sure to remain slow and controlled when coming back down into the starting position.
“So thinking about it in two distinct moves, moving from your underhand grip, to that rotation, to that overhand grip, to your proper pressing position, which is just wider than the shoulder width” Stern explains.
“So you want those dumbbells to be just outside of your shoulders, in front of your body, and then you have the ability to keep your elbows underneath the dumbbells and press them up and then slow and controlled on the way down.”
“You are going to get back to that point, that proper pressing point, rotating your hands back to the underhand grip and back to the dumbbells touching in the middle, close to your clavicle.”
Once the exercise is broken down into two movements it is a lot easier. Stern explains why the Arnold press is superior to other shoulder exercises because it allows for more time under tension and targets all three heads of the delts.
“So that’s it, it looks like a complicated move but when you are able to break it apart into two distinct moves it becomes much easier.”
“This variation puts a lot more time under tension than your traditional dumbbell shoulder press does because you got all this time while you are down here rotating. That is going to lead to better gains, and again you are hitting all three heads of the delts.”
This isn’t the first time that Erin Stern has shared how to build the perfect shoulders. Previously, Stern walked her followers through how they too can achieve ‘complete’ three-dimensional delts with five simple movements. She has also imparted techniques for building ‘boulder shoulders’ that will give you a more athletic look.
Regardless of what body part you are looking to improve, Erin Stern has the best advice which always includes thorough demonstrations. Her attention to detail ensures that her followers always have a full grasp of any concept she is trying to convey.
RELATED: Erin Stern Shares Her Proven Techniques For Mastering Mind-Muscle Connection
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