One of my favorite exercises for athletes is the dumbbell or barbell push press, demonstrated below. This exercise not only teaches explosive movements with heavy resistance, but also helps athletes learn force transference from the ankles to the knees, to the hips, to the core, and finally toward the shoulder.
This also reinforces a stable shoulder position. The key here is to drive through your feet and load your hips which allows you to use this ground force to lift weights overhead that may be more difficult statically. It’s important to also “catch” the weight in an athletic position with the hips still loaded. This great exercise to introduce to athletes without the experience necessary for compound Olympic lifts like the snatch or power clean.
This exercise is easier to master (technique-wise). It’s also safer, gentler on the joints, and offers major benefits for conditioning as well. This exercise should be in every lifter’s routine, from beginners to advanced athletes. Here’s how to do it right to build muscle.
What Muscles Does A Dumbbell Push Press Work?
Because it’s pretty much a full-body effort, the dumbbell push press incorporates several major muscles in the upper and lower body. They are:
- Glutes
- Hamstrings
- Quads
- Core
- Deltoids
- Trapezius
- Triceps
- Forearms
Try incorporating a DB push press into your workout routine!
