Arnold Press vs. DB Overhead Press

[sdb]

Is there really a big difference?

The only thing I see is the articulation of the radioulnar joint.
Thus engaging the supinator and pronator teres muscles of
the upper forearm as your arm rotates. But your shoulders
and elbows (humeroulnar joint) are still making the same movements.


(I listed the joint names because there are actually 2 joints in the elbow region. I wanted to specify which is doing what.)

[1quick1]

I've always done regular DB presses. Though I do want to start adding seated and standing single arm DB presses I've only done Arnolds a few times.

[sdb]

I see guys at my gym doing OH press then doing arnold presses and i wonder if they have a clue WHY they're doing both of those...


edit: I love alternating my presses. I'll do DB's one week, standing BB press the next, then seated BB presses the next. Lots of well rounded variety.

[Big Guns]

Originally Posted by sdb

I see guys at my gym doing OH press then doing arnold presses and i wonder if they have a clue WHY they're doing both of those...


edit: I love alternating my presses. I'll do DB's one week, standing BB press the next, then seated BB presses the next. Lots of well rounded variety.

For volume training. Unless he is doing more than 3 sets of each. It's just to train the shoulders a bit differently. We do many types of DB curls that only slightly differ.

[Striker]

I do regular DB overhead presses but I see a lot of others doing Arnold press.

[strawser9]

arnold press = rotator cuff nightmare

thats all.

[getfit74]

I like to alternate my OH preses about every 2-3 weeks, do B/B military for around three weeks then D/B military for 3 weeks, then Arnolds for 3 weeks then maybe smith machine military.

Dad always said variety is the spice of life. I like all the movements and feel the arnold presses maybe hit the front delts more. I know a lot of people let there ego get in the way of doing Arnold presses, they get use to doing heavy D/B military presses and try the Arnolds and see right fast if you do them right there's no way they can use the same weight as they did with regular D/B military.

[ChRis_StuaRt]

i alternate between Seated Dumbell Press one week then the next week the similar movement but with a barbell. i like shoulder presses/military presses theyre deffo the best for building the shoulders up.

[EricT]

My opinions on this type of thing have changed over the years. I used to be a "always do compound movements" regardless type of person.

I am primarily a strength guy so I do military press primarily to increase my military press. So any other overhead press variety is aimed at that. I wholeheatedly agree that variety is good but that doesn't mean that all variety is good or even usefull to a specific goal. Hopefully I can explain what I mean be that clearly.

When it comes to shoulders they are getting hit in some way by just about every upper body thing you do...not to mention deadlifts or any other variation thereof....plus if you do any OL pulls even more..

If all you want to do is build up your shoulders, most guys should be able to achieve that by supplementing their upper body work with some laterals and maybe front raises. That is not to say that some overhead press isn't very useful but when it comes to strength movements it is better to train them in a functional sense. I.E. with the notion that form follows function.

So if you want to do military press then the best goal is to look at improving that movement. And not look at esthetics. Because esthetics and overhead pressing can lead you to train overhead lifts wrong, if not just lead to overtraining your shoulders in general.

I dont like arnold presses when it comes to augmenting any pressing ability because they simple take away the advantage of using dumbells. A lot of straight bar work is hard on the shoulders in the long run. The advantage of dumbells, for one, is they allow us to use a neutral and comfortable grip which can really take some of the stress of the shoulder for a while. So that in itself is a good reason to switch to dumbell press occasionally or to use that as a secondary press rather than another straight bar press (such as seated).

But arnold presses are not allowing you to press naturally and neutrally this nullifyting a great advantage and probably one of the most important when it comes to shoulders....keeping them healthy. That is assuming you are healthy enought to be overhead pressing in the first place.

When it comes to front deltoids....throwing in some front raises is going to do the trick. You certainly don't need some hybridized pressing movement.

As far as pressing overhead is concerned I use

military press
seated military
dumbell press (and unilateral also)
seated dumbell press (and unilateral also0
push press

And that about covers it.

[1quick1]

Originally Posted by EricT

My opinions on this type of thing have changed over the years. I used to be a "always do compound movements" regardless type of person.

I am primarily a strength guy so I do military press primarily to increase my military press. So any other overhead press variety is aimed at that. I wholeheatedly agree that variety is good but that doesn't mean that all variety is good or even usefull to a specific goal. Hopefully I can explain what I mean be that clearly.

When it comes to shoulders they are getting hit in some way by just about every upper body thing you do...not to mention deadlifts or any other variation thereof....plus if you do any OL pulls even more..

If all you want to do is build up your shoulders, most guys should be able to achieve that by supplementing their upper body work with some laterals and maybe front raises. That is not to say that some overhead press isn't very useful but when it comes to strength movements it is better to train them in a functional sense. I.E. with the notion that form follows function.

So if you want to do military press then the best goal is to look at improving that movement. And not look at esthetics. Because esthetics and overhead pressing can lead you to train overhead lifts wrong, if not just lead to overtraining your shoulders in general.

I dont like arnold presses when it comes to augmenting any pressing ability because they simple take away the advantage of using dumbells. A lot of straight bar work is hard on the shoulders in the long run. The advantage of dumbells, for one, is they allow us to use a neutral and comfortable grip which can really take some of the stress of the shoulder for a while. So that in itself is a good reason to switch to dumbell press occasionally or to use that as a secondary press rather than another straight bar press (such as seated).

But arnold presses are not allowing you to press naturally and neutrally this nullifyting a great advantage and probably one of the most important when it comes to shoulders....keeping them healthy. That is assuming you are healthy enought to be overhead pressing in the first place.

When it comes to front deltoids....throwing in some front raises is going to do the trick. You certainly don't need some hybridized pressing movement.

As far as pressing overhead is concerned is use

military press
seated military
dumbell press (and unilateral also)
seated dumbell press (and unilateral also0
push press

And that about covers it.

Nice post Eric.

[EricT]

Thank you, quick.

BTW, "As far as pressing overhead is concerned is use" was supposed to read "as far as pressing overhead is concerned 'I' use". That typo made it sound like I was trying to tell people what to do, lol.