One-Arm Shoulder press - palms facing out or in?

[jed111]

Unlike many instructional vids online, Lou describes the one-arm dumbbell shoulder press that you should do it with your palms facing each other rather than a palm facing out.

Is there a reason for this? Does it really matter?

[feralBoy]

If you do the movement without weights, you will notice that your elbows are closer to your body when your palms are facing you. So I imagine, it works the muscles slight differently.

In the part about the dumbell incline bench press, lou writes that turning your palms toward each other brings "your elbows closer to your torso, which should activate your triceps and front deltoids a bit more and your chest a bit less."

While the dumbell incline bench press, is a different exercise, I would think the concept is the same.

[jed111]

Originally Posted by feralBoy

If you do the movement without weights, you will notice that your elbows are closer to your body when your palms are facing you. So I imagine, it works the muscles slight differently.

In the part about the dumbell incline bench press, lou writes that turning your palms toward each other brings "your elbows closer to your torso, which should activate your triceps and front deltoids a bit more and your chest a bit less."

While the dumbell incline bench press, is a different exercise, I would think the concept is the same.

Good reference, I think it could possibly be the same reason.

And yeah, I did notice it felt a little different. Wasn't a problem, both ways felt fine but I will go with the palms facing towards each other.

Should I do this with one dumbbell? Can't see why it matters, but that's what I've been doing. 15 right arm, 15 left arm, 15 right arm, 15 left arm.

[feralBoy]

Originally Posted by jed111

Should I do this with one dumbbell? Can't see why it matters, but that's what I've been doing. 15 right arm, 15 left arm, 15 right arm, 15 left arm.

I think half the people do it like you are doing, 1 dumbbell, and then switch sides. The other half, do it with two dumbbells, and alternate. 1R, 1L, 2R, 2L...15R, 15L. I don't think it makes much of a difference which way you do it. I read in this forum the other day, that with one dumbbell, it does become somewhat of a core exercise, because you have to stabalize yourself because of the imbalance.

[kozmo101]

I think if you got 1r, 1l it gets ride of any elastic energy still going through your body and you lift off from par again, so that's how i do it.

[LisaS]

If you do all R then all L you are working each arm in a longer set so it might have a different endurance effect than if you alternate and let each arm essentially rest between each rep. Just a thought on what is different.

[brianb]

I found that doing an alternating type approach really becomes an endurance exercise as well and, as I have found personally, it is harder to bang out all 30 reps (if you are doing 15 per arm) doing alternating presses as opposed to finishing all reps on one arm. I prefer to alternate with a little lateral lean after full ascent. Just my two cents