This is one of my favorite
techniques for really keeping the tension on the shoulders
when doing dumbell shoulder presses. The action is really
simple...rather than doing both dumbells at the same time
(as you would in a normal press), and rather than holding
one dumbell at the bottom while you press the other one
up (which dramatically decreases the amount of weight
you can use because the bottom is the toughest position
to press the dumbell out of), you will instead hold one
dumbell at the top while you lower then press the other
one!
I learned this one from
the late, great Vince Gironda (not personally, but in
his writings). It's a great technique!
So basically, you start
with both dumbells in the lock-out position.
Now you lower the right
dumbell:
Then you press it back up
to the top:
Now you lower the left dumbell:
Then press that back up
to the top!
That's pretty much the whole
deal. It does take a bit of practice to get the coordination
flowing smoothly but I've found it to be extremely effective
for working the shoulders. It keeps great tension on the
delts and I've even found (after working this one awhile),
it allows me to press more weight than when I try and
to do both dumbells at the same time.
The reason for this is that
the neurological impulse to the work muscles aren't split
between two limbs but instead just go to one side. This
gives you a bit more strength to work with when you work
one side only.
Give this one a try in your
next shoulder workout and check out the video to see the
reverse alternating style in action.
