Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Powerful Dumbbell Cuban Press: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The dumbbell Cuban press is a shoulder exercise that combines external rotation and pressing to target the deltoids, triceps, and upper back. It is often used to improve shoulder strength and stability, as well as to promote healthy shoulder movement patterns.

Primary muscles
Shoulders
Secondary muscles
Traps , Triceps
Equipment
Dumbbell
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the powerful dumbbell cuban press
Front view: muscles worked by the powerful dumbbell cuban press. Primary: shoulders. Secondary: traps and triceps.
Back view: muscles worked by the powerful dumbbell cuban press. Primary: shoulders. Secondary: traps and triceps.
Primary Secondary

How to do the powerful dumbbell cuban press

  1. Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height with your palms facing down.
  2. Step 2: powerful variation Keeping your core engaged and your elbows slightly bent, press the dumbbells up and overhead until your arms are fully extended.
  3. Step 3: Rotate your wrists so that your palms are facing forward.
  4. Step 4: Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position, rotating your wrists back to the starting position as you do so.
  5. Step 5: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the powerful dumbbell cuban press by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Powerful Dumbbell Cuban Press alternatives

More exercises that train the shoulders as their main target:

More shoulders exercises

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.