I'm loving the polls at Tom's Guide at the moment because your feedback on what you do and don't like helps me know, as an editor, what I should be writing more or less of.
One poll, featured below, asked: "What's your favorite 'old school' weightlifting exercise?" Here's what you said, and why I'm sort of inclined to agree with you. Have your say below and vote for yours!
What's your favorite "old school" weightlifting exercise?
Here's the results of the top three:
- 1st place: 32%, Arnold press
- 2nd place: 23%, Pullover
- 3rd place: 15%, Bulgarian split squat
Personally, Bulgarian split squats would top my list, but I do love the Arnold press as a personal trainer, and here's why.
The benefits of the Arnold press
The Arnold press is a variation of the traditional dumbbell overhead press made famous by the one and only Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The press variation effectively targets all three shoulder heads — anterior deltoids (front), lateral delts (sides), posterior delts (rear) to build strength and muscle in your shoulders. To do it, you perform an overhead press while turning your palms as you press upward, then lower them back down. This maximizes muscular engagement and time under tension.
That said, it's not for everyone. If you have pre-existing shoulder injuries, exercise caution, as this exercise may further discomfort. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before attempting new exercises that you're unsure about.
The press variation effectively targets all three shoulder heads — anterior deltoids (front), lateral delts (sides), posterior delts (rear) to build strength and muscle in your shoulders.
Not only does this build more well-rounded shoulders, but it can also translate to other shoulder-based exercises, especially overhead lifts. This also allows you to train the lateral and posterior deltoids in one go, which are often neglected during lifts like the bench press and push-ups, which feature heavily in upper-body workouts.
Your core should always be active when lifting weights and exercising in general. That said, the standing Arnold press works the core muscles and improves trunk engagement, as your torso stabilizes your body and improves posture.
You could also perform this exercise seated or kneeling, which will remove any chance of your lower body assisting the movement. For some people, seated variations help align the spine and provide extra support for the back. Personally, I find I can't lift as much weight, and seated or kneeling variations feel a lot harder on my shoulders and core.
Bottom line
You've had your say: the Arnold press gets the nod this time around. It builds strength and muscle in your shoulders and is time-effective for targeting all three deltoid heads in one move. You can progressively overload the exercise as you get stronger, and it's a time-efficient way to build your upper body as part of a wider upper-body strength routine.
Why not add it to your next push and pull day?
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