How heavy should the dumbbells be for a Cuban press?

Light. Most people start with 1 to 5 kg (about 2 to 10 lb) per hand, because the external rotators limit the load long before the deltoids do. Choose a weight you can rotate slowly and lower under control on every rep.

Where does the Cuban press fit in a workout?

It is most often used as a warm-up before bench pressing, overhead pressing or snatching, or as accessory shoulder work in an upper-body session. Two to three sets of 8 to 15 slow reps is a common starting point.

Is the Cuban press the same as an upright row?

No. It starts with an upright row that stops at shoulder height, then adds an outward rotation of the arms and an overhead press, so the rotation rather than the row decides how much weight you can use.

Is the Cuban press good for shoulder health?

It can be a useful part of a healthy shoulder program because it loads external rotation, which most pressing and rowing does not. It is not a treatment for an injured shoulder, and anyone with a diagnosed problem should follow their clinician's plan, which often starts with simpler work like Band Shoulder External Rotation.

What if I can't press overhead without arching my back?

Finish each rep at the rotated position with the forearms vertical and leave out the press until your overhead range improves. Pressing through an arched lower back moves the work away from the shoulders.

Dumbbell Cuban Press

What Is the Dumbbell Cuban Press?

Dumbbell Cuban Press is a compound exercise that primarily targets the shoulders and also engages the rotator cuff, upper trapezius and triceps. It is an intermediate-level movement that links three shoulder actions into one rep: an upright row to shoulder height, an external rotation that turns the forearms up, and an overhead press.

The exercise is built around the middle step. Presses, rows and raises rarely take the shoulder's external rotators through a full, loaded turn, and the Cuban press fits that rotation between two movements lifters already know. It is usually done with light dumbbells as a shoulder warm-up before bench or overhead pressing, as part of a warm-up circuit, or as accessory work in an upper-body session. Weightlifting coaches also use it to prepare the shoulders for the snatch, since its path of a high pull, a turnover and a press resembles a slow, broken-down muscle snatch.

The deltoids and upper trapezius do most of the lifting during the row, the infraspinatus and teres minor turn the arms up during the rotation, and the deltoids, triceps and the muscles that rotate the shoulder blades upward finish the press. Because the external rotators are far smaller than the deltoids, the rotation sets the load, which is why the dumbbells are much lighter than those used for a Dumbbell Standing Shoulder Press. Related versions swap the upright row for a lateral raise or leave out the press to isolate the rotation.

It suits lifters who press often, overhead athletes and weightlifters who want shoulder work that covers more than pressing. It asks for pain-free overhead reach and enough shoulder rotation to bring the forearms vertical with the elbows at shoulder height. Anyone who cannot do that yet should build the pieces separately first, with Band Shoulder External Rotation for the rotation, a light Dumbbell Upright Row stopped at shoulder height, and a standard overhead press.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Deltoid: Primary
Infraspinatus: High
Teres Minor: High
Upper Trapezius: High
Lower Trapezius: Medium
Serratus Anterior: Medium
Triceps Brachii (Lateral Head): Medium
Biceps Brachii: Low
Rhomboid Major: Low
Triceps Brachii (Long Head): Low

Instructions

Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart, holding a light dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, arms hanging in front of your thighs.
Brace your midsection and set your shoulders down and away from your ears.
Lead with your elbows to pull the dumbbells up the front of your body, raising your elbows out to the sides until your upper arms are level with your shoulders. Your forearms hang down toward the floor.
Keep your elbows at shoulder height and bent to about 90 degrees, and rotate your upper arms to turn the dumbbells up until your forearms point straight up and your palms face forward.
Press the dumbbells straight overhead until your arms are fully extended, keeping your ribs down and your lower back neutral.
Reverse the path under control: lower to the rotated position, turn your forearms back down with your elbows still at shoulder height, then lower the dumbbells to your thighs.
Move slowly through each phase, breathing out as you press, and repeat for the desired number of reps.

Common Mistakes

Going too heavy
Dumbbells heavier than the rotator cuff can control turn the rotation into a jerk and the exercise into a sloppy row followed by a forced press.
Rowing the elbows too high
Pulling the elbows above shoulder height while the arms are still turned in crowds the front of the shoulder before the rotation even starts.
Dropping the elbows during the rotation
Letting the elbows sink below shoulder height as the forearms turn up changes the rotation and takes work away from the external rotators.
Shrugging toward the ears
Hiking the shoulders during the row lets the upper trapezius take over and makes it harder to keep the shoulder blades set for the rotation and press.
Arching the lower back to press
Leaning back and flaring the ribs to finish the press is a sign the load is too heavy or the shoulders lack the overhead range.
Rushing through the phases
Swinging from row to rotation to press with momentum skips the slow, controlled turn that the exercise is built around.

Injuries

Dumbbell Cuban Press is a medium risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The weights are light, but the shoulder is loaded first with the arms raised and turned in during the upright row, then at the end of its outward rotation with the elbows at shoulder height. The rotator cuff tendons, the space beneath the top of the shoulder and the front of the shoulder joint take most of the strain, and the lower back can take over if the press is forced with an arch.

The biggest protections are a light load and a row that stops at shoulder height. Pulling the elbows higher while the arms are still turned in is the position most often linked to pinching at the front of the shoulder. In an ultrasound study of 25 healthy young men holding a 4 kg load, the space beneath the acromion was larger with the arm out at 90 degrees and fully turned out than with it at 90 degrees unrotated or at the highest point of an upright row, which fits the usual advice to stop the row at shoulder height and do the turning with the elbows level. Most people start with 1 to 5 kg (about 2 to 10 lb) per hand, and the rotation and its return should be slow enough to stop at any point.

To regress, split the movement into its parts: Band Shoulder External Rotation or Cable Standing Shoulder External Rotation for the rotation, and a light Dumbbell Upright Row to shoulder height for the row. If only the overhead part hurts, finish each rep at the rotated position and leave out the press. Progress with a pause in the rotated position or a slower lowering phase rather than heavier dumbbells.

Stop if you feel sharp or pinching pain at the front or top of the shoulder, painful clicking, or numbness or tingling down the arm. Anyone with diagnosed impingement, a rotator cuff injury, a past dislocation or recent shoulder surgery should get clearance from a clinician before adding it.

Overview

Primary Focus: Shoulders
Equipment: Dumbbell
Modality: Strength
Difficulty: Intermediate

Alternative Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How heavy should the dumbbells be for a Cuban press?: Light. Most people start with 1 to 5 kg (about 2 to 10 lb) per hand, because the external rotators limit the load long before the deltoids do. Choose a weight you can rotate slowly and lower under control on every rep.
Q: Where does the Cuban press fit in a workout?: It is most often used as a warm-up before bench pressing, overhead pressing or snatching, or as accessory shoulder work in an upper-body session. Two to three sets of 8 to 15 slow reps is a common starting point.
Q: Is the Cuban press the same as an upright row?: No. It starts with an upright row that stops at shoulder height, then adds an outward rotation of the arms and an overhead press, so the rotation rather than the row decides how much weight you can use.
Q: Is the Cuban press good for shoulder health?: It can be a useful part of a healthy shoulder program because it loads external rotation, which most pressing and rowing does not. It is not a treatment for an injured shoulder, and anyone with a diagnosed problem should follow their clinician's plan, which often starts with simpler work like Band Shoulder External Rotation.
Q: What if I can't press overhead without arching my back?: Finish each rep at the rotated position with the forearms vertical and leave out the press until your overhead range improves. Pressing through an arched lower back moves the work away from the shoulders.