Cuban Press
A three-part dumbbell move for the rear and side delts: you row the weights to shoulder level, rotate your forearms up until the dumbbells point at the ceiling, then press overhead.
- Primary muscles
- Rear delts, Side delts
- Secondary
- Traps, Front delts
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weight × reps
Loads from YouTube only when you press play. The video is by an independent creator.
Why do it
Coaches often use it as a light shoulder accessory or warm-up, since it takes the shoulder through rowing, rotation and pressing in a single rep. The rotation is the weak link, so the weights stay very light, and it's not a lift for chasing numbers. It fits before pressing days or as a finisher for the rear and side delts, done slowly with a clear pause between the phases.
How to do it
Stand holding a light dumbbell in each hand and row them up until your upper arms are level with your shoulders, forearms hanging down.
Keeping your elbows in place, rotate your forearms up until the dumbbells point at the ceiling.
Press the dumbbells overhead to lockout.
Reverse the movement step by step: lower to shoulder height, rotate the forearms down, then lower the arms. Go very light; the rotation is the weak link.
Common mistakes
Going too heavy for the rotation
The rotation can't handle much load, and heavy dumbbells make you cheat through it. Use weights light enough that every phase stays slow and clean.
Elbows dropping during the rotation
If your elbows sink as you rotate, the forearm turn gets lost. Keep your upper arms level with your shoulders while the forearms move.
Blending the phases together
Turning it into one swoop skips the rotation. Pause between row, rotate and press, then reverse each step on the way down.
Shrugging during the row
Hiking your shoulders as you row hands the work to the traps. Keep them down and lead the row with your elbows.
Sets, reps and progression
How many sets you do and how close to failure you take them depend on your goal and your week, not on the exercise. These guides cover it:
Alternatives that train the same thing
Same movement, a different angle or piece of equipment.
