How to Do the Cuban Press

Intermediate · Dumbbell · Targets Shoulders, Traps

How to perform it

1. Take a dumbbell in each hand with a pronated grip in a standing position. Raise your upper arms so that they are parallel to the floor, allowing your lower arms to hang in the "scarecrow" position. This will be your starting position.
2. To initiate the movement, externally rotate the shoulders to move the upper arm 180 degrees. Keep the upper arms in place, rotating the upper arms until the wrists are directly above the elbows, the forearms perpendicular to the floor.
3. Now press the dumbbells by extending at the elbows, straightening your arms overhead.
4. Return to the starting position as you breathe in by reversing the steps.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Muscles worked

The Cuban Press primarily targets your Shoulders, with support from your Traps. You'll need dumbbell.

Make it count toward your goal

Random sets rarely move the needle. In NYUS, the Cuban Press slots into a plan built for your goal — sets, reps and progression auto-suggested, logged in two taps, and folded into a weekly review that adapts what comes next.