“AD press” is shorthand for anterior delt press — a shoulder press performed so that the upper arms travel in front of the torso rather than out to the sides, which keeps the front deltoid loaded through more of the range.
Be aware going in that this is not a standardised technique name. Some sources use it for an ordinary seated dumbbell shoulder press; others mean the specific front-of-torso path described here. If someone programs an “AD press” for you, ask which they mean before matching a weight to it.
This guide covers the seated dumbbell version. Brolic keeps three separate entries — Anterior Delt Press (Dumbbell), (Barbell) and (Smith Machine) — so pick the equipment-specific one rather than merging all three into a single progress graph.
Muscles worked
The anterior deltoid is the emphasis, with the lateral deltoid, the upper pectorals and the triceps all contributing, and the upper trapezius and serratus working as the shoulder blade rotates upward.
The name describes emphasis, not isolation. Calling it an AD press does not make it a front-delt-only movement — the elbows still extend, so the triceps work, and the upper chest contributes more as the arm path moves further forward. The Bells of Steel guide identifies the same set of muscles in its seated-press description.
Set up the seated version
Set the backrest between 70° and 90° — near-upright, not an incline press. A full 90° is usable but shortens the range over which the front delt is loaded, so one notch back from vertical is the more common choice.
Sit with your feet flat and your back in contact with the pad. Bring the dumbbells to the starting position under control before the first working rep — for anything heavy, that means kicking them up from your thighs rather than curling them into place.
Hold the dumbbells with the palms facing in and the elbows drawn slightly inward, in front of your shoulders rather than out level with your ears. Press up and slightly together along an upside-down-V path, then lower to the same starting position. That inward elbow position is the thing that distinguishes this from a standard seated press with the elbows flared out to the sides.
Keep the grip, elbow position and starting depth consistent. There is no need to force every forearm into an identical angle — the path has to suit your build and the equipment — but it should be the same path from set to set.
Watch for the press drifting
The failure mode here is specific: as the set gets hard, leaning progressively further back turns an AD press into an incline press, and the extra reps come from the change rather than from the shoulders.
If you want the incline version, program it and name it. Do not add reps by gradually becoming a different exercise while keeping the original label.
Dumbbell, barbell and Smith versions
| Version | Setup notes to record | Loading convention |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell | Bench setting, grip, start position | Weight of one dumbbell |
| Barbell | Bench and rack position, grip width, bar path | Bar plus plates |
| Smith machine | Machine identity, bench placement, rail angle | State how you handle the bar’s counterweight |
The Smith machine guides the bar along fixed rails; it does not position your body correctly underneath them. Set the bench with a light load first and follow the equipment’s instructions for hooks and stops. Note that Smith bars are counterbalanced by varying amounts, so the plate weight is not the load — pick one convention and stick to it.
Barbell and Smith working weights do not predict the dumbbells you can use, or the reverse.
Logging
Weight of one dumbbell, reps, and the backrest setting. That last one is the detail most likely to drift, and a bench-angle change explains a rep change more often than an actual strength change does. Record it before interpreting the numbers. The free workout log has room for it.
Common questions
Is this an Arnold press? No. An Arnold press adds a rotation from a palms-facing-you start. Both begin with the dumbbells in front of the body, but the rotation is the defining feature of the Arnold and this movement does not have it.
Is it just an incline press? They overlap. The difference is the backrest — near-upright here, meaningfully reclined for an incline press, with more upper chest as you recline further. If your bench ends up at 45°, you are doing an incline press.
Do I need it if I already press overhead? That depends on what your program already covers. Count your existing pressing volume before adding an exercise because it has a different name; the weekly-set tally makes that visible.
Is there one best bench angle? No, and this guide does not establish one. Start near-upright, keep it consistent, and record what you used.
Sources and method
- Physique Development: seated dumbbell anterior delt press — the closest demonstration of a genuinely distinct front-of-torso path, and the source of the seat angle, palms-in grip and inward elbow cue above.
- Bells of Steel: seated anterior delt press — an example of the broader use of this name as a synonym for an ordinary seated press. Cited to show how the term is used, not as evidence that all AD press variants are the same movement.
- Brolic catalog version 2026-09-05.3 and its bundled dumbbell motion, checked September 7, 2026 — the three equipment-specific entries and the intended front-of-torso path.
This is the weakest-sourced guide in the series, because the name itself is not standardised and no authoritative reference defines it. Most sources using “anterior delt press” treat it as a plain synonym for a seated dumbbell shoulder press with no distinct arm path. The setup above reflects Brolic’s own catalog motion. Where sources disagree, the guide says so rather than presenting one version as definitive.
