StrengthIntermediate

Cuban Press

An upright row, external rotation and overhead press chained into one rep, the gold-standard prehab move for healthy shoulders.

GIF · Demo Cuban Press

What is the cuban press?

The Cuban press is a three-phase shoulder drill. From a hang position you upright-row the dumbbells to elbow-high, then rotate the forearms up and back into the high-five position, then press overhead. The combination forces the rear delts, middle delts and rotator cuff to work in sequence with a load they can actually handle. It is the cleanest accessory for any lifter with overhead pressing or pulling in the programme.

How to do the cuban press

Set the start

Stand tall with light DBs in front of the thighs, palms facing the body. Brace the core, soft knees.

Upright row to elbows high

Pull the elbows up and out until the upper arm is parallel to the floor and the forearm hangs down at 90 degrees.

Rotate to high-five

Keep the elbows where they are and rotate the forearms up until the dumbbells are above the elbows, palms forward.

Press overhead and reverse

Press the DBs to lockout. Then reverse the sequence: down to high-five, down to elbows-high, down to thighs. One rep.

Coach tip

Start lighter than your ego suggests. 4 to 6 kg DBs are plenty for the first 3 sessions. The point is rotator cuff quality, not load. If you cheat with the lower back, the cuff doesn't even know you are training it.

Common mistakes

Loading too heavy. Heavy DBs make the rotation phase impossible without back arching. Keep the load light enough to control all three phases.
Dropping the elbows during rotation. If the elbows fall as you rotate, the cuff disengages. Lock the elbow height, only the forearms move.
Hyperextending the lower back at lockout. If you bend the lumbar to finish the press, the load was too heavy and the rib cage flared. Ribs down, lighter load.
Rushing the tempo. Each phase needs a 1 to 2 second cadence. Whipping the DBs trains momentum, not the cuff.

Variations & progressions

Easier

Seated Cuban press

Sit on a 90-degree bench. Removes lower back cheating, forces the shoulders to do all the work.

Harder

Tempo Cuban press 2-1-2

2 seconds per phase, 1 second pause at lockout, 2 seconds per phase down. Brutally exposes any cheating.

Alternative

Band pull-apart + face pull combo

Pair band pull-aparts with cable face pulls. Same posterior shoulder and cuff work without learning the Cuban sequence.

How to program it

Three protocols by goal. Pick one per cycle and aim for progression on load or distance.

Goal	Sets × Distance	Load	Rest
Technique	3 × 10	4-6 kg DB	60 s
Shoulder prehab	3 × 12	6-10 kg DB	60 s
Pre-press activation	2 × 8	Light, RPE 5	45 s

Log every rep

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Cuban Press FAQ

Is the upright row part safe for the shoulder?

The risk in a heavy upright row is impingement when the elbows go above the shoulder line with internal rotation. The Cuban press stops at elbows parallel to the floor and then externally rotates, which moves the humerus out of the impingement zone. Done with light load and the correct elbow height, it is shoulder-friendly.

Where does it fit in a programme?

Two slots work best. Either at the very start of an upper-body session as activation (2 × 8 light), or at the end of a push or pull session as an accessory (3 × 12 moderate). Two sessions per week is enough. It is a quality move, not a volume move.

Dumbbells, barbell or kettlebells?

Dumbbells are the standard because each side rotates independently and the wrist stays neutral. A barbell forces both wrists into the same path and tends to compress the shoulders. Kettlebells work but the off-centre load makes the rotation phase harder to control. Stick with DBs unless you have a specific reason to switch.