I don't personally like it. I would rather take the extra time to isolate each head.
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Sure, if you take the time to feel and contract your deltoids. I'd say it's no better or worse than any other overhead press movement. It's what you make out of it and what agrees with your unique anatomy.

So you tell us if it's effective for you.
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I’m not sure how I feel about it. I think the compound ROM makes it a little tougher on heavy loads, but maybe that’s a good thing.

The front delt is hardly ever lacking on people, so I’m not totally sure what advantage it has over standard OHP.

I mix it in on occasion.
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Arnold press shouldn't be done under heavy load. it should be a light to moderate for reps exercise.

What about Lu Raises? I can't stand them. Even before my shoulders were f'd there was too much cracking and popping for me.
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I don't see how it could be done under heavy load. That bottom stretch position would be impossible to hold with heavy weight. Also, the transition from being in front of you to going overhead makes it hard to manage balance. I don't see how you could do it heavy.
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Just thinking about that I can feel the tissue tearing in my shoulders. :-)
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So then what is the point of the exercise, if not progressive overload?
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Progressive overload can mean more reps too. To me, "heavy load" means < 8 reps, and I don't feel that the balancing act required by arnold presses is ideal for that rep range. I work with the assumption that every working set is done to failure or very near it, so even a "light set" still entails progressive overload.
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The goal of the arnold press is for hypertrophy and symmetrical growth of all three heads. Not meant to be a strength building lift. Purely just for improving aesthetics for bodybuilding.
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Well, I can't imagine it does much for rear delts
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I see your point, but I thought ideally you should have failure in the 5-12 rep range for hypertrophy, so I would chose two separate exercises rather than a compound movement with an awkward transition.
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It doesn’t. And rarely is the front delt undertrained, which is why I’m not the biggest fan of the Arnold press.
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Exactly, so would I. My original point is that it might work well for some people. I am not one of those people.
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If done correctly it hits the rear delt. Most people I see in the gym doing them do not do them correctly so there is no resistance for the rear delt.
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How, aside from overall shoulder stabilization? Look at the origins and insertions. The purpose of the rear delt is to draw the arm down and back.
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