A key element of this lift is balance. The lifter should stare at the weight once shouldered and while the arm moves to a locked position overhead. In reality, the lifter bends his body and shoulder away from the weight, bending the opposite leg to help lower the shoulder away from the weight. The whole arm that holds the weight sort of rests on the lifter's back on that side. The opposite arm is held straight out for balance as well. Although most of the lockout is achieved by bending away from the weight, some pressing of the arm is also employed. The only real danger I ever found in this lift was dropping it on things if balance was lost (once on my mother's suitcase). A lifter can easily move away from the weight if it falls. In the 1963, as a 16-year-old, I could do 165 weighing 160 and in 1972, I did 200 weighing 198. When I was in my 50's, upon doing this lift again, I discovered extreme shoulder flexibility is required and could only do 100lbs. x 10 reps. Without good shoulder flexibility, a tear could occur. Dumbells of the same weight are harder to control than a long bar as the longer bar will turn or rotate much slower while being moved.