10 Best Dumbbell Alternate Side Press Alternatives for Shoulder Strength

If you can’t perform the Dumbbell Alternate Side Press, use single-arm dumbbell presses, Arnold presses, push presses, landmine presses, or pike push-ups to hit the delts. Cue: brace your core and keep the working elbow under the wrist to maximize lateral deltoid and anterior deltoid activation while minimizing shoulder shear.

Original Exercise: Dumbbell Alternate Side Press

Dumbbell Alternate Side Press
Primary Muscle
Delts
Equipment
Dumbbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Triceps, Core
How to Perform Dumbbell Alternate Side Press
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height.
  2. Press one dumbbell overhead while keeping the other dumbbell at shoulder height.
  3. Lower the pressed dumbbell back to shoulder height while pressing the other dumbbell overhead.
  4. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

Ranked Dumbbell Alternate Side Press Alternatives

Best Match
Dumbbell Standing Alternate Overhead Press

1. Dumbbell Standing Alternate Overhead Press

88.7% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level with your palms facing forward.
  2. Press one dumbbell overhead, fully extending your arm.
  3. Lower the dumbbell back to shoulder level.
  4. Repeat with the other arm.
  5. Continue alternating arms for the desired number of repetitions.
Kettlebell One Arm Military Press To The Side

2. Kettlebell One Arm Military Press To The Side

86.1% Match
Delts Kettlebell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in one hand at shoulder height.
  2. Engage your core and keep your back straight.
  3. Press the kettlebell overhead, extending your arm fully.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the kettlebell back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.
Bent Press

3. Bent Press

85.6% Match
Delts Kettlebell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Clean a kettlebell to your shoulder. Clean the kettlebell to your shoulders by extending through the legs and hips as you raise the kettlebell towards your shoulder. The wrist should rotate as you do so. This will be your starting position.
  2. Begin my leaning to the side opposite the kettlebell, continuing until you are able to touch the ground with your free hand, keeping your eyes on the kettlebell. As you do so, press the weight vertically be extending through the elbow, keeping your arm perpendicular to the ground.
  3. Return to an upright position, with the kettlebell above your head. Return the kettlebell to the shoulder and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Standing Alternate Raise

4. Dumbbell Standing Alternate Raise

84.7% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your body.
  2. Keep your back straight and your core engaged.
  3. Raise one dumbbell to the side, keeping your arm straight and your palm facing down.
  4. Continue lifting until your arm is parallel to the ground.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
Standing Alternating Dumbbell Press

5. Standing Alternating Dumbbell Press

84.4% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with a dumbbell in each hand. Raise the dumbbells to your shoulders with your palms facing forward and your elbows pointed out. This will be your starting position.
  2. Extend one arm to press the dumbbell straight up, keeping your off hand in place. Do not lean or jerk the weight during the movement.
  3. After a brief pause, return the weight to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the opposite side, continuing to alternate between arms.
Kettlebell Alternating Press

6. Kettlebell Alternating Press

84.4% Match
Delts Kettlebell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in each hand at shoulder height.
  2. Press one kettlebell overhead, fully extending your arm.
  3. Lower the kettlebell back to shoulder height.
  4. Repeat with the other arm.
  5. Continue alternating arms for the desired number of repetitions.
Kettlebell Seesaw Press

7. Kettlebell Seesaw Press

84.4% Match
Delts Kettlebell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in each hand at shoulder height.
  2. Press one kettlebell overhead while keeping the other kettlebell at shoulder height.
  3. Lower the pressed kettlebell back to shoulder height while simultaneously pressing the other kettlebell overhead.
  4. Continue alternating the pressing motion, creating a seesaw-like movement.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
See-Saw Press (Alternating Side Press)

8. See-Saw Press (Alternating Side Press)

83.7% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Grab a dumbbell with each hand and stand up erect.
  2. Clean (lift) the dumbbells to the chest/shoulder level and then rotate your wrists so that your palms are facing towards you as if you were getting ready to perform an Arnold Press. This will be your starting position.
  3. Now start extending your left arm overhead as you rotate the wrist so that the palm of your hand faces forward as you go up. Your elbows should come out also as you lift the weight. Simultaneously, you will also be bending from your hip to your opposite side. Tip: If you perform the exercise correctly, is should look as if you are trying to reach for something overhead on the right hand side of your body, but with your left arm. Breathe out as you perform this movement.
  4. Once you reach the top position breathe in. Then, with the weight fully extended overhead and you bent over to your right hand side, begin the movement to the left side.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Dumbbell Standing One Arm Palm In Press

9. Dumbbell Standing One Arm Palm In Press

82.4% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in one hand at shoulder height with your palm facing inwards.
  2. Engage your core and keep your back straight.
  3. Press the dumbbell upwards until your arm is fully extended.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.
Dumbbell Arnold Press V. 2

10. Dumbbell Arnold Press V. 2

81.7% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a bench with back support and hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level, palms facing your body and elbows bent.
  2. Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended and your palms are facing forward.
  3. Rotate your wrists as you lift, so that your palms end up facing forward at the top of the movement.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Why You Might Need a Dumbbell Alternate Side Press Alternative

You might substitute the alternate side press for pain, mobility limits, or equipment gaps. Rotator cuff irritation or AC joint discomfort often requires less overhead shear; choose a landmine press or push press to reduce pure vertical load. If you lack a dumbbell or want unilateral strength carryover, use an Arnold press or single-arm strict press while keeping scapular retraction and a neutral wrist to preserve deltoid and scapular stabilizer activation.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Pick a substitute based on the deltoid head you need to target, trunk demand, and shoulder tolerance. For lateral deltoid emphasis use single-arm dumbbell lateral lean pressing and keep the elbow slightly forward (~20–30°) to bias middle deltoid. For overall pressing strength choose a push press to use hip drive and reduce pure shoulder torque; for limited equipment pick landmine presses or pike push-ups and maintain a tight rib-to-pelvis position to protect the scapulothoracic rhythm.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Dumbbell Alternate Side Press work?

It primarily targets the anterior and lateral deltoids with secondary load on the triceps and serratus anterior for scapular upward rotation. Cue: press with the elbow under the wrist to keep deltoid fibers engaged and limit excessive rotator cuff strain.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Dumbbell Alternate Side Press?

Pike push-ups are the top bodyweight substitute; they replicate vertical pressing mechanics and load the anterior and lateral delts. Cue: hike hips high and lower the crown of your head toward the floor to keep deltoid activation and reduce lumbar extension.

Can I build muscle without doing Dumbbell Alternate Side Press?

Yes, you can build shoulder muscle using other pressing variations like seated dumbbell presses, Arnold presses, or push presses that load the deltoids similarly. Focus on progressive overload, keep the elbow path efficient (wrist over elbow), and ensure full but controlled range of motion to stimulate muscle hypertrophy.

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