10 Best Dumbbell Arnold Press V. 2 Alternatives for Shoulder Training

If you can’t do the Dumbbell Arnold Press V. 2, use targeted presses and bodyweight variants that reproduce its delt rotation and overhead drive. Try the seated neutral-grip dumbbell press, single-arm standing press, landmine press, barbell military press, or pike push-up. Cue: keep scapula stable and rotate palms through the top to maintain anterior and lateral delt activation.

Original Exercise: Dumbbell Arnold Press V. 2

Dumbbell Arnold Press V. 2
Primary Muscle
Delts
Equipment
Dumbbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Triceps, Upper Chest
How to Perform Dumbbell Arnold Press V. 2
  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.

Best Dumbbell Arnold Press V. 2 Alternatives

Best Match
Dumbbell Standing Palms In Press

1. Dumbbell Standing Palms In Press

99.9% 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 inwards.
  2. Keeping your core engaged and your back straight, press the dumbbells upwards until your arms are fully extended overhead.
  3. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Cuban Press

2. Dumbbell Cuban Press

99.4% 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 height with your palms facing down.
  2. Keeping your core engaged and your elbows slightly bent, press the dumbbells up and overhead until your arms are fully extended.
  3. Rotate your wrists so that your palms are facing forward.
  4. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position, rotating your wrists back to the starting position as you do so.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Standing Overhead Press

3. Dumbbell Standing Overhead Press

96% 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 the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended overhead.
  3. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back down to shoulder level.
  4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell W-press

4. Dumbbell W-press

95% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
  2. Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height, elbows bent and palms facing forward.
  3. Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended overhead.
  4. Lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Arnold Press

5. Dumbbell Arnold Press

95% 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 are 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.
Dumbbell Shoulder Press

6. Dumbbell Shoulder Press

95% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. While holding a dumbbell in each hand, sit on a military press bench or utility bench that has back support. Place the dumbbells upright on top of your thighs.
  2. Now raise the dumbbells to shoulder height one at a time using your thighs to help propel them up into position.
  3. Make sure to rotate your wrists so that the palms of your hands are facing forward. This is your starting position.
  4. Now, exhale and push the dumbbells upward until they touch at the top.
  5. Then, after a brief pause at the top contracted position, slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position while inhaling.
Dumbbell Cuban Press V. 2

7. Dumbbell Cuban Press V. 2

94.4% 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 height with your palms facing down.
  2. Keeping your core engaged and your back straight, press the dumbbells straight up overhead until your arms are fully extended.
  3. Rotate your wrists so that your palms are facing forward.
  4. Lower the dumbbells back down to shoulder height, rotating your wrists back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Cuban Press

8. Cuban Press

94.2% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Take a dumbbell in each hand with a pronated grip in a standing position. Raise your upper arms so that they are parallel to the floor, allowing your lower arms to hang in the "scarecrow" position. This will be your starting position.
  2. To initiate the movement, externally rotate the shoulders to move the upper arm 180 degrees. Keep the upper arms in place, rotating the upper arms until the wrists are directly above the elbows, the forearms perpendicular to the floor.
  3. Now press the dumbbells by extending at the elbows, straightening your arms overhead.
  4. Return to the starting position as you breathe in by reversing the steps.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Dumbbell Standing Alternate Overhead Press

9. Dumbbell Standing Alternate Overhead Press

93% 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.
Dumbbell Standing One Arm Palm In Press

10. Dumbbell Standing One Arm Palm In Press

92.2% 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.

Why You Might Need a Dumbbell Arnold Press V. 2 Alternative

You may substitute the Arnold Press for shoulder pain, limited mobility, equipment gaps, or to vary stimulus. Impingement or a weak rotator cuff often makes the internal rotation and complex path of the Arnold uncomfortable; choose an option that reduces humeral internal rotation and restores upward scapular rotation. If you lack dumbbells or need unilateral load control, pick a landmine or single-arm press. Technique cue: brace your core, lead with the elbow on the press, and assess which substitute keeps tension on the front and side delts without painful clicking.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Select a substitute based on load capacity, shoulder health, and movement pattern. For max loading and balanced bilateral strength, use the barbell military press and cue full elbow extension with scapular upward rotation. For unilateral control and core anti-rotation, pick the single-arm dumbbell press and drive the elbow upward while keeping the ribcage down. If you have impingement, choose presses that maintain a neutral or slightly external rotated humerus (neutral-grip dumbbell press or landmine) to reduce supraspinatus compression. Prioritize range of motion, progressive overload, and pain-free biomechanics when deciding.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Dumbbell Arnold Press V. 2 work?

The Arnold Press targets the anterior and lateral deltoids while recruiting the triceps and upper traps for lockout. The rotation recruits the rotator cuff for stability; cue external rotation control and scapular upward rotation to maximize delt activation.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Dumbbell Arnold Press V. 2?

A pike push-up (progressing toward a handstand push-up) is the best bodyweight swap because it places vertical load on the delts and triceps. Cue a tucked chin and drive your head between your hands to bias the anterior and lateral delts and maintain upward scapular rotation.

Can I build muscle without doing Dumbbell Arnold Press V. 2?

Yes. You can achieve hypertrophy with other overhead and pressing variations that load the delts through the same planes of motion. Use progressive overload, ensure full range of motion, and cue controlled eccentric tempo to maximize delt fiber recruitment.

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