10 Best Dumbbell Cuban Press Alternatives for Shoulder Strength

What can I do instead of Dumbbell Cuban Press? Use exercises that combine external rotation with vertical pressing or isolate the delts while reducing rotator-cuff stress. Effective substitutes include band Cuban presses, standing single-arm presses with external rotation, face pulls, upright rows, and seated military presses adapted to your mobility.

Original Exercise: Dumbbell Cuban Press

Dumbbell Cuban Press
Primary Muscle
Delts
Equipment
Dumbbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Triceps, Upper Back
How to Perform Dumbbell Cuban Press
  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.

Best Dumbbell Cuban Press Alternatives

Best Match
Dumbbell Arnold Press V. 2

1. Dumbbell Arnold Press V. 2

99.4% 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.
Dumbbell Standing Palms In Press

2. Dumbbell Standing Palms In 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 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 Standing Overhead Press

3. Dumbbell Standing Overhead Press

95.4% 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 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 Cuban Press V. 2

4. Dumbbell Cuban Press V. 2

95% 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.
Dumbbell Shoulder Press

5. Dumbbell Shoulder Press

94.4% 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 Arnold Press

6. Dumbbell Arnold Press

94.4% 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 W-press

7. Dumbbell W-press

94.4% 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.
Cuban Press

8. Cuban Press

93.7% 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

92.4% 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 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.
Barbell Standing Bradford Press

10. Barbell Standing Bradford Press

92% Match
Delts Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell in front of your shoulders with an overhand grip.
  2. Press the barbell overhead, fully extending your arms.
  3. Lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Why You Might Need a Dumbbell Cuban Press Alternative

You might substitute the Dumbbell Cuban Press for several practical reasons: shoulder impingement, a recovering rotator cuff, limited overhead range of motion, or lack of suitable dumbbells. The movement uniquely couples external rotation with an overhead press, which increases rotator-cuff demand and joint shear at end range. Coaches also replace it to emphasize a specific deltoid head or to lower spinal and scapular loading. Good alternatives preserve lateral and posterior deltoid activation and the vertical press pattern or safely isolate the muscles involved. Selecting a substitute helps you maintain hypertrophy and strength while minimizing pain and reinjury risk.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

When choosing a substitute, match the movement pattern, muscle emphasis, and joint tolerance. If you need to protect the rotator cuff, prioritize presses that avoid end-range external rotation—seated or neutral-grip presses and banded vertical presses work well. If posterior deltoid and scapular control are the goal, select face pulls or prone horizontal raises that emphasize external rotation and scapular retraction. Consider equipment availability: use bands for progressive tension or unilateral dumbbell presses for load management. Test each option for pain and ability to progress load or reps; discard any variation that produces sharp discomfort.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Dumbbell Cuban Press work?

The Dumbbell Cuban Press targets the deltoids—particularly the lateral and posterior heads—while heavily recruiting the rotator cuff (infraspinatus and teres minor) during the external rotation portion. It also engages the upper traps and scapular stabilizers during the transition and overhead press.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Dumbbell Cuban Press?

The elevated pike (inverted) push-up is the best bodyweight press to target the deltoids with overhead pressing mechanics. Pair it with banded external rotation holds or face-pull variations using a TRX to reproduce the rotator-cuff component.

Can I build muscle without doing Dumbbell Cuban Press?

Yes. You can achieve deltoid hypertrophy and strength through a variety of pressing and horizontal/vertical pulling movements—progressive overload on presses, upright rows, face pulls, and targeted lateral raises will produce similar adaptations without the Cuban Press.

More Exercise Alternatives

Find Alternatives for Any Exercise

Use our free tool to discover the best substitute exercises based on your available equipment and goals.

Try the Exercise Substitution Finder →

Our similarity scores are calculated using a weighted algorithm based on movement patterns, muscle activation, and biomechanics. Learn about our methodology