10 Best Dumbbell Cuban Press Alternatives for Overhead Pressing

The Dumbbell Cuban Press is done standing with dumbbells. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Dumbbell Arnold Press, the Dumbbell Standing Palms In Press and the Dumbbell Standing Overhead Press.

The Dumbbell Cuban Press starts with a pair of dumbbells at shoulder height, palms down, presses them to lockout, then turns your wrists so your palms face forward before you lower and turn them back the same way. The Dumbbell Arnold Press asks for the same pair of dumbbells and rotates your wrists through a similar turn, done seated on a bench instead of standing. Without a second dumbbell free, the Dumbbell Standing One Arm Palm In Press keeps the overhead press on one arm at a time.

Dumbbell Cuban PressWatch the Dumbbell Cuban Press

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do the Dumbbell Cuban Press

The steps for the Dumbbell Cuban Press itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Delts, with triceps, upper back · Dumbbell · Intermediate · Compound

  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.

The 10 Best Dumbbell Cuban Press Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Dumbbell Cuban Press on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

Each link re-ranks the list below for the kit it names. Pick one to hide the substitutes you cannot set up.

  1. Dumbbell Arnold PressPlay demonstration

    1. Dumbbell Arnold Press

    99% match

    Delts · Intermediate · Compound

    It uses the same equipment and still works the delts.

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    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.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Dumbbell Cuban Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Cuban Press
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Dumbbell Cuban Press
  3. Dumbbell Standing Overhead PressPlay demonstration

    3. Dumbbell Standing Overhead Press

    95% match

    Delts · Intermediate · Compound

    The same equipment, taken with an overhand grip.

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    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.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Dumbbell Cuban Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Cuban Press
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Dumbbell Cuban Press
  7. Kettlebell Two Arm Military PressPlay demonstration

    7. Kettlebell Two Arm Military Press

    94% match

    Delts · Intermediate · Compound

    A good swap when you have a kettlebell to work with, and it still works the delts.

    • Kettlebell
    How to perform it
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in each hand at shoulder level with your palms facing forward.
    2. Engage your core and press the kettlebells overhead, fully extending your arms.
    3. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the kettlebells back to the starting position.
    4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Dumbbell Cuban Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Cuban Press
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Dumbbell Cuban Press

Why You Might Need a Dumbbell Cuban Press Alternative

The Dumbbell Cuban Press needs both hands free to press two dumbbells overhead while your wrists rotate through the lockout, and that combination is what gets skipped when only one dumbbell is free, when a kettlebell is what sits on the rack, or when the wrist rotation asks for more control than a session calls for. Every alternative keeps the delts working through an overhead press and changes the implement, the grip or the seat instead. The Dumbbell Standing Overhead Press keeps the same pair of dumbbells and a fixed grip while you stand, the Dumbbell Shoulder Press moves the same press onto a bench, the Kettlebell Two Arm Military Press swaps in a kettlebell for each hand, and the Barbell Standing Bradford Press moves the load onto one bar that both arms share at once.

How to Choose the Right Dumbbell Cuban Press Substitute

Stay with a pair of dumbbells and the Dumbbell Arnold Press is the closest match: it turns your wrists through a similar range, done seated on a bench instead of standing. Want the plain version without the twist? The Dumbbell Standing Overhead Press keeps the same dumbbells and a fixed palms-forward grip the whole way up, standing the whole time. If a kettlebell is what you have, the Kettlebell Two Arm Military Press presses one in each hand straight overhead with your palms already forward, no wrist turn needed. If you want to work one side at a time, the Dumbbell Standing One Arm Palm In Press lets you build the lockout on one arm before loading both. Once two dumbbells feel light, the Barbell Standing Bradford Press puts both arms on one bar instead.

Dumbbell Cuban Press FAQ

Which alternative works if I only have a kettlebell?

The Kettlebell Two Arm Military Press. It holds the same standing overhead press with one kettlebell in each hand instead of a dumbbell, starting and finishing with your palms facing forward, so your delts and triceps keep doing the same work without the wrist rotation.

Which alternative lets me press one arm at a time?

The Dumbbell Standing One Arm Palm In Press. It presses one dumbbell overhead at a time with your palm facing in, so you can build the lockout on one side before you load both arms together. Standing tall with your core braced and your back straight, you learn the finish position without the second dumbbell asking for balance at the same time.

Can I do the Dumbbell Cuban Press at home?

Yes, with a pair of dumbbells. The Dumbbell Arnold Press turns your wrists through a similar range, though it is done seated on a bench rather than standing. If you would rather stay on your feet, the Dumbbell Standing Overhead Press keeps the same dumbbells and presses with a fixed palms-forward grip the whole way up.

Which alternative uses a barbell?

The Barbell Standing Bradford Press. Both arms press one bar together instead of moving two dumbbells independently, so the load travels overhead as a single bar rather than as two separate weights. Standing with the bar held in front of your shoulders on an overhand grip, you press it straight up and lower it back down the same way.

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