10 Best Dumbbell Push Press Alternatives for Shoulder Strength
If you can't perform the Dumbbell Push Press, use pressing variations that still load the delts while adjusting leg drive and stability. Try strict seated dumbbell presses, single-arm push presses, landmine presses, or kettlebell push presses. Cue: brace your core and drive through the hips only on push-assisted variants to protect the shoulder.
Original Exercise: Dumbbell Push Press
How to Perform Dumbbell Push Press
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level.
- Bend your knees slightly and dip your body down, then explosively extend your legs and press the dumbbells overhead.
- Lock out your arms at the top of the movement, then lower the dumbbells back to shoulder level.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Dumbbell Push Press Alternatives
1. Double Kettlebell Push Press
99.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Clean two kettlebells to your shoulders.
- Squat down a few inches and reverse the motion rapidly. Use the momentum from the legs to drive the kettlebells overhead.
- Once the kettlebells are locked out, lower the kettlebells to your shoulders and repeat.
2. Ez Barbell Anti Gravity Press
95.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and holding the ez barbell with an overhand grip.
- Raise the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows slightly bent and your palms facing forward.
- Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
- Lower the barbell back to shoulder height and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
3. Bradford/Rocky Presses
95.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on a Military Press Bench with a bar at shoulder level with a pronated grip (palms facing forward). Tip: Your grip should be wider than shoulder width and it should create a 90-degree angle between the forearm and the upper arm as the barbell goes down. This is your starting position.
- Once you pick up the barbell with the correct grip, lift the bar up over your head by locking your arms.
- Now lower the bar down to the back of the head slowly as you inhale.
- Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.
- Lower the bar down to the starting position slowly as you inhale. This is one repetition.
4. Clean And Press
95.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Assume a shoulder-width stance, with knees inside the arms. Now while keeping the back flat, bend at the knees and hips so that you can grab the bar with the arms fully extended and a pronated grip that is slightly wider than shoulder width. Point the elbows out to sides. The bar should be close to the shins. Position the shoulders over or slightly ahead of the bar. Establish a flat back posture. This will be your starting position.
- Begin to pull the bar by extending the knees. Move your hips forward and raise the shoulders at the same rate while keeping the angle of the back constant; continue to lift the bar straight up while keeping it close to your body.
- As the bar passes the knee, extend at the ankles, knees, and hips forcefully, similar to a jumping motion. As you do so, continue to guide the bar with your hands, shrugging your shoulders and using the momentum from your movement to pull the bar as high as possible. The bar should travel close to your body, and you should keep your elbows out.
- At maximum elevation, your feet should clear the floor and you should start to pull yourself under the bar. The mechanics of this could change slightly, depending on the weight used. You should descend into a squatting position as you pull yourself under the bar.
- As the bar hits terminal height, rotate your elbows around and under the bar. Rack the bar across the front of the shoulders while keeping the torso erect and flexing the hips and knees to absorb the weight of the bar.
5. Dumbbell Cuban Press V. 2
90% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height with your palms facing down.
- Keeping your core engaged and your back straight, press the dumbbells straight up overhead until your arms are fully extended.
- Rotate your wrists so that your palms are facing forward.
- Lower the dumbbells back down to shoulder height, rotating your wrists back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
6. Dumbbell Arnold Press
89.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on a bench with back support and hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level, palms facing your body and elbows bent.
- Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended and your palms are facing forward.
- Rotate your wrists as you lift, so that your palms are facing forward at the top of the movement.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
7. Dumbbell W-press
89.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
- Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height, elbows bent and palms facing forward.
- Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended overhead.
- Lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
8. Dumbbell Shoulder Press
89.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- 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.
- Now raise the dumbbells to shoulder height one at a time using your thighs to help propel them up into position.
- Make sure to rotate your wrists so that the palms of your hands are facing forward. This is your starting position.
- Now, exhale and push the dumbbells upward until they touch at the top.
- Then, after a brief pause at the top contracted position, slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position while inhaling.
9. Cuban Press
88.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- 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.
- 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.
- Now press the dumbbells by extending at the elbows, straightening your arms overhead.
- Return to the starting position as you breathe in by reversing the steps.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
10. Barbell Skier
87% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip.
- Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and chest up.
- Simultaneously lift the barbell up towards your shoulders while jumping slightly off the ground.
- As you reach the top of the movement, quickly reverse the motion and lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Why You Might Need a Dumbbell Push Press Alternative
You might substitute the Dumbbell Push Press because of shoulder pain, limited equipment, or specific training goals. Overhead shearing and rapid shoulder elevation can aggravate impingement or a weak rotator cuff; switching to a landmine or seated press reduces shear and limits scapular upward rotation. If you lack heavy dumbbells, kettlebells or a barbell alternative maintain delt tension. For power work, single-arm push presses keep hip drive while correcting imbalances. Cue: shorten ROM and keep the scapula slightly retracted and depressed to reduce superior humeral translation and protect the joint while maintaining deltoid activation.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Select a substitute based on load potential, stability demands, and desired muscle emphasis. For strict shoulder strength and hypertrophy pick seated or standing dumbbell presses to maximize vertical delt activation—press with elbows slightly forward to bias anterior delts. For power and transferability choose single-arm or bilateral push presses and cue an explosive hip drive to transfer force. For shoulder rehab or mobility limits use landmine or incline presses to lower overhead shear; engage the rotator cuff isometrically to center the humeral head. Also consider unilateral work to correct imbalances and increase core anti-rotation demand.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Dumbbell Push Press work?
The Dumbbell Push Press primarily targets the deltoids—especially the anterior and lateral heads—while recruiting the triceps and upper chest. The hip-driven phase engages the glutes and quads to transfer force to the shoulders. Cue: dip at the knees and explode through the hips to drive power into the press.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Dumbbell Push Press?
A pike push-up (progressing to decline or handstand push-ups) is the best bodyweight alternative because it loads the delts in a vertical pressing line. Keep hips high and lower until your head nearly touches the ground to maximize shoulder loading. Cue: lead with the forehead and maintain a vertical torso to increase anterior and lateral delt activation.
Can I build muscle without doing Dumbbell Push Press?
Yes—you can build shoulder muscle with other presses and isolation work like strict dumbbell presses, landmine presses, and lateral raises that overload the delts. Emphasize progressive overload, controlled eccentrics, and time under tension to stimulate hypertrophy. Cue: control the descent and pause at the top to ensure full delt recruitment.
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 →