10 Best Dumbbell Scott Press Alternatives for Shoulder Hypertrophy
If you can’t or don’t want to do the Dumbbell Scott Press, use other vertical and angled pressing movements that load the delts similarly. Top swaps include seated dumbbell press, barbell overhead press, landmine press, Arnold press, and pike push-ups. Cue: brace your core, retract the scapula, and control the eccentric to maximize delt activation.
Original Exercise: Dumbbell Scott Press
How to Perform Dumbbell Scott Press
- Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
- Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height, with your elbows bent and palms facing forward.
- Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Ranked Dumbbell Scott Press Alternatives
1. Anti-Gravity Press
99.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Place a bar on the ground behind the head of an incline bench.
- Lay on the bench face down. With a pronated grip, pick the barbell up from the floor. Flex the elbows, performing a reverse curl to bring the bar near your chest. This will be your starting position.
- To begin, press the barbell out in front of your head by extending your elbows. Keep your arms parallel to the ground throughout the movement.
- Return to the starting position and repeat to complete the set.
2. Barbell Shoulder Press
99.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on a bench with back support in a squat rack. Position a barbell at a height that is just above your head. Grab the barbell with a pronated grip (palms facing forward).
- Once you pick up the barbell with the correct grip width, lift the bar up over your head by locking your arms. Hold at about shoulder level and slightly in front of your head. This is your starting position.
- Lower the bar down to the shoulders slowly as you inhale.
- Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
3. Barbell Standing Close Grip Military Press
99.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly closer than shoulder-width apart.
- Lift the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
- Lower the barbell back to shoulder height.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
4. Standing Behind Neck Press
99.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell behind your neck with an overhand grip.
- Keep your back straight and core engaged.
- Press the barbell overhead by extending your arms, fully extending your elbows.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
5. Standing Military Press
99.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start by placing a barbell that is about chest high on a squat rack. Once you have selected the weights, grab the barbell using a pronated (palms facing forward) grip. Make sure to grip the bar wider than shoulder width apart from each other.
- Slightly bend the knees and place the barbell on your collar bone. Lift the barbell up keeping it lying on your chest. Take a step back and position your feet shoulder width apart from each other.
- Once you pick up the barbell with the correct grip length, lift the bar up over your head by locking your arms. Hold at about shoulder level and slightly in front of your head. This is your starting position.
- Lower the bar down to the collarbone slowly as you inhale.
- Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.
6. Barbell Standing Wide Military Press
98% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width.
- Lift the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows slightly in front of the bar.
- Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
- Lower the barbell back to shoulder height and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
7. Standing Barbell Press Behind Neck
97.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- This exercise is best performed inside a squat rack for easier pick up of the bar. To begin, first set the bar on a rack that best matches your height. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, step under the bar and place the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck) across it.
- Hold on to the bar using both arms at each side and lift it off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso.
- Step away from the rack and position your legs using a shoulder width medium stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Your back should be kept straight while performing this exercise. This will be your starting position.
- Elevate the barbell overhead by fully extending your arms while breathing out.
- Hold the contraction for a second and lower the barbell back down to the starting position by inhaling.
8. Standing Bradford Press
96.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Place a loaded bar at shoulder level in a rack. With a pronated grip at shoulder width, begin with the bar racked across the front of your shoulders. This is your starting position.
- Initiate the lift by extending the elbows to press the bar overhead. Avoid locking out the elbow as you move the weight behind your head.
- Lower the bar down to the back of the head until your elbow forms a right angle.
- Lift the bar back over your head by extending the elbows
- Lower the bar down to the starting position.
9. Dumbbell Arnold Press
96% 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.
10. Dumbbell Shoulder Press
96% 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.
Why You Might Need a Dumbbell Scott Press Alternative
You may substitute the Dumbbell Scott Press for shoulder pain, limited equipment, or to emphasize different delt heads. Rotator cuff irritation often improves when you swap to a neutral-grip landmine press or use a partial ROM to avoid impingement; cue: stop at 90° abduction if you feel pinching. Equipment limits, no rack or bench, make barbell or pike push-up options useful because they still load the anterior and lateral deltoids while preserving scapular upward rotation. Training variety also helps hypertrophy by changing joint angles and muscle activation, so choose moves that target the same movement pattern (vertical press) or complement it (transverse abduction).
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Pick a substitute based on equipment, shoulder health, and which delt head you want to emphasize. If you have cuff issues, favor neutral-grip presses like landmine or dumbbell presses and cue: keep the thumb slightly up to reduce internal rotation. For maximal medial-delt stress, choose strict vertical presses with controlled tempo and elbows slightly out. If you train at home, use pike push-ups or elevated feet to increase vertical load; cue: drive through the crown of your head while maintaining scapular stability. Match load, range of motion, and progressive overload to replicate the original exercise’s stimulus.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Dumbbell Scott Press work?
The Dumbbell Scott Press primarily targets the anterior and lateral deltoids, with the triceps acting as secondary extensors and the upper chest assisting at the start of the press. Scapular stabilizers engage to control upward rotation; cue: press in a vertical plane to bias the delts over the chest.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Dumbbell Scott Press?
A pike push-up (progressing to elevated pike or handstand push-up) best replicates the vertical pressing pattern and loads the anterior and medial delts. Cue: tuck the chin slightly, drive the crown of your head toward the floor, and keep elbows at a 45° angle to maintain shoulder-safe mechanics.
Can I build muscle without doing Dumbbell Scott Press?
Yes, you can build shoulder mass using other vertical presses, landmine variations, and targeted lateral raises while applying progressive overload and sufficient volume. Use tempo control and full but pain-free range of motion, and cue: maintain scapular retraction and a neutral spine to ensure proper delt activation.
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