10 Best Kettlebell Arnold Press Alternatives for Limited Equipment

If you can't perform the Kettlebell Arnold Press, use single-arm dumbbell press, landmine press, barbell overhead press, pike push-up, or kettlebell strict press. Keep a neutral spine, rotate palms from facing you to facing forward on the press, and use slow eccentrics to maintain anterior and lateral deltoid activation.

Original Exercise: Kettlebell Arnold Press

Kettlebell Arnold Press
Primary Muscle
Delts
Equipment
Kettlebell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Triceps, Upper Back
How to Perform Kettlebell Arnold Press
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in each hand at shoulder height with your palms facing towards you.
  2. Engage your core and press the kettlebells overhead, rotating your palms to face forward as you extend your arms.
  3. Pause at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the kettlebells back to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Best Kettlebell Arnold Press Alternatives

Best Match
Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press

1. Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press

99.9% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in one hand at shoulder level, palm facing forward.
  2. Press the dumbbell upward until your arm is fully extended overhead.
  3. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.
Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press V. 2

2. Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press V. 2

99.4% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in one hand at shoulder level, palm facing forward.
  2. Engage your core and press the dumbbell straight up overhead, fully extending your arm.
  3. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back to shoulder level.
  4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.
Dumbbell Standing One Arm Palm In Press

3. Dumbbell Standing One Arm Palm In Press

95% 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.
Dumbbell Arnold Press

4. Dumbbell Arnold Press

92.2% 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

5. Dumbbell W-press

92.2% 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 Shoulder Press

6. Dumbbell Shoulder Press

92.2% 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

91.7% 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

91.4% 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.
Barbell Standing Close Grip Military Press

9. Barbell Standing Close Grip Military Press

88.2% Match
Delts Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly closer than shoulder-width apart.
  2. Lift the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows close to your body.
  3. Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
  4. Lower the barbell back to shoulder height.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Barbell Shoulder Press

10. Barbell Shoulder Press

88.2% Match
Delts Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. 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).
  2. 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.
  3. Lower the bar down to the shoulders slowly as you inhale.
  4. Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Why You Might Need a Kettlebell Arnold Press Alternative

You may substitute the Kettlebell Arnold Press for several practical reasons: limited equipment, shoulder pain or rotator cuff irritation, or the need for a more loadable or stable pressing pattern. The Arnold’s rotation increases transverse stress on the shoulder; if you feel impingement, choose a strict press that keeps the humerus in a safer plane. For rehab, reduce range of rotation and keep the elbow tracking under the wrist to limit added internal rotation torque. Alternatives let you preserve deltoid hypertrophy and strength while protecting scapular stabilizers and the rotator cuff.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Select a substitute based on available equipment, pain response, and the specific deltoid heads you want to target. If you need vertical drive and heavier loading, choose barbell or single-arm dumbbell overhead presses and cue elbow under wrist to optimize deltoid torque. For limited equipment or scapular control work, use the landmine press (drive up and slightly across the body) to reduce external rotation stress. For bodyweight strength, pick the pike push-up and cue hips high to bias the anterior and lateral delts. Always test with a light set and stop if sharp shoulder pain appears.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Kettlebell Arnold Press work?

The Kettlebell Arnold Press primarily targets the anterior and lateral deltoids while recruiting the triceps and upper pecs. The rotational component also challenges rotator cuff stabilizers and scapular muscles; rotate the palms during the press to load transverse and vertical vectors evenly.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Kettlebell Arnold Press?

The pike push-up is the best scalable bodyweight alternative—hip hinge with hips high, tuck the chin, and descend until the crown approaches the floor. That cue shifts the line of force upward, increasing deltoid activation and replicating overhead pressing biomechanics.

Can I build muscle without doing Kettlebell Arnold Press?

Yes. Use progressive overload with presses that preserve shoulder health—dumbbell overhead presses, landmine presses, and controlled eccentrics work well. Maintain full range of motion, slow eccentrics, and ensure the elbow tracks under the wrist to maximize deltoid activation.

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