10 Best Kettlebell One Arm Military Press To The Side Alternatives

If you can't do the kettlebell one-arm military press to the side, use unilateral or bilateral presses, lateral-dominant raises, or pike-style pressing to hit the anterior and lateral delts. Try a dumbbell neutral-grip strict press or a pike push-up; keep the elbow under the wrist and the scapula stable to load the deltoids directly.

Original Exercise: Kettlebell One Arm Military Press To The Side

Kettlebell One Arm Military Press To The Side
Primary Muscle
Delts
Equipment
Kettlebell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Triceps, Core
How to Perform Kettlebell One Arm Military Press To The Side
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in one hand at shoulder height.
  2. Engage your core and keep your back straight.
  3. Press the kettlebell overhead, extending your arm fully.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the kettlebell back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.

Ranked Kettlebell One Arm Military Press To The Side Alternatives

Best Match
Bent Press

1. Bent Press

99.4% Match
Delts Kettlebell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Clean a kettlebell to your shoulder. Clean the kettlebell to your shoulders by extending through the legs and hips as you raise the kettlebell towards your shoulder. The wrist should rotate as you do so. This will be your starting position.
  2. Begin my leaning to the side opposite the kettlebell, continuing until you are able to touch the ground with your free hand, keeping your eyes on the kettlebell. As you do so, press the weight vertically be extending through the elbow, keeping your arm perpendicular to the ground.
  3. Return to an upright position, with the kettlebell above your head. Return the kettlebell to the shoulder and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
One-Arm Kettlebell Para Press

2. One-Arm Kettlebell Para Press

90% Match
Delts Kettlebell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Clean a kettlebell to your shoulder. Clean the kettlebell to your shoulder by extending through the legs and hips as you pull the kettlebell towards your shoulder. Rotate your wrist as you do so, so that the palm faces forward. This will be your starting position.
  2. Hold the kettlebell with the elbow out to the side, and press it up and out until it is locked out overhead.
  3. Lower the kettlebell back to your shoulder under control and repeat. Make sure to contract your lat, butt, and stomach forcefully for added stability and strength.
One-Arm Kettlebell Push Press

3. One-Arm Kettlebell Push Press

90% Match
Delts Kettlebell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Hold a kettlebell by the handle. Clean the kettlebell to your shoulder by extending through the legs and hips as you pull the kettlebell towards your shoulder. Rotate your wrist as you do so, so that the palm faces forward. This will be your starting position.
  2. Dip your body by bending the knees, keeping your torso upright.
  3. Immediately reverse direction, driving through the heels, in essence jumping to create momentum. As you do so, press the kettlebell overhead to lockout by extending the arms, using your body's momentum to move the weight. Lower the weight to perform the next repetition.
Standing Palm-In One-Arm Dumbbell Press

4. Standing Palm-In One-Arm Dumbbell Press

90% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Start by having a dumbbell in one hand with your arm fully extended to the side using a neutral grip. Use your other arm to hold on to an incline bench to keep your balance.
  2. Your feet should be shoulder width apart from each other. Now slowly lift the dumbbell up until you create a 90 degree angle with your arm. Note: Your forearm should be perpendicular to the floor. Continue to maintain a neutral grip throughout the entire exercise.
  3. Slowly lift the dumbbell up until your arm is fully extended. This the starting position.
  4. While inhaling lower the weight down until your arm is at a 90 degree angle again.
  5. Feel the contraction for a second and then lift the weight back up towards the starting position while exhaling. Remember to hold on to the incline bench and keep your feet positioned to keep balance during the exercise.
Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press V. 2

5. Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press V. 2

89.2% 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.
Kettlebell Arnold Press

6. Kettlebell Arnold Press

88.7% Match
Delts Kettlebell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
Dumbbell Alternate Side Press

7. Dumbbell Alternate Side Press

86.1% 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.
  2. Press one dumbbell overhead while keeping the other dumbbell at shoulder height.
  3. Lower the pressed dumbbell back to shoulder height while pressing the other dumbbell overhead.
  4. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Standing One Arm Palm In Press

8. Dumbbell Standing One Arm Palm In Press

83.7% 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.
Kettlebell Alternating Press

9. Kettlebell Alternating Press

81.7% Match
Delts Kettlebell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in each hand at shoulder height.
  2. Press one kettlebell overhead, fully extending your arm.
  3. Lower the kettlebell back to shoulder height.
  4. Repeat with the other arm.
  5. Continue alternating arms for the desired number of repetitions.
Kettlebell Seesaw Press

10. Kettlebell Seesaw Press

81.7% Match
Delts Kettlebell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in each hand at shoulder height.
  2. Press one kettlebell overhead while keeping the other kettlebell at shoulder height.
  3. Lower the pressed kettlebell back to shoulder height while simultaneously pressing the other kettlebell overhead.
  4. Continue alternating the pressing motion, creating a seesaw-like movement.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Why You Might Need a Kettlebell One Arm Military Press To The Side Alternative

You may need a substitute due to shoulder pain, lack of kettlebell access, mobility limits, or to vary stimulus. The kettlebell one-arm side press biases the anterior and lateral deltoid while demanding scapular stability and rotator cuff control; alternatives let you alter load vector and joint stress. For example, a neutral-grip dumbbell press reduces external rotation and rotator cuff strain, cue a vertical wrist-over-elbow alignment to keep the load through the deltoid. Lateral raises shift emphasis to the middle deltoid via shoulder abduction with minimal axial loading, useful when overhead pain limits vertical pressing.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Select a substitute based on equipment, pain tolerance, and target muscle activation. If you lack kettlebells but have dumbbells, pick a neutral-grip single-arm strict press to preserve unilateral strength and similar deltoid recruitment; keep the elbow under the wrist and avoid trunk lean. If overhead pain is present, choose lateral raises or upright rows to emphasize middle deltoid activation while minimizing shoulder rotation. For hypertrophy, prefer higher-volume sets (8–15 reps) and control the eccentric for 2–3 seconds. For strength, use heavier doubles with strict form and limited compensatory shoulder elevation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Kettlebell One Arm Military Press To The Side work?

The primary targets are the anterior and lateral deltoid fibers, with secondary load on the triceps, upper trapezius, and rotator cuff for stabilization. The lateral bias and horizontal component recruit the middle deltoid via shoulder abduction and the anterior head via flexion; keep the scapula stable to localize tension to the delts.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Kettlebell One Arm Military Press To The Side?

Pike push-ups or elevated pike push-ups are the best bodyweight substitutes because they create a vertical pressing line that loads the deltoids and triceps. Cue a tight core and a vertical torso angle; lower with control so the forehead or crown approaches the ground to maximize delt activation.

Can I build muscle without doing Kettlebell One Arm Military Press To The Side?

Yes. You can build shoulder muscle using other pressing and abduction patterns that provide progressive overload, such as dumbbell strict presses, seated military presses, and weighted lateral raises. Track load, volume, and range of motion, use controlled eccentrics and add weight or reps over time to stimulate hypertrophy.

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