10 Best See-saw Press (Alternating Side Press) Alternatives for Shoulder Pain

If you need an alternative to the See-saw Press (alternating Side Press), use compound vertical presses that preserve deltoid loading and stability. Top choices include standing dumbbell shoulder press, Arnold press, single-arm landmine press, push press, and seated single-arm dumbbell press. Cue: brace your core and press without shrugging to target the delts and scapular stabilizers.

Original Exercise: See-saw Press (Alternating Side Press)

See-saw Press (Alternating Side Press)
Primary Muscle
Delts
Equipment
Dumbbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Abdominals, Triceps
How to Perform See-saw Press (Alternating Side Press)
  1. Grab a dumbbell with each hand and stand up erect.
  2. Clean (lift) the dumbbells to the chest/shoulder level and then rotate your wrists so that your palms are facing towards you as if you were getting ready to perform an Arnold Press. This will be your starting position.
  3. Now start extending your left arm overhead as you rotate the wrist so that the palm of your hand faces forward as you go up. Your elbows should come out also as you lift the weight. Simultaneously, you will also be bending from your hip to your opposite side. Tip: If you perform the exercise correctly, is should look as if you are trying to reach for something overhead on the right hand side of your body, but with your left arm. Breathe out as you perform this movement.
  4. Once you reach the top position breathe in. Then, with the weight fully extended overhead and you bent over to your right hand side, begin the movement to the left side.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Push
  • Movement type: Compound

Ranked See-saw Press (Alternating Side Press) Alternatives

Best Match
Standing Alternating Dumbbell Press

1. Standing Alternating Dumbbell Press

99.2% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with a dumbbell in each hand. Raise the dumbbells to your shoulders with your palms facing forward and your elbows pointed out. This will be your starting position.
  2. Extend one arm to press the dumbbell straight up, keeping your off hand in place. Do not lean or jerk the weight during the movement.
  3. After a brief pause, return the weight to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the opposite side, continuing to alternate between arms.
Kettlebell Alternating Press

2. Kettlebell Alternating Press

99.2% 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

3. Kettlebell Seesaw Press

99.2% 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.
Dumbbell Standing Alternate Overhead Press

4. Dumbbell Standing Alternate Overhead Press

95% 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 level with your palms facing forward.
  2. Press one dumbbell overhead, fully extending your arm.
  3. Lower the dumbbell back to shoulder level.
  4. Repeat with the other arm.
  5. Continue alternating arms for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Arnold Press

5. Dumbbell Arnold Press

93% 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 Shoulder Press

6. Dumbbell Shoulder Press

93% 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 W-press

7. Dumbbell W-press

93% 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.
Standing Dumbbell Press

8. Standing Dumbbell Press

93% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Standing with your feet shoulder width apart, take a dumbbell in each hand. Raise the dumbbells to head height, the elbows out and about 90 degrees. This will be your starting position.
  2. Maintaining strict technique with no leg drive or leaning back, extend through the elbow to raise the weights together directly above your head.
  3. Pause, and slowly return the weight to the starting position.
Kettlebell Two Arm Military Press

9. Kettlebell Two Arm Military Press

93% 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 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.
Dumbbell Cuban Press V. 2

10. Dumbbell Cuban Press V. 2

92.4% 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.

Why You Might Need a See-saw Press (Alternating Side Press) Alternative

You may substitute the see-saw press because of shoulder pain, limited mobility, lack of matching dumbbells, or a goal shift toward heavier bilateral loading. Alternatives let you alter grip, range of motion, or trunk involvement to reduce impingement and distribute load differently across the anterior, medial, and posterior deltoids. For example, a landmine press uses a neutral grip and reduces overhead external rotation to ease the subacromial space, while a push press uses leg drive to offload the shoulder during maximal attempts. Use technique cues like keeping the scapula packed and driving through the palm to preserve rotator cuff activation and safe upward scapular rotation.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Choose a substitute based on mobility, equipment, and training goal. If you lack overhead mobility pick the landmine or neutral-grip seated press to minimize shoulder abduction and external rotation; cue: keep the elbow slightly forward and maintain thoracic extension. If you want heavier loads or power development use the push press and drive with the hips to reduce pure shoulder overload. For unilateral stability and core anti-rotation, select single-arm dumbbell or landmine presses and brace the obliques during each rep. Prioritize the movement that matches your weak link, stability, range of motion, or pure deltoid load.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does See-saw Press (alternating Side Press) work?

The see-saw press primarily targets the deltoids, especially the anterior and medial heads, while secondary load goes to the triceps, upper chest, and trapezius. The alternating unilateral pattern increases anti-rotation demand on the obliques and recruits scapular stabilizers like serratus anterior and the rotator cuff for upward rotation and humeral head control.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to See-saw Press (alternating Side Press)?

The best bodyweight substitute is the pike push-up progression, advancing to deficit pike push-ups or handstand push-ups as strength improves. Cue: hike your hips high, lower the crown of your head to the floor under control, and push while keeping scapula depression to emphasize delt and triceps activation in a vertical press pattern.

Can I build muscle without doing See-saw Press (alternating Side Press)?

Yes. You can achieve deltoid hypertrophy with other vertical presses, push-press variations, and targeted accessory work like lateral raises and rear-delt rows. Focus on progressive overload, controlled eccentrics, and exercise selection that loads the anterior and medial deltoid fibers to match your hypertrophy goals.

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