Standing Alternating Dumbbell Press
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using dumbbells.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Standing Alternating Dumbbell Press
- 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.
- 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.
- After a brief pause, return the weight to the starting position.
- Repeat for the opposite side, continuing to alternate between arms.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Standing Alternating Dumbbell Press
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Alternating Cable Shoulder Press
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a cable machine.
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2
Standing Bradford Press
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a barbell.
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3
Standing Military Press
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a barbell.
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4
Seated Dumbbell Press
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using dumbbells.
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5
Standing Dumbbell Press
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using dumbbells.
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6
Standing Palm-In One-Arm Dumbbell Press
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using dumbbells.
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7
Alternating Kettlebell Press
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a kettlebell.
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8
Standing Barbell Press Behind Neck
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a barbell.
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9
Anti-Gravity Press
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a barbell.
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10
Arnold Dumbbell Press
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using dumbbells.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do standing alternating dumbbell press work?
Standing Alternating Dumbbell Press primarily works the shoulders. The triceps assist as secondary muscles.
What equipment do I need for standing alternating dumbbell press?
Standing Alternating Dumbbell Press uses dumbbells.
Standing Alternating Dumbbell Press: is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. Standing Alternating Dumbbell Press is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.
What can I do instead of standing alternating dumbbell press?
Alternating Cable Shoulder Press, Standing Bradford Press, Standing Military Press train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
Can Fitnit count my standing alternating dumbbell press reps automatically?
Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; standing alternating dumbbell press can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
Track Your Standing Alternating Dumbbell Press with AI
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