Alternating Dumbbell Seated Shoulder Press
In SetGrip: Dumbbell Seated Shoulder Press (Alternating)
- Secondary muscles
- Triceps, Upper Back
- Body part
- Shoulders
- Position
- Seated
- Laterality
- Alternating sides
- Category
- Strength
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Holding one dumbbell at your shoulder while the other presses turns this into a see-saw pattern that keeps both delts loaded from start to finish. The seated position plus the static hold makes it noticeably harder than pressing both bells together, so start a size or two lighter than your usual seated press weight.
How to do the Alternating Dumbbell Seated Shoulder Press
- Sit on a bench with your back straight and feet flat on the ground.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing inwards, and raise them to shoulder height.
- Press one dumbbell up overhead while keeping the other dumbbell at shoulder height.
- Lower the raised dumbbell back to shoulder height while simultaneously pressing the other dumbbell up overhead.
- Continue alternating between arms for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip: Lead with the elbows and think of reaching wide rather than lifting up.
Muscles worked
Primary
Delts · Shoulders
Front raises hit the front delt, lateral raises the side, and Y or rear raises the back head; whichever you pick, the burn should build across the top of the shoulder by the last few reps.
Secondary
- Triceps
- Upper Back — On Y-raises and rear delt raises the lower traps and rhomboids control the shoulder blade and should be felt between the shoulders.
Common mistakes
- Swinging from the hips — a small bounce at the bottom is the sign of a weight that is too heavy; lighten it and lift from a dead stop.
- Shrugging as you raise — the traps take over when the shoulders rise toward the ears; keep them down and lead with the elbows.
- Raising far above shoulder height — on lateral and front raises the upper traps take over past parallel, so stop around shoulder level unless the variation is built to go overhead.
- Locked elbows — keep a soft bend in the elbow throughout so the load stays on the shoulder rather than the joint.
Where it fits in a workout
Raises are accessory work and belong after the presses in a shoulder or push session. Superset lateral raises with a rear delt fly for a complete shoulder finisher.
How many sets, how heavy and how hard: see what the ACSM position stands support.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without dumbbell
When to talk to someone
- Chest discomfort, feeling faint or lightheaded, or trouble breathing during or after exercise can be signs of a heart attack. In the US, call 911 right away; elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
- Heart, metabolic or kidney disease, or symptoms like these when you are active: talk to your doctor before you start or step up training.
- Pregnant: ask your obstetric care provider which exercise suits you.
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Sources
- ACSM position stand on exercise quantity and quality (Garber et al., 2011)
- ACSM preparticipation health screening (Riebe et al., 2015)
- ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804 on exercise in pregnancy (2020)
- CDC: About Heart Attack Symptoms, Risk, and Recovery (2024)
Sources checked on October 17, 2026. Full citations are in the exercise library.
Animation and exercise data: ExerciseDB, licensed to SetGrip. General information, not medical or coaching advice.