Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Dumbbell Seated Alternate Shoulder: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The dumbbell seated alternate shoulder press is a strength exercise targeting the deltoids, performed while seated and alternating arms for each press. It also engages the triceps and upper back as secondary muscles.

Primary muscles
Shoulders
Secondary muscles
Triceps , Traps
Equipment
Dumbbell
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the dumbbell seated alternate shoulder
Front view: muscles worked by the dumbbell seated alternate shoulder. Primary: shoulders. Secondary: triceps and traps.
Back view: muscles worked by the dumbbell seated alternate shoulder. Primary: shoulders. Secondary: triceps and traps.
Primary Secondary

How to do the dumbbell seated alternate shoulder

  1. Step 1: Sit on a bench with your back straight and feet flat on the ground.
  2. Step 2: Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing inwards, and raise them to shoulder height.
  3. Step 3: Press one dumbbell up overhead while keeping the other dumbbell at shoulder height.
  4. Step 4: Lower the raised dumbbell back to shoulder height while simultaneously pressing the other dumbbell up overhead.
  5. Step 5: Continue alternating between arms for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the dumbbell seated alternate shoulder by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Dumbbell Seated Alternate Shoulder alternatives

More exercises that train the shoulders as their main target:

More shoulders exercises

See the best shoulder exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.