Shoulders · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Seated Alternate Shoulder Press
How to do the dumbbell seated alternate shoulder press, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- VerticalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Sit upright on a bench with back support, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height. Press one dumbbell overhead until your arm is extended while the other stays racked, lower it under control, then press the opposite side, alternating each rep.
- 1Feel your front and side delts drive each dumbbell overhead, triceps
- 2finishing the lockout
- 3Brace your ribs down and core tight so your torso stays still as one side presses
- 4Keep a clean overhead path with your wrist stacked over your elbow
Common mistakes
- Do not arch your lower back or let your ribs flare to press the weight
- Avoid leaning away from the pressing arm
- Do not let the elbow drift behind you at the bottom
Muscles worked
The dumbbell seated alternate shoulder press mainly works the front delts, triceps, and side delts, with the forearms, upper chest, upper traps, upper abs, lower abs, and obliques assisting.
- Front DeltsPrimary
- TricepsPrimary
- Side DeltsPrimary
- ForearmsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- Lower TrapsMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell seated alternate shoulder press for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.