Male model ex_234IOE

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Shoulders · Dumbbell

Dumbbell Seated Alternate Shoulder Press

beginnerstrengthOne side at a time

Dumbbell Seated Alternate Shoulder Press is a beginner compound strength exercise that works the delts (shoulders), with the upper back assisting. It needs a dumbbell. A typical prescription is 3 sets of 8-12 reps per side, and it burns about 6.1 calories per minute.

Target
Delts
Body part
Shoulders
Equipment
Dumbbell
Category
Strength
Mechanic
Compound
Force
Push
Sets × reps
3 × 8-12
Calories / min
≈ 6.1 kcal

Primary muscles

  • Shoulders · Anterior Deltoids

Secondary muscles

  • Upper Back · Trapezius, Rhomboids

How to do Dumbbell Seated Alternate Shoulder Press

  1. Sit on a bench with your back straight and feet flat on the floor, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level, elbows facing outside, palms facing forward.
  2. Press the right dumbbell overhead until your arm is fully extended, keeping your left dumbbell at shoulder level.
  3. Lower the right dumbbell back to shoulder level while simultaneously pressing the left dumbbell overhead.
  4. Continue to alternate arms for the desired number of repetitions.

Form tips

  • Press the dumbbells in a controlled manner, avoiding any jerking movements.
  • Keep your shoulders stable and avoid shrugging them during the press.
  • Focus on using your shoulder muscles to lift the weights, minimizing involvement from other muscles.

Dumbbell Seated Alternate Shoulder Press alternatives

More delts exercises

Dumbbell Seated Alternate Shoulder Press FAQ

What muscles does Dumbbell Seated Alternate Shoulder Press work?

Dumbbell Seated Alternate Shoulder Press mainly works the delts in the shoulders (Anterior Deltoids). The upper back work as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for Dumbbell Seated Alternate Shoulder Press?

You need a dumbbell.

How many sets and reps of Dumbbell Seated Alternate Shoulder Press should I do?

Start with 3 sets of 8-12 reps per side. Pick a load or variation where the last one or two reps are hard but your form stays clean.

Is Dumbbell Seated Alternate Shoulder Press good for beginners?

Yes. Dumbbell Seated Alternate Shoulder Press is rated beginner, so it's a sound choice while you learn to train the delts.

How many calories does Dumbbell Seated Alternate Shoulder Press burn?

About 6.1 calories per minute for a person of around 70 kg, based on a MET value of 5. Ten minutes of work is roughly 61 calories; heavier people burn more.

What is a good alternative to Dumbbell Seated Alternate Shoulder Press?

Other exercises for the delts include Band Seated Shoulder Press, Seated Shoulder Press Barbell, Ez Bar Seated Close Grip Shoulder Press and Smith Machine Shoulder Press.

For developers

Use Dumbbell Seated Alternate Shoulder Press in your app

Get this exercise and 1,900+ others from the WorkoutX API: 720p MP4 animations at 30 fps without the watermark, male and female models, muscles, instructions and form tips in 7 languages.

# One request returns the exercise and its 720p media links
curl "https://api.workoutxapp.com/v2/exercises/ex_234IOE" \
  -H "X-WorkoutX-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"

{
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  "name": "Dumbbell Seated Alternate Shoulder Press",
  "model": "male",
  "target": "Delts",
  "equipment": "Dumbbell",
  "media": {
    "mp4": "https://…/ex_234IOE/mp4-720.mp4?…",
    "poster": "https://…/ex_234IOE/poster.jpg?…"
  }
}