Cuban Press

How to do the Cuban Press

1. Take a dumbbell in each hand with a pronated grip in a standing position. Raise your upper arms so that they are parallel to the floor, allowing your lower arms to hang in the "scarecrow" position. This will be your starting position.
2. To initiate the movement, externally rotate the shoulders to move the upper arm 180 degrees. Keep the upper arms in place, rotating the upper arms until the wrists are directly above the elbows, the forearms perpendicular to the floor.
3. Now press the dumbbells by extending at the elbows, straightening your arms overhead.
4. Return to the starting position as you breathe in by reversing the steps.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	shoulders
Secondary	traps
Equipment	dumbbell
Difficulty	intermediate
Type	compound

No dumbbell? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Handstand Push-Ups Bodyweight Shoulder Press - With Bands Resistance Bands Lateral Raise - With Bands Resistance Bands Alternating Kettlebell Press Kettlebell Double Kettlebell Jerk Kettlebell Double Kettlebell Push Press Kettlebell

Easier than the Cuban Press

Same movement pattern, lower entry difficulty — work up from here.

Anti-Gravity Press beginner · Barbell Alternating Cable Shoulder Press beginner · Cable Machine Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise beginner · Barbell

Harder than the Cuban Press

Push Press expert · Barbell Clean and Jerk expert · Barbell Circus Bell expert · Other Equipment

Superset the Cuban Press with

Opposing middle back work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Middle Back Shrug middle back Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row middle back Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row With Palms In middle back Dumbbell Incline Row middle back

Common questions

What muscles does the Cuban Press work?

The Cuban Press primarily works the shoulders, with the traps as secondary movers. Anti-Gravity Press, Clean and Press, and Iron Cross train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Cuban Press?

Dumbbells. Without dumbbells, Handstand Push-Ups, Shoulder Press - With Bands, and Lateral Raise - With Bands train the same muscle, and 10 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Cuban Press suitable for beginners?

It is rated intermediate. Start with Anti-Gravity Press, Alternating Cable Shoulder Press, and Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise and work up.

Where should the Cuban Press go in a workout?

Early — the Cuban Press is compound, working 2 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Middle Back Shrug and Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row later.

Similar exercises

Anti-Gravity Press Barbell Clean and Press Barbell Iron Cross Dumbbell Alternating Cable Shoulder Press Cable Machine Alternating Kettlebell Press Kettlebell Arnold Dumbbell Press Dumbbell